Heiban

Heiban (: 海平; Hải Bình), officially the Monarchical State of Heiban is a country in southewestern Kesh bordered to the north by Verissi and Gxea, to the south by Ramay across the Canbrict Strait, to the east by the South Kesh Bay, and to the west by the Iapetus Ocean. Heiban covers a total area of 929,097s square kilometres (358,726 sq mi) and has an estimated population as 99.6 million as of 2021. The capital and largest metropolis is the city of Qifeng, natively known as Kỳ Giàu. Heiban is a.

The Heiban peninsula has been inhabited as early as the Paleolithic age by. The first known modern Heibanese civilization during the second millennium BC centred on the northern end of the Lào Mau River, near modern-day Qifeng. This initial civilization, and the communities that formed it, where known collectively as Nồm, and managed to remain almost entirely isolated for much of their early history. Contact with other emerging civilizations in the vicinity of the South Kesh Bay began around the 10th century BCE, with the arrival of Austronesian people from present-day Ramay and South Kesh. In the 3rd century BCE, the Nồm communities, scattered across the country's plains, began to grow into larger matriarchal chiefdoms and small monarchies, the largest of which was the Matriarchy of Hải Bình ruled by the Trịnh dynasty. By the beginning of the, this nation had expanded and annexed virtually all smaller chiefdoms in the peninsula. The Trịnh dynasty fell in the year 677 CE, and was overthrown by the Vương dynasty, considered to be the last true Nồm dynasty in Heiban, as it was under their rule that the country came in contact with Imperial Kodeshia in the 11th century.

Once the Matriarchy of Heiban came in contact with the Kodeshi Empire, a trading agreement was put in place between both nations. The Vương agreed for Kodeshi merchants to be stationed in the nation's largest port city of Sa Hóa. The agreement remained peaceful for nearly two centuries, however, as years went by, the Vương dynasty struggled to maintain its influence on the native population who had begun growing fond of the Chou dynasty of Kodesia. The Vương dynasty was challenged by the Lý dynasty and by the year 1234 CE, it had taken over the nation. However, the Lý rule was short-lived, as the Chou fell in Imperial Kodeshia in favor of the Zhou dynasty only three years after the Lý dynasty had come to power in Heiban. The Zhou Empire coerced the southern Kesh nation into consensus of becoming an imperial vassal state, to which the Lý showed little to no opposition. Zhou government officials, known as vassals, were sent to Heiban to replace the native leaders and act instead as heads of state in the name of the Emperor of Kodeshia.

As a vassal state, the nation's name was changed to the Vassal State of Zhou Heiban. The native Heibanese were allowed to maintain the usage of their language, however, people were forced into using the. Kodeshi rule on the territory managed to remain unfazed and unchallenged by the natives due to the strong military presence for three centuries before the fall of the Zhou dynasty in mainland Kodeshia. The vassal stationed in Heiban during this time was a loyal member of the Zhou family, and refusing to hand over the power, taking advantage of the effects left by the independence of Qingcheng, the geographical distance, and incapacitated navy, he, along with the Kodeshi soldiers in Heiban, seized power of the nation and in October of 1531 established in its place the Zhou Empire of Heiban.

Zhou rule was present in Heiban until the 19th century with the Assassination of Emperor Wei Zhi in January of 1830, marking the beginning of the Decade of Terror in the country. During this decade, Heiban entered a near state of anarchy as the extremist anti-Zhou, and imperialist people and the imperial armed forces fought relentlessly in almost every major city, with the biggest front being the Imperial City of Qifeng. Considered one of the biggest catastrophes in Heibanese history, it resulted in the death of millions and the largest migration wave of Heibanese people to other countries. In 1838, Empress Jin Jin called for a ceasefire from the imperial armed forces, and used her power as to put an end to the ongoing violence through peaceful means. In May of 1940, the Constitution of the Monarchical State of Heiban was created, considered the official end to the Decade of Terror.

Today, Heiban is a, and one of the most developed in southern Kesh. Over the last few decades, the Heibanese government has embraced early Nồm traditions and incorporated them into the country’s modern law, making Heiban one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world, readopting its stance as a, and pushing for better standards of living in both Heiban and southern Kesh, contributing in humanitarian and financial aid, as well as taking in refugees from foreign nations. The country specializes in the, , and  industries, and as of 2020 had a GDP by  of $2,400 trillion. Heiban has also been a member of the Unaligned Nations Consortium (UNC) since 1998.

