User:Tuesday/Sandbox1

Heiban (: 𠄩班), officially the Empire of Heiban, is a country in southern Kesh bordered to the north by the Nzambeyan state of Verissi, to the south by Ramay across the Hải Ðăng Strait, and bounded to the west by the Iapetus Ocean, and the South Kesh Bay to the east. Heiban expands over a total land area of 929,097 square kilometres (358,726 sq mi) and has a population of over 101 million. The capital and largest city in the country is Sa Hoa.

The Heibanese peninsula has been inhabited since as early as the by Austroasiatic peoples. The oldest records of modern Heibanese civilization date back to the 2nd millennium BCE, centred around the peninsula's northeastern plains, in the present-day provinces of Lối Ði and Cầu Vồng. This initial matriarchal civilization, and the people that formed it, are known as the Sinh people, who existed in isolation as a single community well into the 1st millennium BCE. The Sinh began to expand across the peninsula sometime around the year 1500 BCE, and by 1100 BCE the territory that today encompasses Heiban had been settled in its entirety, and the newly formed communities began to deviate from one another in an event known as the First Divergence.

At the start of the 10th century BCE, the territory of present-day Heiban found itself divided into eleven early matriarchal chiefdoms. The largest of these were the Sinh and Nồm chiefdoms, which encompassed the entire northern half of the territory and much of the eastern and western coasts respectively. Throughout the remainder of the century the Heibanese territory became a battle ground between the different communities until the start of the 9th century BCE with the unification of all communities under the Sài dynasty of the Sinh-ruled Matriarchy of Cửa Hoà. The Matriarchy existed until the end of the 1st century CE before the Second Divergence in the year 113.

During the Second Divergence, there was an attempt to overthrow the, at the time ruling, Mã dynasty from three different sides, resulting in a territorial partition between all three, each ruled by a different dynasty: the Mạnh, the Ông, and the Hác. Each territory existed as an independent state until the start of the 4th century, when the Trịnh dynasty overthrew all three by the year 407 CE, and unified all territories under the First Empire of Heiban. The Empire was ruled under the Trịnh until the late 6th century, when it was overthrown by the Vương dynasty in 677 CE. It was under Vương rulership that the Empire first came in contact with Imperial Kodeshia in the 11th century.

In 1015, Heiban signed a mutual with the Empire of Kodeshia known as the TBD Accord. As part of the Accord, Heiban agreed to help Kodeshia spread their influence within the South Kesh Bay by allowing Kodeshi ships to be stationed in and make free use of Heibanese ports on the peninsula's eastern side. Heibanese-Kodeshi relationships were considered peaceful and mutually beneficial for nearly two centuries, however, the increasing favorable Kodeshi presence weakened the influence of the ruling Vương until 1234 when it was challenged and overthrown by the Lý dynasty. Despite of this, Lý rule was short-lived, as the Chou dynasty fell in Imperial Kodeshia in favor of the Zhou dynasty in the year 1237. With a much more abrasive approach to the southern Kesh region than its predecessor, the Zhou-ruled Empire of Kodeshia began to take more liberties with the pre-established Heibanese permissions, eventually replacing all Sinh leaders in Heiban with Zhou vassals.

As a vassal state, the nation's name was changed to Gangyou (: 港右, gǎngyòu), and the native Sinh language was replaced by. Zhou rule in the peninsula stayed unfazed and unchallenged for three centuries before the fall of the Zhou dynasty in mainland Kodeshia in 1531. The vassal stationed in Gangyou during this time, a loyal member of the Zhou family, refusing to hand over power to the new Liang dynasty, taking advantage of the weakened Kodeshi naval forces and the ongoing revolution in Qingcheng, declared the country independent on 31 October 1531 under the name of Zhouguo (周国; zhōuguó). The state of Zhouguo was dissolved in January of 1608 as consequence of the Sinh Revolution. In March of that same year, the position of head of state was given back to the descendants of the Lý dynasty, establishing the current Second Empire of Heiban. The Lý dynasty willingly abolished the status of absolute monarchy on 8 March 1812, establishing the Constitution of Heiban and creating a separate position for a.

