Sokoku

Federal Republic of Sokoku れんぽ そこく だり つき Renpo Sokoku no Tsuki
Flag	Coat of arms
Motto: かくじつ へんど Kakujitsu Hendou "Certain fluctuation"
Anthem: "TBA"
Locator map
Capital city	Kyusigai
Largest city	Taumakan
Official language	Bahasa Sokoku
Other languages	Lazeh, Izto, Dayakan, Panotakani, Kakuri, Wortsproke, Hallish, Stoldic
Ethnic group
Religion	Guso, Tamahunan, Orkanan (Peratolian, Mellanhand, Stellist)
Demonym(s)	Sokokan
Government
Government Type	Federal parliamentary republic
Pemimpin (president)	Ayaka Purnawati
Perwakilan utama (main representative)	Handidjaja Keung
Legislature	Gikai no Sokoku (federal parliament)
Establishment
TBA	TBA
Area
Total	1,793,589 km2
Water %	0.66%
Population
Total	172,336,966
Density	96.09/km2
Economy
Economy type	Dirigist organizational self management
GDP (total)	Ꞡ
GDP per capita	Ꞡ
Currency	Hiritsu ()
Inequality index
Development index
Other information
Time zone	UTC-9/-10
Driving side	left
Calling code
Internet code	.so
Nation number	{{{nation number}}}

Sokoku (or the Federal Republic of Sokoku in full, れんぽ そこく だり つき Renpo Sokoku Dari Chuki in Bahasa Sokoku, Sokoku iuik in nantli tlan in Izto, Sokoku Förbundet in Wortsproke, れんぽ そこく の つき Renpo Sokoku no Tsuki in Kakuri) is a nation in southern Altaia. It is mainly located in the Julian Sea with two parts of the nation on the Altaian mainland. The parliamentary republic consists of nine states, which roughly represent former colonies from several Anarian nations.

Even though the state of Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin, which covers about half the island of Radhria, is culturally dominant, the nation's roots are actually in the smallest member state of Mirei, where a cooperation between the native Kakuri and Chi people with the settlers from Fisks stood as a model for the entire nation. The common denominator within the multi-ethnic nation is indigenous autonomy with Mireism as prime social, political and economical concept. Sokokan culture is characterized by a bottom-up structure with a high level of cooperatism in combination with a meritocratic style of government on higher levels. As an economic system, Sokoku operates a mix of state dirigism and workers' self-management, adapted to the southern Altaian culture.

Etymology

In the Kakuri language, Sokoku no Tsuki literally means "mother land of the moon". The word Tsuki refers however to the predecessor culture of the Kakuri from before the Julian Event. Tsuki was a loose confederation of trading ports around the Julian Sea, where the Tsuki people were the trading link between communities living on the different shores in the region. A restoration of the Tsuki Era was the main ambition in the decolonization process that roughly started in the 7580's. It was used as a concept to reunite related ethnicities and cultures that now were separated by Anarian colonizers through self rule and cooperation. The word Sokoku was then adopted as such in all other languages of the region.

The proper pronunciation is /SO-ko-kɯ/ or /SO-ko-kʏ/ with the emphasis (stress) on the first syllable. The /o/ has a middle length, somewhere between the o in "not" and oa in "coat". The least stressed last syllable has a long /u/ sound, with the difference between /ɯ/ and /ʏ/ being dialectal, the first one being the western variant. In some dialects it however more approximates a "schwa" /ə/.

History

The history of Sokoku is that of shifting trading relations and accompanying influences on culture and government. The more recent Anarian colonization fits that pattern, only turning the distance towards trading markets to a whole different scale. The general conception is that Anarian colonization was an asymmetrical event where the native population did not get an equal share in the results of the new opportunities. This became a driving force behind a decolonisation process which started in the eastern parts of the present day federation.

Ancient History

The islands first settled by humans around 15,000 years ago by peoples migrating south from southern Altaia. The indigenous Hueiwei people belong to the West Austro-Raian ethnic group who are spread across the southern Altaian islands. On the mainland, human presence goes back much further. Here the native Iztomal people settled in several prehistoric migration waves, often filling the gaps that the Hueiwei people did not occupy.

Favorable agricultural conditions as a result of the rich volcanic soil on the islands, as well as mastering wet-field rice cultivation around the early third millennium RH, allowed towns and small kingdoms to flourish and develop. Due to its strategic location between the continents of Altaia to the north and D'Runia to the west as well as being the gateway to the southern Shangti Ocean to the south, Radhria Island was and continues to be an important center of trade and cultural exchange and extensive evidence remains of international trade between the Hueiwei of Radhrian Island and the expansive Altaian empires and D'Runian kingdoms to the west.

Tsuki Era

During the last decades, archaeologists have started to find physical evidence of the commerce and defense confederation Tsuki that has been theorized since the late 7500's. As far as it is known today, Tsuki had outposts on all the shores of the Julian Sea, including mainland Altaia. Both trade and local government were organized by the predecessors of the Kakuri people, using an older form of the Kakuri language as the main way of communication between the different cultures occupying the shores.

The start of the Tsuki Era must have been during the late 6600's, if Kakuri scriptures stating "an empire of 1000 cycles" are to be seen as historical accounts. Genetic evidence has shown that the Kakuri people have more in common with coastal people in northeastern Altaia, present day Kamura and the west coast of Davai, indicating that the traders themselves could have been colonizers or settlers themselves.

The end of the Tsuki Era happened in 7118 or 7119, when a catastrophic event led to a mega tsunami destroying all the Tsuki ports and harbors around the Julian Sea. In some places, evidence of waves reaching 200 meters high has been documented, which basically rules out a volcanic event as the cause of the disaster. The main theory at the moment is a near vertical meteor strike in the sea basin.

At the same time, in the eastern parts of present day Sokoku the powerful naval kingdom of Tepaananan flourished as a result of the extensive trade networks from the 69th century. The kingdom incorporated Lizehanist religious practices of the empires of the South Altaian Plains, a religion focused on the veneration of spirit ancestors in elaborate stone temples. In the 71st century the Darunian kingdom of Quanchua expanded its influence over the White Kaartu Sea including much of western and northern Radhria. The Quanchuan domination lasted over a century and eventually declined after numerous invasions on mainland Darunia. Even colonial influx from Anaria seemed to have played a role in the process.

Colonial Era

When Anarian explorers entered the region during the latter half of the 7100's, they were met by a patchwork of smaller kingdoms without any regional power in place, except for an overarching Quencha colliding with Tepanaanan. This made the region easy to settle for several Anarian newcomers, which in a process of decades led to the establishment of Anarian colonies. Anarian traders had a clear advantage with their modern ships and weaponry.