Etymology
The name "Heiban" (/hɛiːbɑːn/; hey-BAN; : 海平, : Hải Bình ) comes from the Heibanese words Hải Bình (海平, meaning 'calm sea' ), and it's the shortened version of its complete name, Nước Hải Bình (渃海平, meaning 'land of the calm sea' ). The earliest written evidence of this name used in reference to area dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE, found in the ancient cities of the native Nồm people, who lived on the western side of the peninsula. The name was eventually modified during Zhou occupation and officially rewritten to fit the Guoyu and. The name fell out of use after 1531, and was officially readopted in 1840 with the creation of the Monarchical State of Heiban and its Constitution. Empress Jin Jin, ruler at the time, insisted that the name be of Nồm origin as a nod to the ancient native civilization and the country's liberation from Zhou oppression.

History

 * Main article: History of Heiban

Government and politics

 * Main article: Government of Heiban; Constitution of Heiban

The state of Heiban is a  comprising eleven. The country's is the Monarch of Heiban, who holds the title of either ; meanwhile, the  is the Royal Council, a ten-member body of government, at the head of which is the Grand Secretariat, a rotative position comparable to that of. The Constitution of Heiban, also known as the Supreme Law of the Land (: 律坦墆最高; Luật Đất đai tối cao) is codified and states that the government be divided into three different branches responsible for one another: the, the , and the.

Executive

 * ''Main article: Monarch of Heiban; Royal Council of Heiban
 * ''See also: List of Heibanese monarchs

The executive power is vested on the Monarch of Heiban as the head of state, de jure of the armed forces, and de jure Protector of the Faith for life or until. Since 1840, the title of Monarch of Heiban is hereditary under a system of ; there have only been two kings in the country's history under its current government system, with the present Monarch of Heiban, King Zuo Jun, being the latest of them. In the event the doesn't meet the minimum ruling age requirement, the next person in line part of the Royal Family over the age of 21 will be declared, and serve as the substitute monarch in the Heir's place until this one comes of age. As dictated by the Constitution of Heiban, the Monarch is the only entity in the country not entirely bound to the Supreme Law, and holds reserved powers shared with the head of government. This grants Heiban's monarchy its status as semi-constitutional.

The head of government is the Royal Council, under the direction of the Grand Secretariat, a rotative position between the ten members of Council. The Grand Secretariat will act as the main person in charge of virtually all national political affairs with the help of the Council. The order in which the Council members will take over the position of grand secretariat is chosen at random and established upon the Council's formation. The members of the Council are drawn from Parliament by the Monarch, usually with recommendation of members of former Councils. The head of government acts as the main advisory body for the head of state, and each Council will dissolve after 5 years, time by which all members would have held the position of Grand Secretariat. Council members can be reappointed for the position as many times as the Monarch may see fit.

Before the start of the first Grand Secretariat's term, each newly formed Council must decide on people to appoint as Ministers of Heiban. The ministers are the heads of the administrative government offices known as, and each of them is, upon appointment, bestowed on them the responsibility of overseeing and handling specific areas of government and politics, while reporting back to the Royal Council. Ministries are assigned a specific annual budget proportional to their individual importance and contribution to the country; it is then up to the ministers to determine in which way to spend this budget and report all financial movement to the Royal Treasury.

The ministers are also a part of the People’s Cabinet, a political body comprising the grand secretariat, the ministers, and functionaries, designed for the head of government to receive all updates pertaining to the different areas of politics, and be advised on all different fronts. The position of Minister of Heiban is bound to the Royal Council, meaning each of them will have a 5 year term, after which they will either be replaced or kept for an extra term upon decision of the newest Council. Ministers can only be reappointed two consecutive times, and appointed a total of four times.

Legislature

 * ''Main article: Legislature of Heiban; Parliamentary elections of Heiban

The Legislature of Heiban functions under a formed by a  known as the His Majesty's Parliament of Heiban, which meets in the Palace of Laws (Heibanese: 宮殿律; Cung điện luật), in the capital city of Qifeng. The Heibanese Legislature is formed by the (MP), and is tasked with the responsibility of proposing and ultimately creating new laws. Two constitutional restrictions have been set on the Legislature, these being the act of, and the dissolvement of government, both powers reserved by the Monarch.

For laws to be passed, each bill proposed by any member of parliament or political coalition must meet, in Heiban this term refers to a positive vote by half of the Members of Parliament, plus one. The Grand Secretariat will appoint a Chairperson, an annual position, who will act as the during Parliamentary Sessions; this being the period of time during which the Parliament will function. For several years now Parliamentary Sessions have started on March 3rd and ended on December 12th, however, the Royal Council may call for Emergency Sessions during the Parliament’s Resting Period between December 13th and March 2nd, with the exception of days observed as.

For, Heiban is divided into 480 counties, each electing a single Member of Parliament by simple plurality. Elections in Heiban take place during the month of October, and have a non-fixed term of 6 years in between. By convention, the Monarch will respect the six-year period as recommended by the head of government, however, they still hold the constitutional power to call for elections whenever they see fit. Parliamentary elections are for every citizen over the age of 21, and optional for citizens between the ages of 18 and 20, and those living or staying abroad during the election period. Members of Parliament can run a maximum of two consecutive times for an infinite total number of times; they may also be summoned to form the Royal Council.