Today, Heiban is a and, with a  by  (PPP) of $2.8 trillion, making it the largest economy in southern Kesh, and one of the largest in the continent. Over the last two centuries, Heiban underwent rapid development in matter of, , environmental initiatives, as well as rapid infrastructural and technological advancement, playing a leading role in the infrastructure, engineering, and medical industries in the region. Heiban has a "very high" (HDI), and a high GDP per capita.

Etymology
The name "Heiban" is a standardized version of the native name Hai Ban (//; hey-BAN; Heibanese: 𠄩班), meaning "bestowed by Heaven" or "mandate of Heaven". Origins of this name date back to the 4th century, with the Unification of Heiban under the Trịnh dynasty. This name was given to the newly formed state as part of the attempt from the Trịnh dynasty to spread the ideological belief that all Sinh people (an umbrella term referring collectively to all the different people groups with origin in the Heibanese peninsula) were to exist together under a single entity led by the Trịnh rulers, as was commanded by the Mother Goddesses of the native religion. Despite the overthrowing of the Trịnh dynasty in the year 677 BCE at the hands of the Vương dynasty, the latter opted to keep the name to spread a similar message but applied to their own rulers.

The name Heiban eventually fell out of use during Zhou occupation of the territory and the state was renamed first to Gǎngyòu (港右; meaning "west harbor") between 1237 and 1531, and later to Zhōuguó (周国; meaning "Zhou country") between 1531 and 1608, both of which were of origin. Heiban as a name was readopted in 1608 with the overthrowing of the ethnically Zhou government, and its replacement for a native Sinh monarchy. The name was chosen as a nod to the original meaning, alluring to how the Sinh people were to exist under a single entity led by ethnically Sinh people.

Geography

 * Main article: Geography of Heiban
 * See also: Leizhu Island

[[File:Biomes of Heiban.png|right|thumb|335px|105%

]] Heiban is a country situated in the, within the Heibanese peninsula, occupying it almost in its entirety, and some of its offshore islands, in the southwestern region of Kesh. It is bordered to the northwest by the Nzambeyan state of Verissi, and has a total land area of 929,097 square kilometres (358,726 sq mi) and lies between latitudes and. It has a 3,935-kilometre (2,445-mile) coastline along the South Kesh Bay and the Iapetus Ocean, by which the peninsula is bounded to the east and west, respectively, and it's home to more than a hundred islands and islets off its shore.

The country's landscape is characterised by a low-lying north-central that extends from east to west, home to many hills and valleys, and surrounded by  to the south and low mountains to the north. On the western end of this plain lies the largest in the country, Lake Bao Giá, and the southern reaches of the West Kesh river basin, one of the largest on the planet. Extending from its central region are transitional plains to the south, thinly forested and rising to elevations of about 600 metres (1900 feet) above sea level. To the north the Gxean plain abuts a, which forms a southward facing cliff stretching for more than ??? kilometres (??? miles) from west to east, across almost the entire Heibanese-Gxean border, and rising abruptly above the plain to heights of 800 to 1,600 meters (2,800-5,200 feet). This cliff demarks most of Heiban's northeastern border and the southern limit of the Vàng Ðỉnh Mountain Range.

Flowing southward from the Vàng Ðỉnh Mountains, through Heiban's plains and southern hills is the Lào Mau River. East and west of the Lào Mau, the transitional plains gradually merge with the southern highlands, a region of forested hills and high plateaus that extend to the countries's southern coastlines, creating a massive valley around the river mouth and extending in a latitudinal fashion northeastward. This valley divides the southern Heibanese highlands into two blocks, the western side presents higher elevations and rougher terrain, giving way to a much more rugged coastline, and resulting in many peninsulas and islets off its shore. Part of the western highlands is Mount Buôn Pha, an eastward facing cliff, with a 770 meter (2,526 ft.) drop into the Iapetus Ocean at its peak. The southwestern highlands are the least populated region of Heiban due to its difficult access, and are home to three Nature Realm Protectorates.

The southeastern highlands are much smaller in comparison, and much easier to cross, with two large cities being located along the highlands' southern side. These have a much more gradual transition into both the central plains and the shores, with their highest peaks being located inland rather than close to the coast. The southeastern seaboard next to the highlands is smooth and devoted of islands. Unlike its western counterpart, this region is much more populated, with some of Heiban's biggest touristic hotspots being found here. Despite its smaller size, the southeastern highlands are the northern extension of the much larger Ramay Mountain Chain, that runs accross southeastern Heiban and the Ramayan islands.