For example, by the late 72nd century Casella had established regular trade relations with the local populations of Radhria Island. Exotic products from the area such as cocoa, coffee and spices became extremely sought after by the Casellan elite. Due to the extremely competitive Casellan aristocracy, more and more private ventures were sent to the area to secure lucrative trade with the local population. In 7243 Casella landed with a large military force on the northwestern coast with the sole aim to put the entire region under Casellan control. This was partially in response to Livarya establishing a lasting presence by aligning itself with the Principality of Ayatawantin further south of the island in 7240. In 7244 the first official Casellan colony on the island was established along the north-west coast, operated primarily out of the capital, Giulicannia (Lanzeh: Julikannat).

The colony soon came into conflict with settlers from Helreich, who were trying to gain control over the important Chaim Strait between Rhadria and the Altaian mainland. Helreich was founding a colony under the name of Schangtienrand (Shuuen) further to the east and needed direct, uninterrupted access to it. The conflicts between the colonial governments became violent in several episodes, which eventually led to a Casellan hegemony on the island, while Hellish colonizers had to retreat to the mainland colony of New South Gate (Neusüdentor). The strait remained open for free passage, which also led to options for Atregona, Hallis, The Meenship and others to explore and in the end start military outposts, trade posts and colonies.

In 7356 the colonial holdings of Casella were gathered under a single colonial government with the name Aspasia. In 7367 Casella became a part of the Anisoran Empire, which by default turned Aspasia into an Anisoran colony. Their rule was never fully accepted by the local population, which led to revolts and uprisings of which the Matellan Wars (7439-7493) and the Nyatalan Rebellion (7545-7546) are the most notorious ones. Further to the east, Hallis started to gather colonial outposts on the Altaian south shores under its rule during the late 7400's. The region was sparsely populated by Iztomal tribes and mainly a dense tropical forest in an almost hostile, rugged landscape lacking resources. Bowersland was declared a colony as late as 7511. But even later than that, a refugee stim from the city of Talpå managed to settle on some islands off the coast of Bowersland in the 7520's. These holdings became part of the newly formed Anarian state of Vittmark in 7570.

At the same time, both Hellish colonies of New South Gate and Schangtienrand underwent drastic reforms in order to make them suit the Häverist structure of the Helreich led commonwealth. The colonies clearly had a second rate status within the commonwealth and were merely locations for extraction of raw materials and projected military presence. While the transformation of New South Gate went without much local resistance, Schangtienrand ended up in a period of continuous unrest and civil war from 7560 onwards.

Formation

See also: Emergence of Sokoku.

The inclusion of Fisks as a member state of Vittmark is generally considered the peak of the colonisation era, but at the same time also the starting point of the decolonisation process. In 7575 a local ethnicity called the Kakuri contacted Vittmark's federal government. Queen Anna and her successor Queen Tovemor developed friendly, even personal relations with the Kakuri, accepting them as citizens of Vittmark. This led to tension with the Fisks settlers. But when Fisks lost its possessions further north in Altaia, at the start of the Wolgos Scourge, Fisks' leadership underwent drastic reforms and started cooperating with the Kakuri people.

With Vittmark at war in Anaria and the industrial facilities of northern Fisks under Kamuran and Wolgos control, the Fisks-Kakuri cooperation had to look for more regional options in order to survive as an economy and culture. The Kakuri leadership opted for meddling with the civil war going on at nearby Schangtienrand. Tipping the balance there would create a situation where the Kakuri and Fisks no longer would be in retreat. In 7XXX a joint expedition landed on Dog Beach and met with two rebel groups. With Fisks naval support and Anarian know-how, they were able to slowly gain control over the entire colony except for some mines and Häverist conurbations. By giving the Hellish colonisers and military the option to withdraw to New South Gate and Rissland in order to focus on the defence on what was considered Häverist core territory, the entire island was decolonised by 7XXX.

It was at that time the unusual Fisks-Kakuri coalition, together with Shuuen and Iztomal rebel groups, had to find a way to govern the entire area and create economic opportunities for its population. Chika Mirei, second daughter of Kirisaki of the Nokumo Nobono, started sketching a vision of recreating a Tsuki motherland where different ethnic groups could live together and trade on a level playing field. Being half-Vittmarker and half-Kakuri, she was in the position to unite all the ethnic groups in a common ambition and carved out a basic structure with a planned economy to start building up the region again and take its place in the international community of independent nations.

Inspired by the insular Iztomal population on Shuuen, the mainland Iztomal of Bowersland wanted similar reforms. The native population started reclaiming the scarce arable lands that their labour had created for the Hallish settlers. But when Hallland sent a naval unit to crush the uprising, they were confronted by the weaponized merchant fleet of Fisks, now operating as the makeshift navy of Sokoku Tsuki. Independence was granted in a ceremony aboard the HMS Blåker, upon which the newly formed state of Shaaniaah chose to enter the Sokokan federation.

From that moment on, Tsuki nationalism became a force to be reckoned with around the Julian Sea. Decolonisation efforts were fed by the concept of multi-ethnic, bottom-up cooperation. The transition of Schangtienrand as a troubled colony into the member state of Shuuen also created an example for successful post-colonial development. While New South Gate actively was decolonised by Sokokan forces, the federation was actually invited by rebel forces and local nobility opposing colonial rule by Anisora over Aspasia.

At first, this happened in the deep south of Pakatayu, where the already more autonomous region declared independence from Aspasia. Within the region, a fierce civil war broke out between loyalists and republicans. The latter were supported by Sokoku, even though some Orderist militias were active in the region as well. After four years of battle, the Sokokans managed to drive out the Orderists and loyalists, after which the Pakatayan leadership entered a military alliance with Sokoku.

With Anisora falling apart and Pakatayu as example, many local noblemen and -women started looking towards Sokoku in order to avoid a power vacuum or a conversion to a libertarian free market economy or orderist, post-Häverist top-down system of government. This way, this former colony of Anisora, which is the largest and most populous of the member states, entered the federation at a later stage. After this event, the Principality of Ayatawantin aligned itself with Sokoku as well. The last two territories entering the federation, XX (former Little Radhria) in 7XXX and XX (former XX) in 7XXX completed the formation of Sokoku as a federal republic.

Geography

Geology and landscape

The Sokokan archipelago is geologically active in several places, ranging from volcano ranges on Rhadria to single volcanic islands in the Julian Sea. The volcanic soils are very rich and fertile and regularly support high crop yields where, due to rugged terrain, arable land is at a premium.

Climate

Most of Sokoku has a tropical climate, with two distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. Average annual rainfall in the lowlands varies from 1,690–3,120 millimeters (66.5–122.8 inches), and up to 6,100 millimeters (240 inches) in mountainous regions. Humidity is generally high on the land masses, averaging about 80%, but usually a bit lower in coastal areas and on smaller islands. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, with the average daily temperature range at 23–28 °C (71–82 °F).