Judiciary

 * Main article: Judiciary of Heiban; Ladies of Justice of Heiban

The Judiciary of Heiban is a hierarchical system, atop which stands His Majesty’s High Court, comprising six judges known as the Ladies of Justice (Heibanese: 貴婆功理; Quý bà công lý), and is the only position of government inaccessible to men, as stated in the Constitution. The Ladies of Justice are granted lifetime tenure, and are directly appointed by the Monarch of Heiban. Much like the Royal Council, former Ladies of Justice will usually pass their recommendation on to the Monarch for new candidates. HM High Court is stationed at the Supreme Courthouse of Heiban, in the capital of Qifeng, and is in charge of interpreting, defending and applying the law across the country.

Courthouses in Heiban are divided into two categories: Courts of Inquiry, which hear cases in the first instance, and Courts of Entreaty, which review specific contested decisions made by the Courts of Inquiry. Certain courthouses are known as Hybrid Courts, as they’re both Courts of Inquiry and Entreaty. HM High Court is what’s known as a ‘court of last resort’, meaning that although it will usually act as a Court of Entreaty by reviewing previous cases, HM High Court might act as a Court of Inquiry in cases of national urgency, such as a political trials or terrorism.

All provinces in Heiban are home to a High Court, that will oftentimes act in the stead of HM High Court in matters of regional urgency, the judges in charge of these High Courts are referred to as Prime Judges. The national High Court can be identified by the words “Her Majesty’s” or “His Majesty’s” (abbreviated to H.M or HM) in their official name; no provincial High Court may include this designation as part of their name.

Geography

 * Main article: Geography of Heiban

Bordered to the southeast and east by the South Kesh Bay, to the west and southwest by the Iapetus Ocean, to the northwest by Verissi and to the northeast by Gxea, Heiban has an 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, 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.

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Wildlife and conservation

 * Main article: Wildlife of Heiban



Heiban’s environmental and nature-friendly policies during the last few decades have been applauded by its citizens and activists alike. Almost every political party and coalition in the country has pushed for green policies at Parliament, with some of the most renown environmentally cautious milestones for the country including: the creation of the Secretariat for Environment, Climate and Biodiversity in 1913, a rare sight at the time; the approval of the Mother Nature Act in 1969, meant to put in place 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; the creation of Nature Realm Protectorates across the country, with the largest of them being the Empress Jin Jin Sanctuary, considered one of Heiban’s holiest sites; and the rising in the severity of punishments for environmental crimes, with poachers being charged with up to 50 years in prison, or, in some cases, the death penalty.

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 for 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.

Administrative divisions

 * Main article: ''Administrative divisions of Heiban

The state of Heiban is divided into four administrative divisions: provinces, urban prefectures, prefectures, and counties. Apart from these, there also exist two non-administrative divisions: the regions, and the nature realm protectorates.

Level subdivisions

 * Main article: Provinces of Heiban, Prefectures of Heiban, Counties of Heiban

At first level subdivision are the provinces of Heiban, of which there are eleven. Each province is run by a Provincial Committee comprising a director, appointed by the Royal Council, and one representative from each prefecture within the province. These representatives, also known as governors, are elected by the citizens of their prefecture every 4 years. The provinces of Heiban carry cultural and social importance, as citizens tend to identify with their province of origin, all of which have their own traditions, foods, festivities, and customs. All provinces can establish its own official languages, which all provincial authorities must abide to. To date, there are three languages in the country that hold provincial status:, , and , all of which are official in at least on province.

PREFECTURES

COUNTIES

URBAN PREFECTURES

REGIONS

Foreign relations

 * Main article: Foreign relations of Heiban

The foreign relations of Heiban are handled by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Being a member of the UNC, Heiban is only part of economic organizations, trade blocs and treaties, compromising not to ally or form part of any political or ideological organizations. Despite this, Heiban is an advocate for regional and international cooperation, and has extradition treaties and defence agreements with other nations in the event of a crisis. Heiban has developed increasingly close ties with other Southern Keshian nations: Cagayan, Ramay, Prabhat, and formerly South Kesh.

