Umara

 Umara (𐒚𐒑𐒖𐒇𐒖 ; formally 𐒚𐒑𐒖𐒇𐒖 𐒉𐒚𐒐𐒆𐒖𐒖𐒒, Umara Suldaan -- the "Umaran Sultanate") is a  in Southern Kesh. The country is constituted of a continental land area of XXX km2, sharing a land border with XX to the east and XX to the south. To the west the country borders the Iapetus Ocean. Umara is home to 102 million people, making it the XXth most populated country in the world and with a population density of 246 km2 the XXth most densely populated.

The geographical area of modern day Umara is the site of some of the oldest archeological remains of modern humans, with human activity in Umara dating back as far as 250,000 years ago. Hunter-gatherer societies were the norm in the region until the revolutionized life in the region, utilizing  techniques to harness the flood patterns of the Kulani River. The rise of the Abakuul civilization out of the Kulani river valley would see the introduction of radical societal changes through the emergence of, new agricultural technologies and. The Abakuul Kingdom would disintegrate following a period of internal instability, culminating in the Alafia Revolt in 1300 BCE.

The Kingdom of Ishar, considered to the progenitor of the modern Umaran state, would emerge in 760 BCE under the rule of King Uru the Luminous. would arrive in the 8th century to the region, by way of the many trade routes which led into the Umaric lands, and would have a profound impact on Umari society with a number of clans and smaller kingdoms converting to the faith. Exchange of ideas was common in Umara during this time period as numerous different religious traditions and philosophies co-existed alongside each other, primarily in the city of Biyakad. Safism,a movement which followed the teachings of the latter day teachings of the Prophet Dawad, would gain popularity in Umara in the 11th century effectively distancing it from the rest of the Islamic world politically. Under the Nadif Dynasty the Umaric Sultanate would form in 1204, uniting a number of smaller kingdoms in the region. Through the extensive use of Umara would emerge as a multi-ethnic empire and regional political and economic power in Southern Kesh. Umara would become a cross-roads of different cultures and belief systems, with cities such as Biyakad and Magacala hosting prominent institutions of learning and commerce for the time period.

The prominence of the Umaran Empire would eventually fall, declining in the early half of the 19th century after failed attempts to modernize and later industrialize. Efforts to do so were only partly successful, and with the increased presence of Artemian powers in Kesh and the rise of nationalism the Empire's influence began to gradually decline. A period of reconsolidation and reform would occur in the 1900s, starting with the issuing of the Ilahdiya Diploma in 1901 and later modernization reforms.

Rise of the Umaran Sultanate
Main Article: Tajyar Era, Warsame Tajyar The decline and fragmentation of the Ishari Kingdom in 980 ACE led to the formation of various, known as Tajyars, and tribal confederacies. The Tajyars consistently competed for domination of the Kulani river valley, often in a state of direct conflict with one another. The Tayjars were generally tied to the major in the region before the collapse of the Ishari, many of which make up the most common clanar surnames in Umara today. Tribal confederacies and in the north were generally more  than the sedentary Tajyars, and would commonly clash with the Northern Tajyars over possession of the lower Kulani region and access to the Kulani river.

In the mid the Warsame Tajyar in the south-east of the Kulani region would become increasingly dominant in the region, following the annexation of the surrounding Axmed Tajyar and the Osas Tajyar. Axmadey I asecnded to the throne of the Warsame Tajyar in 1175 and would make it an objective of his rule to expand the military dominance of the Warsame, with the aim of securing the Kulani region. Axmadey I's rule would see the promotion of Safiism in conquered regions around the Kulani, adopting it as the official religion of his court which would be a tradition carried on by his descendents. By 1195 the Warsame Tajyar had conquered the Kulani region and much of western Umara proper, defeating the Noor and Shegow Tayjars in the Wars of the Warsame Conquest

Contemporary records affirm that Hiraale I, Axmadey's succesor, arrived in Magacala in 1198 and after a brief siege the city surrendered in accordance with Hiraale's Ultimatum. The city was any form of major destruction due to the acceptance of Hiraale's demands, though the Palace of the Egar Tayjar was famously deconstructed for bulding materials which would be later used to construct a new palace for the Warsame. Hiraale I issued the Magacala Declaration in 1199, claiming the city as the capital of his rule but more importantly addressing the of religious faiths in the city. Hiraale I guranteed a degree of religious freedom in the city, allowing the continuation of religious services in exchange for the implentation of a religious tax known as.