Nature

Sokoku's size, tropical climate, and archipelagic geography support one of the world's highest levels of biodiversity, its flora and fauna are a mixture of Altaian and Darunian species with a lot of insular variations. Having been long separated from the continental landmass, the eastern island have developed their unique flora and fauna. The Garis Hati Cat or Striped Jaguar is the most well known example of this insular specialisation.

The parts on the Altaian mainland have a more typical Altaian flora and fauna, but due to differences in terrain the states of Shaaniaah and Diyin Tsidii still host a wide range of totally different species.

Tropical seas surround Sokoku's long coastline. The country has a range of sea and coastal ecosystems, including beaches, dunes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, coastal mudflats, tidal flats, algal beds, and small island ecosystems. Marine mammals like the sweet-water short-beaked dolphin of Keadaan Matang are also unique in the world.

The deforestation that started on a large scale during the colonial era and continued deep into the 77th century has been halted by federal government intervention. In 7690 about two thirds of the country is covered with mainly tropical forests. Nevertheless, colonial rule, population growth and industrialisation has taken its toll on biodiversity with many of the once abundant species now endangered, of which several at a critical level.

Government and administrative divisions

Political culture

The political culture of Sokoku is extremely bottom-up, where the emphasis lies on local self determination and cooperative involvement (organizational self management). This is combined with a more meritocratic approach for public office. Local clans, co-ops and extended families elect representatives into local government, where the local executives then elect regional representation. Through these indirect elections, the level of representative democracy becomes less and less the higher up in the hierarchy of public office. There are no political parties actively represented in any office.

Legislative

The federal parliament Gikai has 147 members, of which 144 are appointed through indirect elections in districts roughly the same size in population. The remaining three members are appointed by the leadership of the so-called acknowledged minorities: the Kakuri people, the Nubugaru (former Fisks stim) and the Kegawa. Within the Gikai a chairperson is appointed, who also serves as head of state.

Parliament works in 12 general committees, one for each executive Secretariat, with 8-16 members each. The minimal number is to secure the possibility for each Sokokan state to have a representative in a general committee. Beside that there are special committees for most of the 42 federal authorities and some more for special projects. Each member of parliament is on a general committee, most are members of special committees as well.

Parliament is also organised into 12 regional groups, which function as parliamentary factions. Within these groups, information from the committees is shared in order to prepare for upcoming voting procedures. Usually a regional group votes unanimously as one bloc, but this is not a requirement. For the smaller states, there is only one regional group gathering their representation. But large states like Shuuen and Nelyasyat & Ayawantin have more groups, which leads to some sort of political culture between the regional groups. Some are more progressive, some more traditional, but the groups from smaller states are mixed and vote according to regional interests. Representatives from the smallest states, like Mirei, can choose their own group regardless of region.

Executive

Each state appoints one member into the Federal Council (Dewan Sokoku), apart from Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin who can appoint two council members. This council forms the backbone of the executive cabinet (Naikaku no Sokoku), which at the moment has six more secretary-generals. Each secretary-general is heading a Federal Secretariat.

Judicial

TBA

Subdivisions

The federation has nine member states with a large degree of autonomy. Each state determines their own subdivisions, which can be one, two or three levels of local and regional government. The basic structure for subdivisions is bottom-up, where local government pledges allegiance to a regional level. This model is basically a continuation of the bottom-up system which is in place in Vittmark in the form of stim - socken - stift. It has been introduced after the studies by Chika Mirei, who saw this model as fitting for this region as well.

	Member state	Bahaso name	Former colonial name	Capital	Bahaso name	Former colonial name	Area	Population
	Diyin Tsidii	Garudah	Neu Südentor	Dinl Chi	Ungu	(none *)	97,044	7m
	Garis Hati Gelap	(id.)	Harimyr Zemly	Mengakui	(id.)	Novaya Navatshnya	435,025	34m
	Keadaan Matang	(id.)	Principality of Pakatayu	Siraya	(id.)		25,098	2,767,878
	Kotonoh	(id.)	tba	Kota Kotonoh	(id.)		80,312	8m
	Mirei	Mireyi	Fisks	Carlsby	Karuruh	Gilles Carls	3,346
	Nelyasyat - Ayatawantin	(id.)	Aspasia Ayatawantin Principality	Julikannat	(id.)	Giulicanna	476,854	57m
	Shaaniaah	Tanya	Bowersland	Kin Haala	Pelaut Pelabuhan	Port Bowers	220,859	11,858,501
	Shuuen	Tepi	Schangtienrand	Kyusigai	Kiyu Sigahi Sekolah	Schlung	214,166	27m
	Tanah Ek	(id.)	Rhadria Modica	Kota Ek	(id.)	Nova Rhegium	174,010	21m

* Neu Südentor's colonial capital was Neustadt, but that's a different settlement than Dinl Chi.

Foreign relations

As an archipelago nation with two important sea straits and international trade as a backbone for its economy, Sokoku has to take a proactive approach in their foreign policy. At the same time, the economic system has strong characteristics of national planning, which means that relations with orderist and free market capitalist nations become more challenging. On top of that, there is the post-colonial attitude which affects relations with former colonial powers. This makes Sokoku's foreign relations a delicate matter where a lot of balancing skills get applied.

Sokoku provides shelter and protection for the Khudati government in exile, a movement opposing the transformation of the Kingdom of Khudat into the Gate of Light. Sokoku opposes the influence of the Wolgos in this country neighbouring to the south across the ocean and supports the government-in-exile's claim that the transformation was illegal.

Wolgos relations

The Sokokan government has a rather radical approach towards the Wolgos issue. The region saw battles during the Wolgos Scourge that left deep markings in the Sokokan mindset, even though Shuuen was only decolonized at about the same time as the end of the Wolgos Scourge and Sokoku did not yet exist. But the point of view from mainly Kakuri leaders with their experiences from Vittmark and most of them personally having visited The Bind led to the standpoint that it is a historical mistake to let the Wolgos leave Altaia and letting them resettle in Kupeya. The formation of Hergom and the Wolgos immediately starting to settle outside the designated area proved the point rather quickly.

Sokoku's perspective was never taken seriously, not even during the First Coalition War when Sokoku still was fighting a decolonization war with some of the Allied Nations. By the time of the Second Coalition War, where Sokoku actively contributed on the Allied side, the general mindset in Sokokan culture and politics was that the Wolgos as a species was unsustainable for the planet as a whole and that they will strip it from every resource available, both in living beings as in natural resources. For the Sokokans, an active policy to let the Wolgos slowly and steadily go extinct, as nature had intended for several millenia ago, is the only way for humankind in all its cultural and ethnical variations to survive.