Military
The Heibanese Imperial System of Defence (海傍帝国防御系统, ᨔᨗᨔᨈᨙᨆ ᨄᨙᨑᨈᨖᨊᨊ ᨕᨗᨇᨙᨑᨗᨕᨒ ᨖᨙᨅᨘᨕᨊ) are the military forces of Heiban, under the direction of the Chief Commander of the Armed Forces and the Monarch of Heiban as the de facto and de jure supreme commanders respectively. They consist of the National Armed Forces (国家武装部队, ᨕᨊᨁᨀᨈᨊ ᨈᨙᨊᨈᨙᨑ ᨊᨙᨁᨑ), the National Navy (国家海军, ᨈᨙᨊᨈᨙᨑ ᨒᨕᨘᨈ ᨊᨙᨁᨑ), the National Air Forces (国家空军, ᨈᨙᨊᨈᨙᨑ ᨕᨘᨉᨑ ᨊᨙᨁᨑ), the Royal Guard of Traditions (皇家传统卫队, ᨄᨙᨊᨁᨕᨘᨕᨒ ᨈᨑᨉᨗᨔᨗ ᨉᨗᨑᨍ), the Bureau of Environmental Security (环境安全局, ᨅᨗᨑᨚ ᨀᨙᨔᨙᨒᨆᨈᨊ ᨕᨒᨆ ᨔᨙᨀᨗᨈᨑ), and the Imperial Guard (帝国卫队, ᨄᨙᨊᨁwᨕᨒ ᨕᨗᨇᨙᨑᨗᨕᨒ).

The Heibanese Armed Forces have a combined manpower of 425,000 active duty personnel and another 728,000 active reserve personnel. The head of the Heibanese Armed Forces (总司令, ᨀᨙᨈᨘᨕ ᨀᨚᨆᨊᨉᨙᨑ) is the Monarch of Heiban, however, this position is only nominal. The armed forces are managed by the Secretary of Defense of Heiban, which is headed by the Secretariat of Defense (a member of the cabinet of Heiban) and commanded by the Heibanese Military Assembly, which in turn is headed by the Command in chief of the Armed Forces of Heiban, also a member of cabinet. Heibanese defense budget was increased from 49 billion wang in 2009 to 82 billion wang in 2018, accounting for approximately 3.42% of Heiban's total GDP as of 2019.

A special branch of the military known as the Heibanese Cooperative Forces is specifically tasked with humanitarian missions both national and international, such as escorting war and crisis refugees from certain countries, ensuring security and welfare for refugees fleeing to Heiban, and assisting foreign governments in the protection of their citizens. However, being part of the Unaligned Nations Consortium (UNC), Heiban will never fight in favor or against political entities or ideologies, and in instances of international urgency will side with and protect the general public.

Education

 * Main article: Education of Heiban

The Heibanese education system is composed of both state-owned and private institutions across five academic levels: A completed academic cycle in Heiban will last an average of 23.5 years.
 * An initial or level for children between 1 and 5 years old. Seeing as this is an optional level, most parents decide to homeschool their children during the initial level. However, all children within this age gap are required by law to take Ramayan and Guoyu language classes in order to learn to write and read in both languages. In an institution, children are enrolled at age 1 or 2, and for a duration of 4 years.
 * An elementary or level lasting 7 years, with children starting at ages 6 or 7 years old. It is from this level onwards that education in Heiban becomes mandatory by law, and parents who don't enroll children in school can be charged with . As of 2020, the literacy rate for children in primary school was 99.3%.
 * A secondary or level lasting 6 years, with students starting at ages 13 or 14 years old. At this level all students in Heiban are required by law to receive religion classes on both  and . Students must choose one of the following specialization when enrolling into high school: Literature and Languages, Science, Technology, or Arts. As of 2020, 95.4% of citizens between ages 13 and 19 were enrolled in secondary school.
 * A tertiary level or lasting 2 years, with students starting at ages 19 or 20. Students must select a  of their pleasing during which they will receive the appropriate education on that field of study. After graduation, students will receive a Basic Education Degree certifying that they have completed all mandatory academic levels, and are therefore elegible to work. As of 2015, 81.4% of all working adult citizens reported having a Basic Education Degree.
 * A final level or with an unfixed duration, for all citizens aged 21 and above. Although university isn't mandatory in Heiban, most students decide to enroll after preparatory school in order to access better jobs, which tend to require a university degree. In order to enroll in university, one must be a Heibanese citizen or holder of a student visa, and pass an entrance exam in the event the person enrolling doesn't have a Basic Education Degree.

Due to Heiban's compulsory military service for all able citizens, both female and male, most students will choose to enroll in the military instead of moving over to preparatory school, in which case they'll receive basic courses at the military academy they've enrolled, and be granted a National Service Degree, which is as valid as a Basic Education Degree when enrolling in university. Because of its compulsory nature, the Heibanese government has made public and free education accessible for all first four levels in every county in the country, while also offering public education at the university level in all major cities. Today, 97.3% of all citizens are or have been enrolled in some form of academic institution, with 81.4% of those being holders of a Basic Education Degree, and 70.2% of a university degree.