Climate

 * Main article: Climate of Heiban

Wildlife and conservation

 * Main article: Flora and fauna of Heiban
 * See also: Yenbai Convention

The Sinh civilizations that have inhabited the Heibanese peninsula since before the Common Era have always held beliefs and practices regarding the protection of nature as a foremost priority. According to records found in western Heiban, sometime between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, the consumption of certain meats was not only frowned upon but also illegal and punishable with hanging. This is attributed to the region's native religions that, much like Buddhism, encouraged vegetarianism.

In the present day, Heiban's environmentally cautious and nature-friendly policies during the last few decades has been applauded by its citizens and activists alike. Almost every political party and coalition in the country has pushed for green policies at Parliament. Some of the environmental milestones of biggest renown in the country include the creation of the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity in 1903, considered a rare sight at the time, the approval of the Đất Mẹ Act in 1925 designed to put in place stricter environmental regulations on the many industries across the country to ensure good air, water, and soil quality, and the non-disturbance of the Heibanese flora and fauna, and the raise in the severity of punishments for environmental crimes, with being charged with up to 50 years in prison, or the  in some cases.

In 2021, Heiban became the first country in the world to address climate change and push for global green policies with the creation of the Yenbai Convention, named after the city of Yenbai, where the agreement was initially drafted and signed. The Convention put forward a goal to reduce carbon emissions by the half of the 21st century, and encourage its signatory countries to transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable ones, grant better legal protection to all flora and fauna through constitutional reform, and create more protected areas, among many other things, all of which have been part of Heiban's green agenda since 1970s. The Convention has been signed by 30 countries as of February of 2022.

There are 627 protected areas in Heiban that cover 23% of its territory, or nearly 213,692 km2 (82,506 sq mi). The state is also a self-proclaimed Ally for Nature, after having passed the Environmental Rights Act in 1991, declaring the protection of wildlife and biodiversity in the country an explicit national priority, and calling for constitutional reform. Today, the Constitution of Heiban recognizes the Rights of Nature, granting all flora and fauna within Heiban’s borders rights similar to fundamental human rights.

Heiban is a diverse nation, with countless species living in its territory. There are 312 mammal species, 547 bird species, 281 reptile species, 650 freshwater species, and 540 marine fish species according to scientists and zoologists, as well as approximately 5000 identified plant species. Much of the country’s biodiversity is contained near the southern and central regions, and around the many rivers feeding into the Iapetus Ocean and the South Kesh Bay.

Expeditions and tourism
Since the 1930s, the Ministry of Tourism along with the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Biodiversity of Heiban have funded guided expeditions, also known as thăm ngoài (探外), and promoted outdoor tourism in the country's savannas and wetlands. In 1945, the government decided to expand the territorial coverage of several protected areas in order to ensure more availability for expeditions and as a form of preventing environmental offenses, such as poaching or littering, punishable in Heiban with the death penalty or up to 30 years of imprisonment depending on the offense. In 1947, the Ministry of Defense created a new branch of the Army known as the Bureau of Environmental Security, tasked with the protection of protected areas, and patrolling all thăm ngoài expeditions. Since 1960, revenue from expeditions and outdoor tourism have contributed up to nearly 2% of the total GDP (PPP), and have become one of Heiban's largest marketing points for national tourism agencies, airlines, and the hospitality industry.

One of the main focus points for most of these expeditions are the western Heibanese wetlands, covering around 60,000 sq kilometres of land area, and expanding across eight provinces, with the city of Quốc Món, the third largest in the country, situated entirely within this region, being the second most visited city in the country after the capital city of Sa Hoa. Common to the western Heibanese wetlands are, , , , and , as well as countless types of flora, fish and bird species. At the center of the ecosystem sits Lake Bao Giá, the largest inland body of water in the country, at the shores of which is the city of Hương Cai, the sixth largest in the country, home to 1.3 million people. The city is famous for its intricate shape allowing for several waterfront properties in the residential neighborhoods.

The vast expanding across Heiban's northern half are also attractive to tourists, as they host some of the country's most unique flora and fauna, some of which can only be found in Heiban. Characteristic of this region is the.