As such, Sokoku does not have any diplomatic relations with Hergom or the United New Kingdoms, not having recognized those nations at all. It has an active travel ban on all Wolgos, banning them from entering the country at all. Since the emergence of Gate of Light and the Second Coalition War, it is established by law that Wolgos are a different species, which effectively makes them outlaws in case any should arrive in Sokoku. By default they are considered invasive species and should be treated as such: isolated and removed, but when resisting disposed of immediately. The few Wolgos that were present in Sokoku during the Second Coalition war were all detained in separate facilities, making reproduction impossible. Many of them were removed to Kusawen and Kamura, but when Sokoku found out they were then relocated to the United New Kingdoms, they stopped the process. There are an estimated 50-100 Wolgos detained in two guarded settlements, with the Sokokan authorities waiting for the last ones to die of old age. Trading or dealing with the Wolgos is considered a crime against the state, since every resource in the hands of the Wolgos is considered a contribution to their expansion.

Economy

Sokoku shows a peculiar mix of dirigist, planned economic aspects with a free market economy. Tax levels are high, which gives the federal government the opportunity to actively procure important goods and services for domestic and export markets. There are only a few government owned companies, only in sectors that are not considered part of a free market economy. This system leads to competition between small end medium sized companies to acquire licenses to produce, often through the allocation of key resources like personnel, access to crucial infrastructure or raw materials.

The economic climate is therefore very business friendly with very low levels of corruption. The stability of both government and the economy has contributed to many foreign companies opening up facilities for production and services here. It is also a way to avoid import taxes, since Sokoku is actively taxing to avoid cheap imports that are a result of poor labour conditions or the outsourcing of negative consequences of production and manufacturing as it is stimulated in completely free market capitalist systems. Foreign branches or franchises still would have to adapt to fit within Sokokan business legislation, which secures a strong rooting of companies in local societies through joint ownership.

Innovation is highly stimulated, especially in production processes, thanks to the government led tender systems. That same system is not as efficient in stimulating product innovation, since most tenders are formulated from existing types of products and services.

Agriculture, forestry, fishery

Due to the islands' rich volcanic soil and tropical climate Sokoku has a large agricultural sector. Although much of the country is covered in thick jungle, large swathes of the coastal regions have been converted to fertile arable land which produce many different agricultural products, the largest of which is rice production. Other agricultural products include palm oil, rubber, banana and mango fruits. On the mainland cultivation of potatoes and corn is much more commonplace, being the staple foods of southern mainland Altaia.

The largest export of Sokoku is coffee, with extensive plantations in Nelyasyat which feed the vast demand for coffee in Anaria. The second largest export is made up by the large variety of spices, Sokoku is particularly well known for its black pepper production, as well as lemongrass, curry leaf, turmeric and ginger. Cocoa is also produced in large quantities, especially on the mainland. Many fruits and vegetables are however still grown at the level of family allotments, co-ops and clans, regardless of the main economic activities of those extended families. This is a side effect from the colonial era, where a lot of the local people were relying on their own food production. This small-scale gardening was encouraged by the federal government to strengthen the internal social structures, divert off-work activities to useful efforts as well as growing food resources. The exchange of produce in local harvest fests have become a Sokokan tradition, with clans sharing their surpluses with neighboring clans or offering to a local food production facility in order to get it in a form that is easier to store.

Forestry plays an important role, since much of the constructions in Sokoku are built from locally produced timber. Floor, wall and roof panels are manufactured as half products for assembly on location, which has become the predominant building technique in the country. This also means that building quality has improved, because the base modules are produced under controlled circumstances instead of on the building site, subject to blasting summer heat or moisture from the wet seasons. Timber plantations are usually combined with other tree or shrub related produce, like oranges, avocado's and even coffee. This type of timber needs a treatment to insure a viable life span. Treatments include pressure heating, impregnating in natural oils as well as painting, although the latter requires more maintenance. Hardwoods used in plantations are mainly robinia, but these cultivated in so-called passive plantations. Clear cutting is not applied here, every 5-10 years about 10-25% of the trees are harvested, making room for other trees to grow and new trees to naturally come up. The imported Eucalyptus is mainly used for pulp, but even this gets applied in construction as well in the form of hardboard and MDF in interiors. Bamboo is used as well.

Sokoku deploys a modern fishing fleet that uses the surrounding seas for catching a variety of species. The largest vessels have smokeries or canneries on board, which enables them to deliver their catch in any port, even foreign ones.

Agribusiness, the food industry and life sciences are important spin-offs from this primary economic sector.

Mining and energy

Sokoku has large deposits of bauxite, about 6% of the world's deposits, but only recently started mining this resource. This mainly in the coastal regions, where access to transport and energy sources is more easy. The nation has become a major exporter of raw aluminium. Sokoku offers innovative lease constructions for aluminium, since the metal can be re-used at a very high level. Thanks to the money-back guarantee, Sokokan aluminium is the most competetive in the world. Important side products in the process include titanium, rare metals but also concrete and cement from the so-called red mud residue.

Iron ore mining and the accompanying steel works are concentrated in the western part of the state of Shaaniaah on the Altaian mainland. It is the basis for the shipping industry that is concentrated in the cities of To Bei Nihaa and Chishi.

There are two smaller copper mines dating back to the Anisoran colonial period on the islands of Cara Hidup and Sangat Mirit in the Chaim Strait. Nickel is being manufactured near Shaaniah's capital Kin Haala (Pelaut Pelabuhang). A recent addition is a cobolt and manganese mine in the heart of Rhadria island, but production isn't on an industrial scale yet due to logistic reasons.

Apart from mining raw material, Sokoku has developed recycling facilities as a source for metals needed in production processes. Modern ship breaking yards are present in most Sokokan ports, but the majority is taking place in Shaaniaah were steel works and specialised recycling facilities are already present due to iron ore mining and processing. Sokoku is also actively attracting recycling facilities for worldwide disposal, for example in the automotive industry.

Sulphur is being produced as side product for these mining operations, but there are larger deposits elsewhere in the country. During the last decades, these have become a basis for the chemical industries that have been booming in Sokoku.

Sokoku is about self sufficient when it comes to building materials like limestone and construction sand, this mostly thanks to the nation having a strong tradition of building in wood and bamboo. Limestone is mined in Nelyasyat and Garis Hati Gelap, while fine construction sand is mainly found in Garis Hati Gelap.

The energy mix used in electricity production is quite unusual. About 40-55% is hydropower, mainly located on the islands and fed by the tropical monsoons. However, Sokoku has put a stop on building new reservoirs because of the environmental impacts. About 15% is generated in nuclear plants, of which the majority is located on the Altaian mainland due to geotechnical reasons. Geothermal energy is also good for about 15% of energy production, this mainly on the islands with their volcanic features. The rest are equal parts of biomass, wind and solar, where biomass often is a side product of other activities like agriculture or the building sector.

