Turania

Turania (Mesian: Turân; Mormish: Turan), officially called the United Kingdom of Turania (Mesian: Pâdešâhi-ye Yektâ-ye Turân; Mormish: Turan Birleşik Krallık; Guibard: Royaume-Uni de Touranie; Irrian: Vereingtes Königreich Turanien), is a country in Southern Asteria. It is the sixth-largest country by land area and largest on the Turanian subcontinent. It is naturally bounded by the Mesothalassan to the southwest; the Equatorial Channel to the south; the Mozad Sea to the southeast; and the Turanian Gulf to the northeast. it shares land borders with Encitar to the west; New Auminoa to the northwest; Transhavalia to the north; and Zalesia and Cathaysia to the northeast. Turania covers an area of 5,925,783 km², with a population of 367,411,300.

Turania has been a constitutional monarchy governed by a secular democratic system since its restoration in 591. The current monarch is Drogon II, who is the only monarch to have ruled under the current constitution. Its capital and largest city is Firousia, a world center of finance and commerce with a metropolitan population of 14.8 million. Turania is organized as a union of five constituent countries: Mesia, Molmocia, Dilanistan, Auminoa and Crumatia. Their capitals are Firousia, Esgabat, Dilev, Norakert and Crumat, respectively.

Pre-Helorian Turania traces its origins back to the arrival of the first modern humans from Shandica no later than 55,000 years ago. They made a long occupation of the subcontinent, early isolated hunter-gatherers growing apart from the coastal valleys to the inner highlands, making the region one of the most genetically diverse in Asteria and second only to Shandica in the world. Settler life began on the southern shores of the Lake Sisatia nearly 10,000 years ago, culminating in the ancient Viranite kingdoms. By 3800 BCC, an archaic form of Mesian, a Shando-Asterian language, had evolved from the primitive common languages that existed prior and diffused throughout the subcontinent's central steppe. By 3300 BCC, a wave of cultural development and flourishing religions culminated in the rise of the Airyamanid Dynasty, the first Turanic empire, and one which would become one of the largest empires in history, reaching its largest territorial extent by 2800 BCC. The empire gained the attention of Asterians in the ancient era, being flocked to by explorers, merchants and philosophers; the empire fell to Caius the Great in 2300 BCC after celebrating its millennial anniversary, who would divide the polity into numerous Auranistic states. This period persisted for three centuries, coming to a violent end when a sweeping wave of Mesanic rebellions overthrew their conquerors; they established a second Turanic empire under the Azmanid Dynasty in 2000 BCC, a major power of the old world to last until shortly after the death of Soter in 1400 BCC. It would be followed by a period of antiquity plagued with rebellions and fractured peaces, described in modern Mesian history as the Old Interregnum.

This interregnum was a pivotal turning point in the social order of the Turanian subcontinent, as tribal loyalties overruled imperial loyalty. Mesia shrunk in influence with the arrival of the Mormolycans into the subcontinent in 1300 BCC, who established their warhost in its northeastern plains, intermittently overrunning and pillaging the former empire's settlements amidst their conquests. Their migration put down roots of Koyashism throughout the subcontinent, which threatened the growth of institutionalized religions such as Soterianity in the heart of Mesia. Mormic hordes eventually conquered Mesia in the sixth century BCC, which led to the Mormification of Mesia, drawing Turania into the greater network of Mormic states. Over the next two centuries, the native Arsathians were able to re-establish a unified Mesian state, creating a national identity that distinguished them from their steppe neighbors, marking a turning point in Mesian and Turanic history. The Mormos who settled in modern day Turania grew distant from their sister peoples as a result of cultural diffusion from Mesia, eventually disintegrating as a united warhost by 200 BCC into smaller principalities under Mesian influence.

Beginning into the early second century BCC, the Heloringian Empire was ambitious to top its predecessors by conquering not just Mesia, but all of Turania in its name. They would go on to unite the principalities and conquer Mesia over the next century, declaring the region a vassal state and becoming the most prosperous empire in Asteria for its time. The monopolization of the Equatorial Channel by the Heloringians was a direct factor in starting the age of exploration, and accelerated the Soterianization of Turania by their overlords. Into the first and second centuries CC, Turania enjoyed a period of peaceful prosperity under colonial rule, eventually outgrowing its overlords in wealth and power. It made significant territorial gains during the viceroyalty as well, becoming the first Turanic state to fully unify the subcontinent at one time. From the third century onwards the colonial authority was gradually expanded, bolstering Turania's role in the global economy but consolidating its sovereignty, resulting in a reduction of rights for all Turanic peoples. Heloringian direct rule was initiated in 404, culminating in the spread of new technologies and popular ideas to Turania. The globalization of Turania to other Asterian powers garnered it support for an independence movement; this contributed to the successful War for Turanian Independence in 458.