Economy

 * Main article: Economy of Heiban, Economic history of Heiban

Heiban has a mixed economy in which both the private sector and the government play vital roles. It's one of the largest economies in Southern Kesh is classified as a newly industrialized country. As of 2020, Heiban had a nominal GDP of $1,750 trillion and a GDP at PPP of $2,400 trillion. Per capita GDP in PPP is $24,600, while nominal per capita GDP is $17,900. The services are the country's largest sector, and as of 2020 account for 54.8% of the total GDP, followed by industry (42.8%), and agriculture (2.4%). Since 2006, the service sector has employed more people than other sectors, accounting for 40.9% of the total labour force, followed by industry (39.8%), and agriculture (19.3%).

Over time, the structure of the economy has changed considerably. Historically, it has been weighted heavily toward agriculture and export, however, the Heibanese market saw major changes nearing the beginning of the 20th century, after heavy environmental sanctions, characteristic of the newer political ideologies in the country, and the arrival of immigrants from Eastern Kesh, fleeing from the ongoing Kesh War, forced the country into a rapid industrialization and urbanization process. Heiban's second industrial revolution reached its acceleration point in the 1940s with the creation of a few of the country's largest industries to this day, particularly in the infrastructure and engineering sectors. For the following four decades, the country's GDP saw a average annual growth rate of 18.4%, and as a result, poverty rates fell from 55% to 10%. However, this all came to a halt in the 1980s, when the region entered a massively unprecedented economic recession, following the economic collapse of South Kesh, then known as East Ramay. During this time period, the primary sector saw a sudden growth in its labour force as the country could no longer rely on East Ramay as its main supplier of bauxite and aluminum, heavily present in Heibanese industries.

In 1986, seeking to restabilize the economy in the region, Heiban, along with Prabhat and Cagayan founded the Southern Kesh Economic Cooperation Organization (SKECO) after the signing of the Treaty of ???. As part of this treaty, Heiban agreed to maintain the newly gained economic stability, and to show solidarity to all nations in Southern Kesh by helping promote the regional economy. SKECO would go on to accept members from fellow developing region of Western Kesh, subsequently expanding Heiban's economic reach. At the start of the 21st century, Heiban had almost entirely regained its financial footing from before the Lost Decade, and by 2019 only 0.4% of its population lived below the poverty line, and the official unemployment rate was of 3.7%

Some of Heiban's most noticeable natural resources are gold, oil, mica, manganese, bauxite and coltan, while agriculture produces coffee, rice, cacao, medicinal plants, spices and tea. These make up a good part of the country's exports, however, the primary exports in the country include mobile phone, building, ship, auto and airplane parts. Heiban is also a noticeable provider of transportation and cargo, medicine, engineering and insurance services.

Transportation

 * Main article: Transportation in Heiban

The transport network in Heiban is one of the most developed in the region, with virtually every single corner of the country being interconnected by some form of transportation accessible to all citizens, the most popular of these being the. Set to finish in 2027, the network of railways that runs across Heiban is one of the largest in the region, connecting every provincial capital and large city with one another, as well as minor cities and towns. Apart from acting as transport methods between cities, a single railway line, known as The Ring, runs along Heiban's coasts and northern international border, creating a circular railway that connects with international train lines driving into Verissi and Gxea, as well as national lines leading to the major urban centres. Although most of Heibanese railway lines remain unaltered from when they were originally built, the undergoing project seeking to modernize the country's transport system will have replaced all long distance carriers for.

Maritime transportation has grown increasingly common in the past decades, as the population in Heiban's offshore islands grows, and so does the need to move between them and the mainland's financial centers, where most people are employed. are largely the most common method of transport between the islands and the mainland, however, the use of larger ships has become more frequent with the increase in population and the demand for maritime travel, this last one being particularly true as new maritime routes have been created between mainland cities, as is the case with the Nanliang-Urdalapan ship route, the most used in the country, carrying nearly 300,000 passengers per day in either direction. Commercial maritime routes have also gained traction, as tourism in the South Kesh Bay increases in popularity. The most common international maritime routes departing from Heiban include those connecting it to Cagayan, Gxea, Naga and Ramay. Public transportation is the most common way of commuting in the country. According to the 2020 census, 89% of the population used methods of public transportation (bus, subway, ferry, or train) as their main mean of travel. All public transport is overseen and run by the Secretary of Transport, subsidized by the government, and owned by private transport companies, such as Interra (Subways), Sauhlor and HeiWang (Ferries and ships), or Luduo (Highways). The capital city of Qifeng is come to one of the largest underground networks in the continent, with 30 lines and 405 stations, with the current subway line expansion having an estimated finish date set for 2023, which will add 4 new lines and 43 stations.