Manufacturing

Despite being a predominantly post-industrial society, Sokoku still has a large and vibrant manufacturing sector. Important branches include clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts. Much of the production is export orientated, apart from the previously mentioned branches also the food industry with canned vegetables and fruits as well as conserved fish and meat products. Even the automotive sector is present with domestic production of trains, ships and passenger cars, the latter under the MAJU brand and to a lesser extent Ekusu. A relatively new sector is chemicals, which has benefited from Sokoku's central position in international trade routes between Darunia and Altaia, as well as the Shangti and Stolvic oceans.

The industrial sector has two very different faces. On one side, there are large facilities with automated production that do not need extensive amounts of labor. These factories can be found in the outskirts of the large port cities, where there is room for these vast installations. This is the location for added value import and export. The other side is the more labor-intensive, small-scale production ranging from specialised workshops to mid-sized industries. Manufacturing in these sectors are not primarily aimed at export, but are taking place close to the consumer markets. This combination of efficiency driven mass production and product adaptation and assembly close to the customer markets has been proven to be a successful set-up in a Sokokan context.

Both the availability of products for consumer markets, as well as the distribution of the resources needed to make these products are heavily influenced by the planned character of the economy. Over-consumption, production spills and waste are seen as ineffective. The manufacturing secretariat actively supports the development of consumer goods with a reliable life-span and the possibility to re-use valuable materials after the usage cycle. Products are manufactured in a way that components can be replaced or products even can get upgraded.

Transportation and infrastructure

As an archipelago nation, the main focus of the federal government has been shipping infrastructure. Railway lines form connections from port hubs to the inland regions, both for passenger travel and cargo. For obvious reasons, there is no federal rail or road network, but the federal government invests strategically in state driven expansion and modernisation of the physical infrastructure.

Since its independence, strategic developments have been made into communication infrastructure as a backbone of the information driven service industry. The extensive network of high quality submerged communication cables have made Sokoku an important hub for inter- and transcontinental communication networks.

Sokoku has a relatively poorly developed road network, even on state level. It has never prioritized single car infrastructure or cargo transportation by lorries and trucks over long distances, since these tasks can be dealt with more effectively by rail and water. Local networks have a quite high standard, but many parts of the cities are difficult to reach by car or truck. Here, state governments have prioritized more small-scale mobility solutions, like trolleys on public transport, rickshaws and motorized bi- and tricycles. Sokoku applies a rather strict categorisation of motorised vehicles in order to regulate accessibility and traffic safety.

Unlike many nations Sokoku has not adapted its city lay-outs or traffic regulation to accommodate car traffic to a large extent. Within built-up areas, private cars are not the preferred mode of transportation. This is a clear breach of tradition compared to Anarian traffic regulation and town planning. As such, the way way traffic is organised in Sokoku has become an example and even model for many nations within the Restoration Coalition.

Trade and commerce

Sokoku is primarily a trading nation, even historically seen. The colonial period can be seen as an atypical interruption where trade was dominated by Anarian rulers, meeting Anarian demands. But after independence Sokoku has managed to take up its role as trading hub between two large continents and two vast oceans rather quickly. Transshipment trade is a dominant economic activity in strategically located port cities like Taumakan och Berewan. Trade services, value added production and transport services are important spin-offs here. Sea vessel leasing and shipping registration are

A key element in this is the presence of Fisks as the largest shipping company on Gotha. Fisks business activities include shipping, port operation, supply chain management and warehousing. The company is based in Berewan and Raeko, Kamura, with subsidiaries and offices across nearly 100 countries and over 110,000 employees worldwide. The company reinvested revenue from post-war tasks in a proactive way, acquiring shipping and port rights all over the globe.

Most trade is however regional with nations surrounding the Julian and Kartuu seas. These operations do not differ much from domestic trade between the several states which all are separated by bodies of water.

Service industry

Transshipment and sea vessel leasing have created a market for financial services surrounding these activities, including insurances and investment. Post-sales services like maintenance and upgrades are a well developed part of the service industry as well. In the case of products not getting serviced or upgraded in Sokoku this is largely through training of local service providers worldwide.

Demographics and human geography

Ethnic groups

As a multi-ethnic federation by nature, it is of no surprise that there are over 1000 distinct ethnic groups identified in Sokoku. On the islands, the Hueiwei people are the dominant ethnic family. The Hueiwei is however a container term consisting of hundreds of ethnic groups with different cultural outings on each island.

On the Altaian mainland and some coastal areas on the islands it is the Iztomal people who are prevailing. On the west coast of Radhria Azix ethnicities with roots in Darunia are present as well. Even these groups show clearly distinct subgroups.

During the colonial era, a diverse Anarian population settled in the region as well. They partially mixed with local ethnicities forming distinct new groups. This was especially the case in former Aspasia, where colonists settled on the entire island. But there are also pockets of population with clear roots in Anisora, Auresia and to a lesser extent Halland, Helreich, Livaria and Vittmark present.

The small group of Kakuri people is the remnant of a larger ethnic group called the Tsuki, which migrated south from northern Altaia or western Davai during pre-colonial times.

The most distinct ethnic group is however formed by the Kegawa. In the 7660's DNA studies of this isolated tribe of XX revealed only 99,6% similar DNA compared to all other humans living in this region, leading to the conclusion that the Kegawa could be labelled a separate species of homonid (h. sapiens kegawaiensis). In the late 7680's this point of view had to be changed, dubbing the Kegawa as a hybrid between kegawaiensis and modern humans.

Religions

As a multi-ethnic nation with a diverse colonial background it is obvious that a similar multitude of religions is manifested among its population.

The largest religious denomination is that of Guso, a rather new and modern religion that has started spreading parallel to the formation of Sokoku as a nation state. Followers are generally accepting current scientific theories about the origin of the universe and how life came about. Guso therefore limits itself to those manifestations and life questions that can not be answered by science. The religion is based around three common mysteries in modern society: the cause for the creation of the universe (directive of energy), the origin of life (directive of entropy) and the essence of the human soul or spirit. This is combined with ancestral worship, which has its roots in Lizehanist religions like Tamahuna but also is present among the Kakuri and Izto people.

Tamahuna has been the most widespread religion in the western parts of Sokoku for the last half a millennium. This as a result of Lizehanist influences over the region beginning in the 70th century through traders from the mainland. But during the last centuries, Tamahuna has lost a lot of influence, first as a result Orkanan missionaries from Anisora and Helreich, later to Guso as a more modern interpretation fitting a new age.

Among the Izto and Azix populations in western Radhria and on the Altaian mainland different interpretations of Chakrana are practised. Due to the geographical distances and the accompanying different (cultural) history, the interpretations in Ayawantin, Diyin Tsidii and Shaaniaah are vastly different. Especially on the mainland, religious practices show syncretic relations with Lizehanism leading to hybrid forms and more purist forms being practiced close to each other.