Turania's early uprising and becoming as a nation state was heavily endorsed by western Asterian powers who had been rivals of the Heloringians, resulting in many western ideas being able to proliferate throughout the new country. The late 5th century saw the emergence of the Harvest Revolution against the monarchy, as early forming socialist and nationalist ideologues sought to steer the country into a new direction. The decade-long event ended with the peaceful abolition of the monarchy in 497, and socialist assumption of state in 499, founding the Socialist Union of Turania. The socialist government established a republic in lieu of a hereditary monarchy with an emphasis on the industrialization of the state, establishing stronger ties to the Eunomian and Themian spheres while being contrasted by a more extremist Pan-Mormic sphere of socialism to its northeast. Throughout the 6th century Turania would become heavily involved in global affairs, famous for switching sides during the Continental Crisis and choosing to aid their former enemies, the Continental Alliance, in their fight against the imperialistic Union Shield when Turania was invaded in 540. The resulting ceasefires and peace deals would contribute to a tense theater for the rest of the Cold War, one which Turania is still affected by to this day. After a period of stagnation and decline of stability in the 580s, confidence in the socialist government began to wane, and the threat of fascism making a resurgence grew in the masses. In 591, the year after the EFSR's collapse, the Union dissolved itself in order to restore Turania's monarchy, returning the nation to its original status as a united independent kingdom.

Turania has been a secular multiparty democracy since the adoption of its modern constitution in 592, its unicameral Supreme Assembly serving the role of a federated council that advises on decisions such as war, constitutional change and declaring a democratic regency. It represents a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society with a global cultural impact through the arts, literature, media and philosophies it inspires. Turania is classified as a major geopolitical power with an intercontinental economy; it is seen as a prospectful investment for a burgeoning information technology hub, enjoying large reserves of fossil fuels and rare earth metals useful to the technology sector. The country's rich, long-withstanding historical architecture has led to the establishment of numerous International Heritage Sites within Turania, and is classified as a megadiverse country due to its isolated geography and expansive biodiversity; several protected habitats exist throughout the country, which serve to protect ancient species pushed into near-extinction due to their exotic value overseas. Despite this, the country still boasts one of the world's largest, most active militaries involved in various strategic disputes, such as the Auminoan Armistice.

Turania is a declared signatory of the International Charter (IC) and was soon appointed to a permanent seat on the International Security Council (ISC) upon its foundation. Turania is a founder of the Central International Defense Arrangement Treaty (CIDAT), Shandica Economic Collective Organization (SECO), International Trading Forum (ITF) and the Central Economic Market (CEM); it is also a participatory state of the International Convention on Exporting Petroleum (ICEP), though did not found it. Turania was recognized as an emergent member of the Worldwide 8 (W8) geopolitical forum in 606, having previously only been included in the Worldwide 15 (W15) major economies forum. It is also a recognized observer of many western Asterian organizational regulations on matters such as currency exchange and accession customs, though primarily caters to its own polar sphere and trade bloc.

Etymology and name
The term Turania is directly derived from the Middle Mesian term Tūrān ("land of the Tūrya"), which was found to be first attested in the Chadiac Relief. Tūrān is the oblique plural form of the gentilic noun tūr- (Middle Dilanic), possibly derived from Proto-Dilanic *tura- (meaning "strong, quick, sword", i.e. "of the swordsmen"), identified as a derivative of Proto-Shando-Asterian *temh₁- ("to cut"). In the Dilanic languages, the gentilic is attested as a self-identifier, included in ancient inscriptions and literature, and survives in other ethnic names for the region as in New Dilani tārik and in Cruman toran (thoran). According to Mesian mythology, the self-identifier comes from the the name of Tūr, a legendary king who conquered everything the sun could see. However, his mythical kingdom was plunged into civil war among his sons when he passed, said to have caused the various Mesian ethnolinguistic groups that inhabit Turania. In this case, the Turanians are the peoples who inhabited these lands ruled by Tūr, each with their own geographical domain on the subcontinent.

Historically, Turania was associated by the West with the ancient Mormolycan cultures throughout the conflicting period of Mormification and Soterianization, due mainly to the poets of Antiquity likening the nomads to that of Tūr's conquerors. However, when the Heloringians arrived to subjugate the Mormish princes, they found there was no cultural connection between the Mormic cultures and the Turanians from Mesia. They identified every culture south of the Transhavalian mountain range to be Turanian, a late development which has allowed the term to persist ever since as a geographical term.

In 458, the collective people of an independent Turania agreed to use the native name for its new country, effective 14 March that year. By 547, many territories once a part of Turania at its founding had gained independence, causing opposition of the name to form. The following year, the non-profit organization Encyclopædia Turanica sponsored a referendum asking if the nation should change its official name; the results were an overwhelming 81% in favor of keeping it. Today, Turania is applicable in geographic, cultural and official state contexts, though some historians prefer the term "Greater Turania" (Tūrānzamīn) when discussing its historical territorial, cultural and linguistic zones. In addition to modern Turania, this includes the Transhavalus, Greater Auminoa, Encitar and portions of modern Zalesia and Cathaysia.