, though not as common for everyday citizens, is highly available across most cities in the country. Every provincial capital and urban prefecture is home to an international airport, making for a total of 16, with the largest and most frequented of them being Empress Meng Li International Airport in the capital Qifeng. All international airports offer layover and non-stop long distance flights to Avalonia, Artemia and Kesh, however, Heiban isn't a common layover stop itself due to its location in the southern hemisphere; only a few flights will have layovers in Qifeng or Jayadi, with the most common route for layovers in Heiban being those between western Artemia and southern Kesh. National flights are available for nearly all citizens as most minor cities host national airports, with the busiest national air route being that of Qifeng-Jayadi, the two largest cities in the country.

Despite its extensive transport infrastructure, the government of Heiban has managed to balance this with the green policies that have been a national staple for nearly a century. No transport line goes through or near protected areas or national parks, and all city parks and urban green spaces are as far away from the local highways as possible. In 2002, King Zuo Jun put forward a campaign encouraging citizens to use public transport instead of purchasing new cars, this was backed up by the elected government a year later when a new driving laws were put in place in 2003, allowing car owners the usage of their vehicles only a set amount of days per week. Initially, this law would only affect cars, but in 2005 a reform expanded the law's reach to apply to motorcycles, trucks, and tractors.

Demographics
Heiban is a bilingual and bicultural nation, and as of 1 January 2020 had a population of 97.4 million, with an estimated population for 2021 of 99.6, projecting for an annual population growth rate of 0.02%. The country is divided into distinct linguistic and cultural regions, the region of Zhouguo (Guoyu: 帚国) to the west, where is the main language and around 97.8% of the population identifies as ethnically Zhou, this region is home to the capital city of Qifeng, and has a population of 55.3 million as of 2020; the eastern region of Pelankan (Ramayan: ᨄᨙᨒᨊᨀᨊ) is home to a majority ethnically Ramayan and Pelankan population, and its main language is. Pelankan has a population of 42.1 million, and holds more larger cities than Zhouguo. The province of Meifeng, despite being considered part of the Zhouguo region, is the only officially bilingual province.

Ethnicity

 * Main article: Pelankan people, Zhou people

Based on the 2020 Census, the Department of Population and Census of Heiban issued a statistical report that stated that 43.2% of the population identifies as ethnic and linguistically Ramayan or Pelankan, with cultural ties to native Austronesian people from Heiban and adjacent regions of southern Kesh, comprising the ethnic majority in the country. These people also reported full comprehension and usage of the in every day life. Zhou people make up 32.1% of the population, a number that has been decreasing over the decades due to the increase in mixed population. Zhou people in Heiban reported a daily use of the, as well as cultural and ancestral ties to eastern Kesh, in particular the countries of Kodeshia and Qingcheng, dating back to the era of Imperial Kodeshia. A total of 24% of the population identifies as mixed or 'Heibanese', with most of these citizens having a parent of Zhou descent and one of Pelankan descent. Most mixed people reported to be fluent in both Guoyu and Pelankan, however, their daily use of one language or the other will vary depending on where they live in the country. Although mixed people make up the lower portion of the population, scholars estimate that the actual number of people with mixed ancestry comes closer to around 49.3%. This extra 25.3% of the population with a presumed mixed background are believed to be part of lineages with instances of illicit marriages, rape, adoption, or unregistered births, and whose complete ancestry is therefore virtually impossible to track down. A remaining 0.7% of the population, or about 680,400 people, identify as 'Unknown' or 'Other', with the latter being mostly small diasporas and communties descendants of immigrants from other nations, primarily Keshian.

Language

 * Main article: ', '

[[File:Languages_of_Heiban.png|right|thumb|330px|105%

]] Heiban is a state as it recognizes only two languages to hold national and official status; Ramayan and Guoyu. Ramayan is the native language of the region, as well as the primary language of nearly 49.2% of the population, while also being spoken and understood by around 96.7% of all citizens. Ramayan is the sole official languages in the provinces within the Pelankan region, which encompasses some of Heiban's largest cities and has a population of around 42.1 million. The Ramayan language is mutually inteligible with the spoken in South Kesh and other parts of the South Kesh Bay. Aside from being Heiban, Ramayan is also spoken in the country of Ramay, from where it gets its name. However, the Ramayan spoken in both countries is vastly different, as Ramay and Heiban use different scripts and loanwords in their respective variations. Heibanese Ramayan, also known as Pelankanese, uses the developed in the region long before the arrival of eastern Kesh influence, as well as loanwords from Guoyu, adopted during modern times.