Orkanan still has a large amount of followers in Sokoku, distributed among several mostly interventionist branches. In the former Anisoran colonies Peratolian Orkanan is most widespread due to conversion of the local population during the colonial age, while the two former Hellish territories still have followers of Stellist Orkanan. In former colonial possessions of Hallis and through the settlers of Fisks Mellanhand Orkanan is present as well in some regions.

Furthermore there are hundreds of more local and regional religions present in Sokoku, but more and more confined to older generations in rural and undeveloped areas. One of those religions is the Kakuri Yakosei no Konchuu, which has been used as a basis for Guso. The late Kakuri spiritual leader Chika Mirei therefore is revered in Yakosei no Konchuu, Guso as well as registered as an Orkanan Exemplar.

Urbanisation

The modern history of Sokoku is characterized by a major trek to the cities. Even the countryside has seen a population increase, but the net migration to urban areas has been so large that a majority of the people now live in larger urban areas. Sokoku did an effort to plan urbanisation by designating 16 cities for about 1 million inhabitants, 32 for a population of about 250,000 and 80 for about 125,000 people, creating basic plans for all of these 128 cities. Location was based on the population of the different member states and already existing urban cores. While some cities never reached their plan's potential, most grew quite a bit larger. Especially on Shuuen, the discrepancy between the planned cities and the current size is the largest, with three cities well over their original plan.

City	State	Population (in millions)	Note
Taumakan	Nelyasyat	13.52
Berewan	Shuuen	6,76
Kyusigai	Shuuen	3,38	Federal capital
Suryanagara	Garis Hati Gelap	2,71
Tangkota	Nelyasyat	2,44
Mengakui	Garis Hati Gelap	2,14	State capital
Nusantarama	Nelyasyat	1,88
Cendana Bayu	Nelyasyat	1,78
Kota Ek	Tana Ek	1,66	State capital
Serunigara	Garis Hati Gelap	1,56
Samudramulya	Shuuen	1,51
To Bei Nihaa	Shaaniaah	1,32
Kota Kotonoh	Kotonoh	1,21	State capital
Chishi	Shaaniaah	1,12

Languages

After Sokoku took over the government of the former Anisoran colony of Aspasia, the need for a common language became more apparent. There are over 70 recorded regional languages on northern Radhrian alone, with many more spoken in other parts of the nation. Even though Tsuki was used as a cultural concept behind the decolonization movement, the Kakuri people did not want their language to be used as the common language between the different ethnicities. This is because the Kakuri believe that the language should be acquired as a skill, not taught through an educational system all over the nation.

So instead, a simplified version of the highly related languages used in Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin, Rhadria, Shuuen and the surrounding island was created under the name Bahasa Sokoku, often abbreviated to Bahaso. It belongs to the Bawanesi language family. The Kakuri writing system is used for Bahaso, since there were several parallel writing systems being used for individual Bawanesi languages and the Sokokans wanted to avoid using the Anarian alphabet. This federal level language is used for communication between states and citizens of the different states. It is however interintelligible with the local languages and dialect of over 80% of the population. This goes for example for all the speakers of Lazeh, which is the majority language in Nelyasyat. Another Bawanesi language like Dayatan in the southeast is however so different in its grammar and vocabulary that it is not interintelligible with Bahaso.

The largest minority language belong to the Izto language family, which belongs to a totally different language family that has its basis on mainland Altaia. It is spoken on the coasts of Shuuen and the islands of Mirei in the Chi variants, which have a mixed population with ethnicities related to the Altaian mainlanders. In Shaaniaah various forms of Shaani Izto are spoken, which are largely interintelligible among each other. The third main group is in use on the western mainland and called Utara or Tsidii Izto. All of them use the Anarian alphabet with extened diacretic additions. Even the Izto language variants have undergone a simplification in order to be used across regional borders, where local dialects and language variations still flourish beside more standard Izto. These languages have official status in the aforementioned states of Mirei, Shaaniaah and Diyin Tsidii, but are even spoken in communities on the northern coast of Nelyasyat, the west coast of Shuuen and in many large cities with a (large) mainlander population. There are however no regulatory boards for these languages, where the use by state institutions sets the standard for intercommunal communication.

On the west coast of Radhria there are some Panotacani-Tlaxc languages spoken, a remnant of historic Quanchuan domination of the area. These languages are used as a local and regional sociolect and do not have any official status. There are therefore fewer people using these for each generation that goes.

The smallest indigenous language with a status are the Kakuri languages. It is a language isolate that comes in three forms, sharing the same vocabulary and grammar, but with a rather different meaning. The second language shares the same vocabulary and grammar as the first language, but is in use for more abstract issues. It is built up by metaphors, figures of speech, allegories or sometimes even synoptic sentences from well known stories or songs. Where most other languages get more complex by developing a larger vocabulary, the Kakuri Second Language seems to give new meanings to combinations of words in such a way that the original meaning of the words no longer have a significant impact on the new meaning. Due to the strong relation between culture and language, Kakuri can only be learned on location and by invitation only. The third version is only used in a liturgical context within Guso.

Apart from native languages there are still several languages from the colonial era in use. This is however limited to certain localities with remaining Anarian populations. Of these languages, Wortsproke has an official status, being the largest language of the member state of Mirei. Even Hallish has an official status, but only in certain regions of Shaaniaah. Auresian is still spoken in Tanah Ek, both by smaller local communities as well as lingua franca between populations with vastly different regional languages. In some pockets Anisoran and Stoldic are being used as well, but these only have a local application. Education in these languages is stimulated nevertheless, since it is seen as a resource for foreign trade and diplomacy.

Education

Sokoku has a strong tradition of local home schooling within their clan or guild. Children aged 6 to 12 get a general education within their own clan, where clan or guild members serve as teachers. Since the foundation of the federation, the content of the curriculum for these 6-12 year olds has become more uniform and adapted to Sokoku's society system.

About 50-80% of the pupils will follow vocational training within their own guild. This usually is a specific training for the trade of the guild or clan. About 10% of the children will get selected for a higher level education outside their own clan. Examples of this higher education are preparatory scientific, accountancy, sports and religious training. Children who show The Gift will automatically be transferred to one of the educational facilities of a Guso congregation. The remaining group of 10-30% of the children will not receive any education at all, or will have to apply for an education outside their own clan of guild. These shifts between clans and guilds are generally seen as a way to redistribute skills and ambitions in a more efficient way than to force these children to continue a career within their own guild.

Schools of higher level education tend to be more open for talents from other clans, castes or guilds. But even here, there is a strong guild style tradition with knowledge and skills being handed over from generation to generation. Performing arts, religion and science are generally considered the most appealing areas of education, closely followed by produced arts and engineering. This higher education is aimed at children aged 12 to 16-18, depending on the type of education.