Geography


Turania is a non-contiguous transcontinental country mainly constituted by the Turanian subcontinent of Southern Asteria, which is where the country's contiguous territory is located, while also having various islands around itself. It covers a total surface area of 5,925,783 km2 (2,287,958 sq mi), the fifth-largest in the world; of which 5,759,991 km2 (2,223,945 sq mi) is terrestrial, making it only the sixth-largest country by land area. Turania is one of the only two ranking countries in the ten largest that changes between surface and land area, the other being the country it replaces, Zalesia. The country is encircled by seas on three sides: the Mesothalassan to the west, the Equatorial Channel to the south, and the Mozad Sea to the east. Turania contains part of the Turanian Gulf to the northeast. It is bordered to the northwest by Encitar (690 km or 429 mi); to the northwest by New Auminoa (1,487 km or 924 mi); to the north by Transhavalia (1,411 km or 877 mi); and to the northeast by Zalesia (546 km or 339 mi).

Turania has three major archipelagos: the Arian islands, a group of approximately one thousand islands and islets in the Mesothalassan; the Margarene islands, a volcanic chain in the Equatorial Channel; and the Turanic islands, a loose grouping of large islands in the Turanian Gulf. Due to its highly indented coastline and numerous islands, Turania has an official coastline measuring 19,483 km (12,106 mi) in length; of this distance, 14,861 kilometers (9,234 mi) belong to peninsular Turania and 4,622 km (2,872 mi) to the various island chains. Constituted in such fashion, Turania lies to the north of the equator between 5° and 35° north latitude and 45° and 90° east longitude; the Margarene islands are the only overseas territory of Turania not in this latitude zone, instead located on the equator. Each constituent country of Turania can be divided into a unique set of geographic regions. Southern Mesia is characterized by its flat plateaux and narrow coastal plains, being separated from the Ospan plain, a lush lowland of Northern Mesia, by the Brazantine, Angeman and Yashmir ranges. These rugged mountains divide various individual forest steppes apart from one another, the first containing Mount Brazus, Turania's highest point at 5,374 m (17,631 ft). Most river systems of Northern Mesia originate from the Transhavalian mountains; the largest of which being the Dohezarus, a system of two intertwined rivers, the Sasabes (3,013 km or 1,872 mi) and the Shidrus (3,478 km or 2,161 mi); the Sasabes flows south in a steep gradient towards Lake Sisatia and the Mesothalassan, while the Shidrus flows into the salt marshes of the Dilani delta region.

Turanian Auminoa shares many of the geographic features of Northern Mesia, but is also partly covered by the Havalian Carpinifolian Forest, a dense woodland in the world's subtropical mixed forests biome that spans most of the Auminoan valley. In the east, the Accoran range encloses the watershed and leaves the far east dry and arid, joining into the Dashtan desert. Crumatia inherits this desert and much of the Transhavalian savannah, characterized by its long dry seasons and regular droughts. Molmocia rests on the Molman Plateau, a lower plateau relative to Northern Mesia and Crumatia, which comprises many of the country's desert basins and steppe grasslands; the coastline is a narrow belt along the Turanian Gulf, a region called the Cholan Coast, that is divided by the Molmic mountains.

Climate
Turania is one of the few nations to comprise four of the five major climate groups within its borders. The subcontinent it makes up the bulk of has a diverse spread of climate zones, ranging from the arid and semi-arid south to the humid forested north. The coastal areas bordering the Mesothalassan and Equatorial Channel are subject to the equatorial Mesothalassan climate, having hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters. The Mozad Sea coast is colder and wetter than the Mesothalassan, exhibiting more moisture-laden summers and sharper winters. The coastal areas along the Turanian Gulf lie in a transitional area between the equatorial Mesothalassan climate and the northward temperate continental climate, displaying mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. When warm air currents move from west to east out of the Mesothalassan, they bring heavy amounts of precipitation which fall along the southern coastline, with the Mozad Sea coast receiving the most rainfall annually in the country. Almost every winter snow falls on the coastal areas of the Turanian Gulf, but usually melts in no more than a few days; snow outside of the Turanian Gulf is rare on the Mozad Sea coast, and very rare on the coast of the Mesothalassan. The climate of the inland plateaus highly differs from the coastal areas because of the many mountain ranges that enclose it, keeping the bulk of the Turanian subcontinent cooler than most locations at similar latitudes. The Brazantines prevent hot Mesothalassan influences from traveling inland, leaving northwestern Turania with cooler but drier seasons; the Transhavalians prevent the cold northern Okeyan High winds from crossing into the subcontinent, leaving northeastern Turania with warmer but more humid seasons. On the northern edge of the country, temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid for the rest of the year. The two mountain ranges limit the amount of precipitation the inland steppes receive, with the Ospan plain and Dashtan desert being the driest regions of the country. Snow is common in the interior, being heavily influenced by rising northward elevation.

The Turanian region is subject to the effects of climate change, with rising annual maximal temperatures leading to the gradual decline of the Dohezarus rivers. This has caused an increase in desertification, droughts, heatwaves and salinization. The country is one of the few which has signed a pledge to support the Vernal Accords on climate change, but has not yet ratified them into national law, making them a signatory but not a party to the agreement.