Hiraale I would be succeded by Axmadey II, who would set out to rapidly transform the political administration of the state. Axmadey II would formaly declare the state the Umaran Sultanate in 1204, the name 'Umara' being a century old term for the geographical region attested in the Kulani Annals of 710 ACE. Axmadey II styled himself as a 'sultan' with the aims of gaining recognition and establishing legitimacy for his state from the greater northern Kesh Islamic polities. Axmadey II formed two major advisory bodies to his court, the Tayjar Council which was a confederal council of the Tayjar clans and nobles and the Consultative Council which was a council of legalistic and clerical officials, over the course of his rule from 1202 to 1234.

Politics
Main Article: Government of Umara

Umara is a   headed by the Sultan, currently Qamaan V, as the  and the Grand Vizier, currently Haldha Samatar, as the. The nation's government is laid out in the Magacala Diploma, a document synthesized from previous constitutional iterations, as well as numerous precedent defining court rulings which have been codified into the document. The Shirka-e-Qaran, typically referred to as simply the Shirka, is the parliamentary legislature of the nation.

The Grand Vizier of Umara is responsible for the of the national government. They serve as the head of the of the government, the Royal Cabinet of Ministers, as well as being responsible for the appointment of these ministers. The Grand Vizier is nominally appointed by the Sultan, however they are generally the leader of the most populous faction in the legislature. The Grand Vizier also maintains the ability to directly consult with the Sultan on matters of state affairs, acting to inform and advise the Sultan who can in turn do the same. The office of the Grand Vizier can overlap with other posts within the Royal Ministry, such as the Ministry of Defense. The nation's constitution also afford the Grand Vizier which can be utilized to circumvent the legislature with direct approval from the Sultan.

The nation's legislature is the Shirka-e-Qaran, which has existed in some form within the Umaran political structure since the 14th century. The legislature is the main body of the of government and consists of the 104 seat upper house, the Consultative Council, and the 341 seats lower house, the National Council. The Consultative Council is a largely appointed body, filled mostly by state civil servants who are appointed to the seats through a bureaucratic ranking system - the highest ranking officials being considered for candidacy. These appointed officials make up 70 seats in the council, whereas the remaining seats are given to legal scholars of the secular and various religious courts and the heads of the largest noble houses in the country. The upper house is considered to be a 'review council' by the nation's constitution, largely responsible for the review and amendment of proposed legislation that is drafted in the lower house.

The lower house is the National Council, which is formed from 341 elected seats which are elected through a of a term for four years. The National Council is responsible for the creation of legislation in most cases, which it then passes onto the Consultative Council and eventually the Sultan for approval. The Grand Vizier is generally a member of the National Council, though this is more precedent than legal requirement.

The Sultan of Qamaan is the and generally is less involved with the day to day governance of the state. The seat of the Sultan has had increasingly less influence in politics since the late 18th century, serving mostly to officiate legislation and appointment of individuals to the Royal Cabinet or the legislature. Despite this precedent of political uninvolvement, the Sultan legally retains the right to veto legislation, push forward through the legislature, and dismiss the Grand Vizier. These powers are considered to be 'emergency powers' by most, however they've been invoked a few times throughout the 20th century - notably in the 1970s and 1980s to push forward a number of legislation to encourage industrial expansion and economic liberalization.

Religion
Main Article: Religion in Umara

Economy
The Umaran economy is considered to be an with a  economy and a. With a nominal of $1.56 trillion, Umara ranks xth in Kesh and xth globally. The Umaran economy has experienced a period of stable growth over the past two decades following increased political stabilization and subsequent foreign investment after a degree of occured, with a GDP growth of 4.5% reported as of 2018. Umara's largest trading partners are XX, XX, and XX.

Umara has an increasingly, with significant growth in the nation's and  since the late 1970s. Historically manufacturing has made up a smaller percentage of the nation's gross domestic products and exports, largely due to internal domestic issues which existed as barriers to large scale industrialization. Industrialization occurred in phases over the course of the late 19th century and 20th century, increasing significantly after the Grand Campaigns. Today, the country has a robust workforce which is employed in a number of diverse industries and has been increasingly in the last two generations due to focus on educational reform and funding.

As of 2020, the makes up roughly 41.3% of the nations GDP, followed by  at 34%, and  at 24.5%. Major industries in Umara include, , , , , , , and.

Major exports of Umara are textiles and clothing, consumer goods, precious metals, natural gas, and foodstuffs. The expansion of the Qaaman III pipeline in 2017 and 2019 in central Umara has greatly increased the export rate and consumption of natural gas in Umara. Major imported goods to Umara are, , , , , and.