Guoyu was introduced in Heiban in the 12th century, and was the sole official language of the country for nearly four centuries. It was brought over by Kodeshi merchants, later on made mandatory by vassal officials, and after independence, remained the main official language of the country for an additional century. Today, Guoyu is the primary language of 50.1% of the population, and it is understood and spoken by virtually all citizens, with nearly 99.2% of the population claiming fluency. Although Zhou people make up the minority in comparison to Pelankan people, the Guoyu language is the preferred language for government and most TV stations. However, both languages hold signing status and are taught in all schools across the country, despite the regional differences. The Guoyu spoken in Heiban is vastly different from that spoken in Kodeshia and Qingcheng. Although all three countries use the, spoken Guoyu in Heiban has a very distinct phonetic difference in its pronunciation that carries characteristics of imperial times. Zhou people in Heiban refer to this dialect as Zhouyu or Zhounese.

Religion

 * Main article: Traditional religions of Heiban, Taoism in Heiban, Buddhism in Heiban

The Constitution of Heiban acknowledges and recognizes only two religions to hold official status in the country, and. Although is legal in Heiban, only citizens born abroad are allowed identify with a non-official religion, whereas Heibanese-born citizens are required by law to adhere to one of the country’s faiths or self-identify as. Newborns are assigned a religion by their parents, that can be changed at the age of 16. All religious identification is then added to each citizen’s national ID. About 70.3% of the population identifies as Buddhist, 20.7% as Taoist, and 7% as irreligious, with a remaining 2% adhering to other religions, particularly and.

Prior to the integration of Heiban into the Zhou Empire as a vassal state, the territory was composed of several smaller religions, traditional to Pelankan and Ramayan culture. Many of these religions became lost to time, and today only a fraction of the population, particularly living in the province of Kelau-Jelah, still adheres to traditional Pelankan beliefs. Taoism was introduced in the early 13th century with the arrival and settlement of Kodeshi officials and population, and forced on Heibanese citizens in an attempt to fully integrate them into Kodeshi traditions. Taoism remained the only official religion of the country for nearly five centuries after its integration, however, about 50% of Heibanese citizens, specifically those living in the Pelankan region of southern Heiban, identified as irreligious for most of this time period as an act of resistance. Buddhism was introduced later in the country at the start of the 20th century, as missionaries from the Samot-Seratof Empire were sent to the southern Kesh as part of their expansion into the region. Most irreligious citizens at the time found refuge in the newly introduced religion, and soon enough the monarch at the time was converted to Buddhism. Today, Buddhism represents the largest percent of the population, and its religious symbols have become an equivalent to Heibanese nationalism.

As part of its full integration of Buddhism as the second national religion, the government and monarchy put forward a set of five sacred laws known as Heibanese Core Beliefs, based on Buddhist precepts and created with the goal of ensuring the religious teachings of Buddhism in every day life. The Core Beliefs are the following:




 * 1) To abstain from onslaught on breathing beings: This includes the acts of  or, ordering or causing someone else to kill another human being, , , , and in recent times it’s been used to promote the practice of  and  nationwide. Loopholes have been built around this belief in order to justify the , which can be dictated by the Monarch of Heiban or the Ladies of Justice. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with the death penalty.
 * 2) To abstain from taking what is not given: This includes all forms of, , , , , , ,  and . Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment.
 * 3) To abstain from misconduct concerning sense-pleasures: This includes, with the legal  being 21 years old. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment or the death penalty.
 * 4) To abstain from false speech: This includes the criminal offense of, , , as well as any form of defamation of the government and its ideology through written or spoken speech. All published material that doesn’t align with the government’s constructed image is banned or censored, and punishable with imprisonment or the death penalty.
 * 5) To abstain from alcoholic drink or drugs that are an opportunity for heedlessness: This includes the consumption and distribution, whether through selling or buying, of .  and  have been excluded from this belief for several decades. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment.

The Monarch of Heiban holds the title of Protector of the Faith and has the job of interpreting and protecting the country's national religion as well as deeming which practices are to be considered moral or immoral. Any religious order given by the Monarch is then reported to the Head Monk, head of the Grand Temple of Qiānliú (千流大庙) and the person in charge of spreading the religious teachings to the rest of the nation. In recent times, the sovereign has used his power as Protector of the Faith to shape and reinterpret Buddhist teachings as a way to justify changes in the Heibanese law, the most recent and well-known example of this is the creation of the aforementioned core beliefs in 1993.

Culture

 * Main article: Culture of Heiban

Heiban is a nation, combining aspects of ancient traditions and customs from southern Kesh, Ramayan and Pelankan natives, with eastern Kesh and Kodeshi elements introduced into the country circa the 13th century and onwards. Heibanese culture in itself is considered a hybrid mixture of these two regional customs, both of which have at the same time been influenced by the recent adoption of as the national religion alongside  in the 20th century. In 2018, the Secretariat of Culture issued a report proclaiming the 'cultural unity' of Heiban, stating that nearly 98% of the population adheres, follows and respects national cultural traditions, with only a rare few, usually members of immigrant families, not partaking in Heiban's customs. This is attributed to the work of the Royal Guard of Traditions (Guoyu: 皇家傳統衛隊; Ramayan: ᨄᨙᨊᨍᨁ ᨈᨑᨉᨗᨔᨗ ᨉᨗᨑᨍ), a branch of the military created with the purpose of protecting and reinforcing the practice of Heibanese culture above all else. The Royal Guard of Traditions was established as an act of cultural protectionism in the 20th century as a result of mass immigration waves from other Keshi states following the events of the Grand Campaigns and the Great Kesh War, and in an attempt to ensure Heibanese culture wouldn't be tampered by the influence of immigrants and neighboring nations.