Geology and hydrology
Turania accounts for the bulk of the Turanian subcontinent, lying atop the Turanian tectonic plate, a part of the Asterian Plate. The terrain of Turania was defined through geological processes 75 million years ago, when the Turanian Plate, then part of the equatorial supercontinent Laurelia, began a north-eastward drift caused by seafloor spreading to its south-west, south, and later south-east. This happened in tandem with the separation of the Aurian Plate from the Zanobian Plate, the combined processes creating the Equatorial Channel and caused the Turanian continental crust to eventually under-thrust Asteria 35 million years ago and uplift the Transhavalian mountains. Immediately south of the Transhavalus, plate movement driven by convection in the mantle of Terra caused faulting deformation, expanding the Brazantine Alps and creating the Arian islands. In Turania's center, a vast trough became filled with river-borne sediment from the fractured coastlines, resulting in the Ospan plain. In the east, the ancient Mormic mountains connect to the Transhavalus and cut off the central great plains, resulting in the great Dashtan desert.

Today, the original Turanian Plate survives in peninsular Turania, the oldest and most geologically stable part of Turania. It extends as far north as the Angeman and Yashmir ranges east of the Brazantines, encircling Lake Sisatia. To the northeast, the Molman Plateau is flanked by the Turanian Gulf, a sea region that contains some of the country's youngest rock formations, some less than a million years old. As a general trend, the coastlines of Turania are more rugged than the northward interior; according to the Turanian naval hydrographic charts, the mainland coastline consists of the following: 44% rocky shores, including cliffs; 31% sandy beaches; and 15% mudflats or marshy shores.

Biodiversity
Turania is a megadiverse country serving as the epicenter of an extraordinary ecosystem in Asteria. It is home to an abundance of indigenous, or endemic, species; a diverse array of ecoregions each with fauna and flora suited to their particular habitat. The country is one of the few countries classified as a biodiversity hotspot for mass habitat loss due to human habitation.

Turania's high amount of biological diversity is mostly a result of genetic divergence from those of Laurelia, the central supercontinent from which Turania separated more than 75 million years ago. Turania's subsequent collision with Asteria set off a mass exchange of species, lowering endemism in the region to 48.6%. However, the resulting volcanism and climatic changes that occurred 35 million years ago caused the extinction of many endemic species and the evolution of many more into their present day forms. Overtime, the species Turania brought began to emigrate farther throughout Asteria, most notably into Tenzan during later glacial periods, where some common mammals can be found. However many of its avian species are not endemic, instead the majority originate from Shandica; they come through the Turano-Shandican Flyway in between breeding and overwintering seasons, a long flight pattern that has been influential in diversifying Turania's avian population. The country is especially noteworthy for its total number of recorded species; for example, the whole of peninsular Asteria has 17,000 species (5,000 endemic), while in Turania there are over 37,000 species (18,000 endemic), making it the most diverse region of the continent.