In order to continue education on an academic or university level, one needs to be invited by one of the colleges. In certain clans it is easier to get invited, but for outsiders the lack of a social or educational network within the academic society can be an impassable threshold. It is however quite commonplace that people outside the academic clans get invited at a later age, between 25 and 35.

Science

Government spendings on research and development are on an average level. It is mainly based on a similar tender basis as economic procurement. Assessment of global innovations is however on a high level, since the federal government wants to be at the front of new technologies and implementations in order to introduce them into domestic production processes and thus contributing to a higher quality of life.

Sokoku has really utilized the presence of colonial institutions for research and developments, especially the universities in former Aspasia. Furthermore there is a long tradition of cooperation with established universities in Vittmark, like Östervallen and Siutton, due to the fact that Vittmark was the only Anarian nation not to resist the urge for decolonisation in the region. One of the founding mothers of the nation, Chika Mirei, was educated in Vittmark, which resulted in the Orkanan style of science becoming dominant in Sokokan research and development. There is a huge emphasis on hands-on science and experiments, based on creative concepts and theories. Scientific research usually is interdisciplinary teamwork.

Culture

Values, identity and symbols

See also: Sokokan cultural norms and traditions

Given the young age of the nation in combination with the multi-ethnic background, most of the identifying cultural characteristics and values are connected to ethnicity and religion. There are however a few common denominators when it comes to to Sokokan identity.

The use of yellow and (almost) black as identifying colors goes back to the manifestation of the Kakuri identity as a member state of Vittmark. The original colors were much more beige and brown, but have been saturated more during the liberation war of Shuuen. The signaling function, almost as a warning sign, was used as a common identifier of rebel groups opposing Hellish colonization.

Another common cultural factor is that of organizational self management in the form of extended families, clans and guilds. This leads to a large degree of local cohesion as well as pride. Even in the most different local cultures there is some form of self management present, ranging from the age orientated birth blade system of the Kakuri people to the traditional Orkanan stim as an owner of land, real estate and other means of production.

Due to the fact that most established religions are based on some form of ancestral worship, appreciation for the ancestors' achievements and sacrifices is a common element in Sokokan culture. This is manifested for example by the well symbol in the national emblem (left hand corner).

Other values that are common in Sokokan culture are efficiency and quality of life, especially in combination with each other. Resourcefulness, ingenuity and innovation are aiming at improving living conditions. Balance is another important value, as in balancing between the different religions and ethnicities, between labor and free time, between group mentality and self realization. Even this is represented in the national emblem, although some sources state that the balance pictured there is more about Sokokus location between Altaia and Darunia, as well as the Shangti and Stolvic oceans.

Philosophy

Even though it does not qualify as a philosophy, the gathered operationalizations by Chika Mirei when establishing the nation as a functioning state, are central in the mindset of Sokokan people. Mirei studied religion and state organization at the University of Östervallen in Vittmark, using the insights to develop a framework to be implemented in an Altaian setting. With organizational self management present in Fisks and Kakuri society, as well as in traditional cultures on Radhria, this became the basis for a bottom-up structure of society. Having seen the effects of häverism, orderism, free market capitalism and representative democracy, Mirei developed a more meritocratic approach of government including checks and balances. She never got the opportunity to formulate her vision into a coherent theory, instead it had to be implemented rather prematurely when Schangtienrand's colonial government was overthrown in 7XXX. In combination with a romantic nationalistic reconstruction of Tsuki and the rise of Guso as a modern syncretic religion it forms the basis of the Sokokan mindset. This combination was posthumously formulated by followers of her theories and philosophies and labeled Mirism.

Performing arts and music

Sokoku has a long tradition in performing arts, which generally is seen as the finest of all art forms. This tradition dates back to the era when the Sokokan regions were lacking a significant written component. Even with the presence of written language, it was only available for a very limited group of people up until 2-3 generations back. Therefore, poems and songs were used to transfer information between generations and between neighbouring communities. This poetry covered basic topics like hygiene, food preparation and morality, as well as accounts of the lives and achievements of exemplary members of society.

With the rise of local kingdoms, saga's and myths about the nobility's ancestors were used to create and uphold a base of power. The oral tradition became broader in the form of theatre and dance. Travelling groups of musicians, poets and actors were used to distribute current events and history as the ruling class would want it to be interpreted. Guilds for the performing arts were the most powerful clans especially on the Sokokan islands, since they had to operate closely to the ruling class by nature.

There is however a huge distinction between traditional music and performance from before the foundation of Sokoku and contemporary music. Where traditional music is strongly connected to local and regional influences like culture and available instruments, modern Sokokan music is used as an expression for a more progressive and connecting identity. Vocalists, music groups and mixed groups of vocalists and dancers are still being used to distribute the prevailing interpretation of current events, just like during historical times.

Foreign societies see the performing classes of Sokoku as a powerful tool of propaganda, especially towards teenagers. Nevertheless, some artists and groups have achieved international careers. One of the more recent examples is the rock band Tenji Sa Reta making a name in Anaria and espcially Vittmark. Quality in song writing, arrangements, instrument skills and stage presence overshadow the possibility of propaganda purposes of Sokokan artists and groups when it comes to building up an international following.

Performing arts is a rather open system of clans, groups and guild where local, regional and national leadership choose which performers to support. This leads to high dynamics in performing arts, where artists have to compete with each other in order to secure a professional career. The vast majority of performing arts pupils will have to leave after selection rounds at age 16, 18 and 20. The performing arts guilds have a strict selection procedure, since their artist will have to compete with other guilds. A lot of the performing arts graduates end up in hospitality or produced arts.

Even religious orders in Guso, the most widespread religion in Sokoku, use performing arts in a similar way as the government. To them, live performances are a way to create contact between Gift Bearers and people seeking a Soul Keeper. The large congregations have a spearhead group with rotating members under the same name. Their popularity equals that of the state supported groups. There is a fierce rivalry between the performing arts guilds and the religious congregations, which often leads to them not wanting to share a stage during the same event.

Visual arts

Visual arts are often interpreted as inferior compared to performing arts. In a Sokokan mindset, a picture says more than 1000 words, but a live performance paints hundreds of pictures. This is one of the main reasons why art from Sokoku is generally considered inferior, since they lack the paintings and sculptures as a cultural expression that Anarian cultures are used to, Performances happen only at the exact moment itself and have been difficult to reproduce, thus leading to the wrong conclusion that Sokokan cultural output would have been poor.

In modern day Sokoku, visual arts is generally considered a breeding ground or basis for produced art. It is seen as a form of craftsmanship skill that one needs to master in order to proceed into more modern cultural expressions such as photography, cinema, architecture, graphic design or industrial design.