Art

 * Main article: Heibanese art

Heibanese art includes both age-old art forms developed through centuries and recently developed contemporary art. Its origins have been very much influenced by Pelankan art and by scenes from Kodeshi epics, with the most recent addition of Buddhist influence in the most contemporary art forms. Traditional Pelankan arts started as a style of visual narrative through paintings in stone, that depicted subjects in two dimensions without perspective, with the size of each element in the picture reflecting its degree of importance. In this technique the main elements are isolated from each other by space, eliminating the intermediate ground that would otherwise imply perspective. This art form was later influenced by the Zhou presence in Heiban, resulting in the development of the (Guoyu: 皮影戲; Ramayan: ᨕᨘᨕᨐᨊᨁ ᨀᨘᨒᨗᨈ) that consisted of creating an artistic narrative of tales and key elements of Zhou influence while using Pelankan art techniques. Today, the most frequent narrative subjects from paintings include Kodeshi and Ramayan folklore, Buddhist and Daoist tales, as well as fictional stories that have been acostumed to the modern age.

Much of modern Heibanese sculpture almost exclusively depicts images of the Buddha, differentiating itself from the Samot style by mixing sculpting techniques used for the depiction of much more traditional Daoist art brought from Imperial Kodeshia. Wood and stone are the most common materials used for traditional Heibanese sculpting, especially among Pelankan people whose ancestors would almost exclusively make sculptures out of carved wood. Between the 12th and 19th century, the people of Heiban developed a refined stone sculpting art and architectural influence by the immigrant Zhou civilization. The Temple of Qianlu is among the most famous examples of this practice.

Cuisine

 * Main article: Heibanese cuisine

Heibanese cuisine is one of the few cultural elements of the country to openly integrate aspects of many different civilizations and cultures throughout the continent. Much of what is considered traditional Heibanese cuisine can find its roots in the culmination between Kodeshi and Pelankan foods and cooking styles. Many of the Kodeshi culinary customs and values have been adopted by Heibanese people, such as the different cooking styles and the different usages of food. Noodles, brought to Heiban during its time as a Kodeshi vassal state, have become a staple in Heibanese cuisine and can be found in much of the country's most famous dishes, and the Kodeshi fast-food chain Zhenkekou is one of the most well-known and popular restaurant chains in Heiban.

Pelankan cuisine finds its way into modern Heibanese cuisine through the integration of ingredients such as oranges, bread, coconuts, rice, and particularly mushrooms. Mushrooms are the most prominent food in Heibanese cuisine, and can find themselves as the main ingredient in almost all of the country's most popular foods, snacks or desserts, including the national dish Cendawati (ᨌᨙᨊᨉᨕᨘᨕᨈᨗ), which consists of mushroom heads stuffed with chopped mushroom, peppers, cheese, and onions. For decades now, each province in Heiban has had their own regional approach to Cendawati, each stuffed with different ingredients, and today, eleven versions of the national dish exist, one for each province. Aside from mushrooms, the usage of fruits, particularly in desserts, is considered a Pelankan culinary tradition, with fruits such as mango, orange, coconut, bananas, guava, and pineapple being among the most commonly used for both savory and sweet dishes.

A peculiarity of Heibanese cuisine is the almost complete avoidance of meet, a direct result of the adoption of both Taoism and Buddhism as state religions. Since the 14th century, many Heibanese people, of both Kodeshi and Ramayan origin, follow a strictly vegetarian or vegan diet, which reflects in the population's consumption of meat. Heiban is among the smallest producers and importers of meat in the world, and many non-vegetarian mainstream foods are usually made with a vegetarian alternative. Fish has been an exception for the most part, particularly in the Peninsulas and Isles region of the country, where most agricultural workers rely on fishing for a living, as the land is not as arable as the rest of the provinces.

Popular Heibanese dishes include mushroom pastries (Cendawan manis; ᨌᨙᨊᨉᨕᨘᨕᨊ ᨆᨊᨗᨔ), mango ice cream, fried rice noodles (炒米粉), coconut and orange coffee, and chocolate-covered crickets (coklat kriket; ᨌᨚᨀᨒᨈ ᨀᨑᨗᨀᨙᨈ).