Fauna
Turania's wildlife forms are known to become progressively larger the more northward they inhabit; the country's most well-known charismatic megafauna have been vital aspects of wildlife conservation and tourism. It is home to various big cats like the Asterian lynx, Havalian tiger, Mesian leopard, Transhavalian snow leopard and Turanian tiger; as well as bears including the Cruman brown bear, Havalian brown bear and Mesian brown bear. The heaviest land animal on the continent is also found in Turania: the bovid Asterian bison. Most carnivores endemic to Turania descend from these large mammals, such as canids including the Dashtan desert wolf, Ospan steppe wolf and Transhavalian beowulf; and felids including the Asterian golden cat, Cathaysian manoland Turanian caracal. The exception to this would be the mustelid Cathaysian bearcat, one of two living species of its genetic family and a recently invasive species into Turania. Turania is also the origin of most equids, with the first wild horses appearing after its collision with Asteria. The early Asterians were the first to domesticate horses and have used them to great cultural effect; donkeys were also domesticated around the same time. Many of these breeds would be raised free-range, becoming feral horses. Turania is the origin of the camelid Turanian dromedary, a domesticated counterpart to the horse apt for traversing the region's arid regions. Other bovid and cervid species present include the Asterian antelope, Carpinifolian red deer, Havalian elk, Mesian fallow deer, and Transasterian roe deer; as well as caprines like the Dilani screw-horned goat, East Havalian mountain goat, Havalian wild sheep, Transhavalian sheep, and Turanian wild goat. Small mustelids such as the Asterian weasel, Cathaysian solongoi, Havalian polecat, Old World otter and Transhavalian badger have an important role in the ecosystem. Other small mammalian species present include bats (Old World horseshoes, Turanian mouse-tails), leporids (Turanian hares), rodents (Asterian beavers, Auminoan hamsters, Brazantine golden marmots, Cruman ground squirrels, Dashtan desert dormice, Havalian great gerbils, Mormic tree squirrels, Transasterian migratory hamsters, Transhavalian three-toed jerboa and Turanian crested porcupines) and talpids (Peninsular moles). Some of these species were able to be domesticated in ancient times, giving rise to populations of cats, ferrets, goats, rabbits and sheep. The unique origin of prehistoric species in the world resulted in pre-modern Turania lacking several contemporary domesticated animals. Domesticated cattle were purchased from ancient Shandican kingdoms for bison, as they were valued for their rich milk not obtainable from Asteria's endemic dairy producers; a similar exchange existed for Turanian domestic pigeons and Shandican chickens. Certain breeds of domesticated dogs were imported from Eunomia and introduced into the region during the modern era. Domesticated pigs were not as valued under the colonial government because of their political monopolization in East Auria, making it difficult to import them until Serica gained independent status. Free-range canines and feral pigs can be found in the modern Turanian steppe as a result of these historic exchanges. Turania is also home to several unique species of sea mammals, such as two forms of monk seals; the Mesothalassan monk seal, which is the world's rarest pinniped species, and the Sisatian monk seal, which is the only freshwater pinniped species in the world. Whales are felt throughout both the Mesothalassan and the Mozad Seas, as the Equatorial Channel holds an important role as a place of passage for them. Species recorded at sea in the Mesothalassan include the goose-beaked whale and sperm whale; species recorded from the Mozad Sea are considered their own populations, with the humpback whales and pygmy sperm whales there rarely visiting other seas. The country's maritime waters are home to a plethora of dolphin species at all depths year-round, including the bottlenose dolphin, monk dolphin, short-beaked dolphin, and spinner dolphin. Some dolphins pass through Turanic waters amidst their annual migration or just to visit, such as false killer whales, killer whales, and striped dolphins; however, the spotted dolphin is a rarer species only seen visiting the Turanian Gulf from the Azulic Ocean during breeding seasons. Turania is an important crossroads for avifauna migrating between Asteria and Zanobia, with population figures swelling over the autumn and springtime. However, many of these birds do not linger in Turania itself, leaving its bird population limited. The list of known endemic small or medium-sized species include the Auminoan red-tailed wheatear, Brazantine red-fronted serin, Carpinifolian pheasant, Chadiac rock partridge, Dashtan desert warbler, Dilani zaqboor, Encian rock nuthatch, Equatorial crab-plover, Firouse white-eared bulbul, Havalian gull-billed tern, Havalian nightingale, Havalian plover, Havalian snowcock, Margarene sooty tern, Mesian river tern, Mesian sunbird, Mesothalassan little tern, Molmic solitary snipe, Molmocan white-tailed lapwing, Mozad white-cheeked tern, Ospan spotted sandgrouse, Sisatian sparrow, Transasterian ruff, Transhavalian black-headed bunting, Transhavalian snowcock, Turanian barn swallow, Turanian chukar partridge, Turanian gulf warbler, Turanian hypocolius, Turanian pied bush chat and Turanian white-throated robin; the Mesothalassan rock dove in particular holds significance as the origin of the domesticated pigeon, the oldest domesticated bird in the world, first domesticated in ancient Mesia. Turania is the origin of several ancient birds of prey, such as the Mesian homa bird, Mesian vulture, Mesothalassan griffon, Mormolycan lesser roc, Tranasterian eagle-owl or Turanian black vulture. Seabirds and other waterfowl frequent the Turanian archipelagos and river valleys, ranging from smaller Asterian black-necked grebes, Auminoan gulls, Dohezaran skimmers, Havalian marbled ducks, Mesothalassan slender-billed gulls, Sisatian great crested grebes and Turanian gulf gulls to the larger Dilani pond heron, Equatorial cattle egret, Transhavalian bar-headed goose and Turanian gulf cormorant. Larger birds have a reputable presence as well, with examples like the Arian pelican, Dilani grey heron, Mesian greater flamingo and Turanian spoonbill being vital to the tourism industry; the country is home to the heaviest flying bird, the Turanian bustard; largest living bird, the Turanian ostrich; and the largest flying bird, the Turanian sarus crane. Other documented species of amphibians and reptiles were found to exist in the nation as well; the Asterian smooth newt and Turanian crested newt in particular represent two unusual species complexes of amphibians present; each contains a diverse genetic family of regional species not yet fully understood. Reptiles are common as well, with notable species like the Asterian water snake, Auminoan dwarf snake, Chadiac stone gecko, Cruman toadhead dragon lizard, Dashtan sand boa, Dohezaran viper, Havalian cobra, Havalian large whipsnake, Mesian azdaha, Mesian horned viper, Mesothalassan chameleon, Molmocan starred dragon lizard Ospan red whipsnake and Transhavalian viper. Turania is largely devoid of turtle species, with the Sisatian tortoise being the only inhabitant, and few sea turtles being seen in passage around Turanian shores.