Architecture

Traditional, pre-colonial architecture is defined by the natural surroundings and current cultural manifestations. It is as varied as the landscape, ethnicity, language and other cultural expressions, varying on a vast scale between different states and regions.

Colonial era architecture is dominated by the popular styles from the Anarian colonizing nations. In former colonies from Helreich, few of these buildings have remained. Especially on Shuuen, the häverist style of architecture and urban planning has methodically been erased. But in Nelyasyat a lot of the Anisoran, often classical architecture is still visible in the older parts of the built-up environment. More rural architecture from what today is Vittmark and Hallis is still present on the islands of Mirei and the mainland of Amozitlan respectively.

Sokoku has developed a building tradition where functionality, comfort and hygiene has been combined with often minimalist appearances. Even in the present, timber and wood are still the main building materials, which sets Senokan architecture apart from its contemporary counterparts. Since wood is more difficult to preserve, most buildings have a limited technical life expectancy. Many of the earlier buildings of Sokokan functionalism have been renovated and re-interpreted multiple times. In some cases renovations have been done as exact copies of the existing appearance, but most often a renovation has been used to modernize buildings by applying new building techniques or materials.

One of the key elements in production is the concept of construction-core base building, where rudimentary housing and offices are being built in such a way that the end user can fill out and adapt the unit. Avoiding large costs for refurbishment will increase the life expectancy of the building casco (skeleton) while at the same time the end user will have enough room to personalize the unit and adapt it to current user needs. As such, building has become more standardized, with building elements being produced off-site and assembled at the building site. Even residential dwellings and office units have been standardized, which has resulted in residential modules being manufactured industrially.

This also means that architecture as an art or cultural outing can focus almost entirely on one-off buildings. Even with a more modular approach to building, architects can adapt form, size, height, facade material etc. to create a unique building. Most of the contemporary government buildings, live houses and stadiums are designed this way. But all in all, Sokokan architecture is discrete, responsive and inconspicuous, it has qualities when it comes to functionality, flexibility, human scale and well chose materials for the location or the purpose.

Produced arts

Produced art is in the Sokokan context every expression of performing or visual arts that can be reproduced: etching, lithography, screen printing, literature (through printing), photography, cinema, recorded music and other media. According to the Sokokan view on produced arts, modern day conceptual art falls into this category as well.

There is no clear border between performing and visual arts on one side and produced art on the other. Live performed music is often accompanied by recorded music or distributed through cinema or television. Many artists that have tried a career in performing arts tend to end up in produced arts, as studio musicians, cinematographic actors, story and script writers, etc.

Certain art forms have developed into well defined separate fields of expertise, e.g. photography and graphic design for posters and other visual applications. Even architecture has moved from visual arts (unique designs for individual objects) towards produced arts (conceptual art, modular application). Industrial design has undergone a similar transformation. In that sense, many of the professionals that are considered engineers in other cultures are actually production artists in Sokoku.

Many of the manufacturing guilds benefit from the input from well educated and well trained production artists. Most clans will try to find a talented person among their own ranks with the potential to develop into a creative production artist. It's not unusual that such an artist has to be recruited from outside the clan, but in those cases the artist might find it difficult to find support for innovations.

Since the early 7680's Sokoku has invested strategically in film and TV, creating meaningful entertainment content from a Mireist point of view. There is some export of this produced art to Arvor and Chaska, but only a few productions that achieved worldwide distribution, like the comedy series Tempat Berlingdung or the sci-fi drama MEPA-12X which can be labelled as cult hits in Anaria.

Cuisine

Sokokan cuisine is one of the world's most diverse, vibrant, and colorful, full of intense flavor. Many regional cuisines exist, often based upon indigenous culture and foreign influences such as Anarian, Darunian and mainland Altaian precedents. Rice is the leading staple food and is served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. Spices (notably chili), coconut milk, fish and chicken are fundamental ingredients. In the mainland states potatoes and corn are being used more often. During the last decades, a typical Sokokan hybrid cuisine has been developed mainly in the mixed urban areas, especially the capital Kyusigai where all the influences meet.

Thanks to its colonial past, Sokoku is one of the few tropical nations with a strong beer culture. This is mostly present in the former Häverist states of Shuuen and Diyin Tsidii, as well as the former Hallish state of Shaniaah. Brewing in te Häverist tradition mainly means lager, while the Hallish tradition is ale. The Sokokan Pale Ale is a typical adapted beer style that has become popular across the globe. Where most Anarian bears have barley and to a lesser extent wheat as its basis, Sokokan beers are either rice beers from Shuuen or corn beers from the Altaian mainland. This creates the four distinct styles of Sokokan beers:

• Top fermented corn beers, like the Rokaro and Rokawi sour beers and corn cream ales like Putih;
• Lager styled corn beer, often called jagung, of which Mahkota and Xino are the most well known brands;
• Ale styled rice beers, including the famous Sokokan Pale Ale (SPA) like Kosyihikari and lesser known red ale merah
• Lager styled rice beers (beras), often exported as Super Dry by Iciwan and Soboro.

The western and southern states have a wine rice culture, both natural and distilled. There are a lot of regional traditions, mainly based on the fermentation yeast used, as well as additional brewing or distilling to create beverages with a higher alcohol content. Garis Hati is more famous for its brem minuman made from ketan rice, while pangasia from Nelyasyat usually gets spiced with ginger. Syu is a distilled rice wine from Pakatayu. Sato is somewhere between a rice wine and a top fermented rice beer, since its manufacturing includes a brewing like process.

Sports and competitive activities

Sports are more considered a social event than a competitive activity. Since the foundation of Sokoku there is a huge emphasis on team sports as a manifestation of a healthy and vital society. It also lays the foundation for a lifestyle of physical motion and serves as a meeting place for people. This has led to a situation where Sokoku hardly ever competes in individual sports internationally. Even in team sports there is hardly ever international representation, since there are no elite teams or competitions in the country itself. Development and improvement are put to the test in local competitions and games. The competition is seen as a driving force behind improvement and innovation, but not as a goal in itself. Sports on an elite or professional level is considered counterproductive in Sokoku.

A team sports game in Sokoku usually involves two teams mixing players before the game starts. Learning to cooperate with new team mates, as well as competing with training sparring partners, are both seen as large contributors to the social fabric of Sokoku. Sports not requiring much equipment, like association football, stickball (floor hockey) and softball/baseball tend to be most popular for these activities. Variations with 3, 5, 7 or 11 players are used in football and stickball.

Only in the state of Mirei there are sports competitions, where most valuable players as elected by the teams themselves play against each other in a knock-out system. This only applies to 5 and 11 player variants, where two resp. four players will continue. Goal keepers are appointed to the teams, these are very often former winners. The final game with the best players is an event in itself, but no winning player or team is declared. In Keadaan Matang attempts to similar competitions are being tried out nowadays as well.