Invertebrates are also very diverse, numbering into thousands of recorded species. However, very few of these species are endemic to Turania in contrast to the vertebrate populations. Common mollusks, for instance, are primarily freshwater snails, land snails, mussels, sea snails and slugs. Significant arachnids found in Turania include the deathstalker scorpion, grass spider, jumping spider, orb-weaver spider, pseudoscorpion, tarantula, trapdoor spider and whip scorpion. Some unique arthropods have become infamous for their adaptations to the environment, such as the leaf beetle, longhorn beetle and tiger beetle. Other insects of note that are known to inhabit the country may include...

Flora
Turania's landscape and terrain is a home to one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems of flora in the world; this is made possible through a wide variety of climate zones, habitat soils and topography. With more than 50,000 species of plants the region has a high ratio of endemics relative to Asteria, comprising nearly a fourth of all species; an important reason for this is because the surface of Turania is fragmented into mountainous floristic regions, incentivizing speciation across the mainland and its archipelagos. This shows in the unique floral ecosystems between the Ospan plain of northern Mesia, and the Margarene islands in the Equatorial Channel. The endemics of Turania today mostly originate from the most recently non-glaciated southward massifs, though smaller ranges have older histories dating back to Turania's prehistoric collision with Asteria. This division of origin can be best represented with the theoretical Turanian diagonal, a biodiversity barrier from southwest Mesia on the Mesothalassan Sea to northeast Molmocia on the Turanian Gulf. More than half of all endemic species are west of this line.

Life in Turania adapted to the variety of plant life available to them since ancient times, the expansion and use of these plants being a necessary resource for agriculture and herbal medicine. Due to the predominant climate conditions, most vegetation is oriented for the vast dry, treeless habitats Turania's interior offers; flowering herbs and shrubs from the legume family are the most numerous group of plants, with over 400 species recorded. Where fertile alluvial soils are found in abundance (e.g. in the Ospan plain), these species are cultivated for intense agricultural use. In the great steppe interior, wild shrubs will seasonally appear for grazing pasturage before being burnt away by the summer sun, causing Forest treelife varies depending on the subject ecoregion. Coastal Mesia sees moist deciduous Arian maples, Brazantine azeroles, Dilani delta harras, Dilani false olives, Dohezaran hazels, Mesian khormaloons, Mesian medlars and Turanian willows prevail from the hot and humid seaboard climate, while inland Mesia sees more growth of drier Dohezaran poplar, Mesian ironwood, Mesian siris, Ospan elm, Turanian oak and Viran trees instead. Dilanistan and Molmocia sport similar flora, however they have seen significant reductions of their woodlands to deforestation from timber-harvesting; the Dilani cedar tree, an ancient species with historical significance, has seen its numbers triple over the last century thanks to reforestation efforts. Farther north into the subcontinent, the more temperate Auminoan Vale and Havalian Sea regions develop unique deciduous endemics such as Auminoan apricots, Auminoan oaks, Havalian hornbeam, Havalian quince and Transhavalian walnuts. The various mountain ranges in the country fail to sustain all of the lowland species because of their high-altitudes and snowy slopes; such conditions cause their forested peaks favor the growth of tall deciduous Dohezaran elms, Mesian banes and Ospan ashes; and evergreen, coniferous Accoran firs, Arian pines, Brazantine junipers and Yashmir deodars. Turanian archipelagos like the Margarene islands allow isolated tropical rainforests to prosper; this contrasts with the harsh thorn forests of Molmocian saxauls Transhavalian spruces and Turanian pomegranates in the northeastern Dashtan desert. Orchards find the well-watered mountain slopes and river valleys are ideal places to grow the most valuable trees, such as Mesian almonds, Mormic limettas and Turanian carobs.

Endangered
Turania has a rich history with land exploitation dating back to ancient times; humans inhabiting the region have always hunted and trapped for food, targeting the many large mammals that roamed the once forested coastlines. When the southern population was overhunted and their habitats were destroyed by human encroachment, the remaining population groups fled into the northern steppe, where they have lived ever since; this has created a varied natural environment surrounding the Transhavalus, and rendered numerous species endangered, some nearly to extinction. The independent Turanian government was notorious for disregarding the stability of this environment; during the era of the Socialist Union, the Supreme Council often ratified industrial regulations without consulting the branches of government regarding environmental protections. As the country's industrialization grew, the state of the environment was eventually pressured by international scrutiny, forcing the government into action. Since the Socialist Union's dissolution in 591, Turania has taken strides to reverse these laws; in 595, the government established a system of nationally protected wildlife areas to serve as sanctuaries for vulnerable and endangered species. The infrastructure for these zones was further expanded with the creation of the first national park, (Name), in 597. Today, these areas of wilderness are safeguarded under stringent international conventions; previously thought to be extinct species have been able to be carefully reintroduced at this locations as a result of their success.

The Turanian tiger is a critically endangered species today, one which the Turanian government banned the hunting of in the late 490s. The government chose to prioritize the conservation of what tigers remained, undertaking a large-scale project to keep them out of the path of industrial expansion for much of the 6th century. As of today, Turania has nearly 20 other known to be endangered land species, with over a hundred others projected to be; it is possible that entire species have appeared and been rendered extinct over the course of Turanian history, as anthropologists continue to derive new fossil findings annually.

Politics
Turania has a political system based on the Constitution of 592, which defines it as a federal state, under a semi-constitutional monarchy, overseeing a parliamentary democracy. Politics occur in two distinct scenes: the royal government and its interaction with the system of noble families (Mesian: xāndārān, lit. "households"); and the constituent assemblies' participation in the national democracy. The royal political process sees the monarch consulting wise members of all social classes for advice through democratic conventions before making national decisions; this process is well documented by international media, making the nation out to have high political transparency in its leadership. Political opinions of Turania's system of government are controversial: conservative supporters suggest it has a "notable balance of authority and civil representation," while liberal critics purport it as being "too highly authoritarian to be true," with some even describing it as an absolute monarchy. Turania has received mixed rankings in political freedom indices, with The Financier placing it in the top 25 most authoritarian countries of the world.

Turania has a complex history with royalism and socialism that has made it a center of revolutionary ideas. Since the early 600s antigovernmental sentiment has arisen over rising class disparities and income inequalities; the opposition stems from radicals of both royalism and socialism, who target the effectiveness of the crown as the cause. Most recently, InfoScape-influenced unrecognized regional parties have begun to openly protest against municipal corruption and their exclusion from the political discourse; prostasist minorities in particular having perpetrated a number of riots within the last five years. While peaceful protests against the government are permitted, these more violent ones are not; police forces have been reported suppressing these riots with violent means when they should arise.

Government
In the civic system of Turania, Drogon II is the reigning Padishah (Mesian: Pâdešâh, lit. 'master king'), the monarch and head of state of Turania, as well as the embodiment of its government—though they do not exercise absolute power; the constitution was codified to rule the monarch must delegate certain executive powers to a royal cabinet consisting of a Grand Vizier (Mesian: Wuzurg Vizir, lit. 'grand minister'), the head of government of Turania—as well as other officers of state appointed by the monarch, usually from the majority party or royal family. However, the monarch retains the power to dissolve the legislature, draw up the budget, issue royal decrees, and make other appointments to the bureaucracy; it is a constitutional principle that the monarch be the supreme validation for nationwide decisions and policies.

The monarch's first regent is the grand vizier, a democratically elected position that is the "trusted confidant of the people"; viziers must be given royal assent to be sworn into office. They oversee domestic affairs of the kingdom and internal affairs within the monarch's royal cabinet; by convention, the monarch will respect the vizier's decisions, but may overrule them "when they should pertain to the welfare of the kingdom entire." The Grand Vizier may be re-elected every 4 years with no set term limits, however they may be suspended temporarily by royal decree or removed by judicial review on charges of constitutional violation; in event of this, a snap election will be organized to determine their successor. The Grand Divan (Mesian: Wuzurg Divan, lit. "grand council of state") is the legislative arm of the government, a unicameral consultative assembly that advises the monarchy and makes national decisions via consensus; it holds powers such as selecting a new head of state in event of sudden death, amending or replacing the constitution, and to rule on nationwide or interregional issues such as war. The traditional divan predates the modern laws of the state, previously known as a simite (lit. "summit") comprised only of elder statesmen; now it is has been modified to accept any democratically elected or royally appointed councilmen into office.

The number of seats in a divan varies under different monarchs; presently, Padishah Drogon II decreed at the time of his coronation that he will have 300 councilmen advise his reign. Seats are distributed proportionally to the constituent countries, the election of which may be called at any time by the monarch or when the vizier advises. Elections have been fair to both sexes and all races since the ratification of universal suffrage in 503 under the Socialist Union; all "real persons", or citizens above the age of 18 has the right to vote.

The Grand Divan uses a multi-party system with stringent rules on the formation and representation of; parties must be recognized by the royal government, with unlawful ones being suspended or even banned if deemed necessary. Councilmen are required to be a member of one national political party, however the political climate of Turania is fluid, and many do not vote the way of their affiliate party. The Chief Speaker (Mesian: Soxangu-ye mehtar, lit. "chief spokesman") is the head of legislative sessions and assumes powers of moderation, but not veto for their debates; they are elected from the assembly of councilmen irrespective of part affiliation. Currently, there are seven nationally recognized political parties and more than 30 unrecognized regional political parties.

Law and criminal justice
The judiciary is invested in the nationwide judicial system of True Law (Mesian: Hašiyam-e Dādestān, lit. "true law") introduced after independence in 458 and retained in all constitutions thereafter; the system was originally modelled after the original Mesian imperial justice system. Over the course of the 6th century, it was modified to incorporate elements of the Heloringian law codes previously instituted in Turania, so that it could be further integrated into the Asterian system of law. In this system, the judicial powers are exercised independently from the government on behalf of the nation; their principles were first codified in the Hazarkard (lit. "thousand acts"), a theo-legal code of seven compendiums holding over one thousand civil, criminal, moral, religious and social laws. These laws are intertwined with the customs of Zardustrianism as it is pertinent to both the social order of the nation and the religion's tenets on law and social conduct. Turania's court system is organized upon a three-tiered hierarchal system of jurisprudence that balances the authority of the crown with the customs of its constituent countries. This system extends down from the royal government, to regional authority of each constituent, to the local magistrate and their municipality; the courts at these tiers are tasked with addressing cases that pertain to the violation of their respective laws starting from the lowest level, with cases able to move higher up depending on their severity. In regards to the separation of church and state, a separate council exists parallel to the state courts which oversee canon law on behalf of the Canonical and Orthodox Soterian communities. When a case is too particular to be classified within the existing court system, it is taken into jurisdictional dispute and is ruled on by the Royal Constitutional Court with the counsel of the justices closest to the case; this is the highest level court in the kingdom, its decisions are final and cannot be appealed. The articles defining the organization, duties, functions and jurisdictions of the courts are found in the Turanian Constitution. Royal decrees may not alter these articles directly, however as an act of law they may regulate the interpretation of their contents; for instance in matters of corporate law, immigration law and international law.

Officially, the death penalty is prohibited from being administered by any court other than the Royal Constitutional Court; this was part of an amendment passed in 602 that restricted constituent governments from issuing capital punishment. However, physical punishments have not been regulated in this manner; constituent courts are allowed to pass judgements condoning the lawful harm and torture of certain criminals. The Hazarkand details a strong principle of retaliatory punishment, whereupon an injured victim may request equivalent injuries be inflicted upon those responsible if convicted; capital punishments resulting in death are not allowed to be given in retaliation for murderous charges. Sentences for other charges such as but not limited to armed robbery, arson, assault, kidnapping, rape, repeated smuggling or theft, and vandalism can result in physical punishment as well. External deportation is an optional alternative to serving a sentence with capital or physical punishment, as a number of international concords exist to facilitate a convict's expulsion; people who request this are still due to fulfill their original sentence should they wish to return, unless new evidence has been found that could alter their case.

The Constitution of 592 also lays out the profession, securities and supervision of all justices and public prosecutors. The chief public prosecutor, head of the judiciary, and other justices of the royal government are nominated by the grand vizier and confirmed by the monarch; in event of one or the other being absent, the decision falls to the Grand Divan. Justices of constituent governments are either appointed or elected in a system befitting the regional constitution. As per Turanian customary law, Turanian judges are required to be well-versed in the conduct of law and the laws that which they will be upholding; it is oftentimes asked of a royal justice to explain laws to the parties involved in a case. This unique clause contrasts with the more commonplace practices of Asterian standard law, where officials well-versed in law may be appointed to assist judges in determining their verdict. These justices have to consider their cases irrespective of the parties involved, to be able to make out and recreate a definitive case even when the inquiry strongly suggests a premature verdict. In fact, they are bound by oath to uphold absolute impartiality in passing judgement on any case; there exists harsh consequences for justices who would break their oaths as an arbiter of the law. In criminal cases, a justice has the authority to inquire into any police actions taken on a suing party, to ensure they had not transgressed their lawful powers. The police force of Turania is a competent and well-organized force of order and peacekeeping, structured to act with efficiency to domestic incidents as they arise. Every police officer is thoroughly screened for knowledge of court procedures so that in event of an arrest; this is so they only advance the exact charges the suspect was detained for, and are able to recognize the things necessary for proving guilt for them. Policemen who abuse their authority or perform a miscarriage of justice are promptly and honorably discharged if proven true. The Royal Gendarmerie (Mesian: Šâhâne-ye Žāndārmirī, lit. "royal gendarmerie") is the chief public order organization that enforces the law under the command of the monarch and the royal government's ministries.

Combining the elements of its lawful social structures, safeguarded justice system and strong police force, Turania leads with one of the lowest crime rates in the world; however, it also has a high rate of incarceration and one of the highest prison populations in Asteria. While Turanian prisons are reportedly overcrowded, the prison population is shrinking; many of the prisoners are seeing their sentences issued during the Socialist Union expire over the current decade.

Constituent countries and devolution
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Foreign, economic and strategic relations
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Relations with Zalesia and Cathaysia
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Relations with the Asterian Federation
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Military
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Military history
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Economy
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Agriculture and natural resources
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Industry and energy
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Infrastructure and transport
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Science and technology
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Services
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Tourism
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Demographics, languages and religion
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Education
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Ethnic groups
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Health
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Languages
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Religion
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''Since its foundation as an independent kingdom in 458, the country has upheld a strong tradition of secularism; however, as the InfoScape was introduced to Turania in the 600s, more ultra-religious groups formed with the intent of forcibly converting the populace away from their indigenous faiths. Media coverage is minimal on this topic, though reports indicate extensive police measures have been taken to counteract these cult activities.''

Urbanisation
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Culture
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Architecture
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Art, clothing and design
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Cuisine
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Cinema and entertainment
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Literature and philosophy
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Media and society
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Music and dance
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Sports
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