Heiban

Heiban (: 海傍; : ᨖᨕᨙᨅᨘᨕᨊ), officially the Monarchical State of Heiban, is a country in southwestern Kesh, bordered to the west and southwest by the Iapetus Ocean, to the east and southeast by the South Kesh Bay, to the north by Veressi, and sharing maritime borders with Ramay and South Kesh. Heiban covers a total area of 929,097 square kilometers (358,726 square miles) and has a population of around 99.6 million. The capital and largest city in the country is Qifeng. Heiban is a.

Heiban is a and  nation with ancestral ties to southern and eastern Kesh. Ramayan people groups were the first modern civilization inhabiting the peninsula for much of the country’s early history, until the arrival of Kodeshi merchants in the early 11th century. Heiban, formerly known as Pelankan, entered a trading agreement with Imperial Kodeshia not long after their arrival in the region, and gave permission for Kodeshi workers to station in their territory. Relationships between both states remained civilized and peaceful until the 13th century, when the Zhou Dynasty took over the power of Imperial Kodeshia. Taking advantage of Pelankan’s weak military and less advanced technology, the entire nation was absorbed by the Zhou Empire as a vassal state, replacing the previously stationed Kodeshi merchants for political entities in the form of vassals. This occupation lasted for three centuries, time during which Pelankan adopted the name of Vassal State of Heiban.

As a vassal state, was made the official language, and  was brought from Kodeshia to be taught and practiced by the citizens of Heiban. During this time period, Heiban also received several immigrants from Imperial Kodeshia, most of which would become ancestors to much of the modern population. The Ramayan language, customs and religious beliefs were prohibited by the Kodeshi authorities, resulting in the creation of many underground traditionalist groups formed by members of Pelankan and Ramayan families seeking to keep their traditions alive. Toward the end of Heiban’s time as a vassal state, all of the newer generations had been raised on Kodeshi values and traditions, and many children spoke Guoyu as a primary language. In the mid 16th century, and with the fall of the Zhou Dynasty in Imperial Kodeshia, and the presence of rebel groups in Qingcheng, Heiban seized the opportunity to regain its independence, and by 1532, the country was no longer a vassal state. However, in spite of this, the Kodeshi vassal with the help of the armed forces stationed in Heiban took control over the peninsula, and self declared the Leader of the Nation, claiming the title of Emperor, and thus creating the Monarchy of Heiban. The country remained an absolute monarchy under the name of 'Heiban' until the late 19th century, and in an attempt to maintain Zhou values, more strict laws were put in place in order to ensure the erasure of Pelankan culture.

For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, Heiban would enter a period of oscillating civil unrest known as the "1,000 Protests" during which insurgent groups, anti-monarchist movements, and Pelankan nationalists would protest and stage attempts at dethroning the Zhou monarchy, with the objective of creating a new Pelankan and Ramayan government. The country would see months of protests, followed by month of peace, in a constant cyle, until finally reaching its breaking point in 1830 with the assassination of Empress Meng Li, eight years after which, in an attempt to stop the repeated violence and bring peace to her nation, Empress Jin Jin in 1838 would create a new system of government that embraced the presence of Pelankan and Ramayan ethnic groups in the country.Soon after, the country had shifted almost entirely, and entered a long period of peace and economic prosperity, as Pelankan and Zhou citizens started to become equals in the eyes of the government and society.

Today, Heiban is a, and one of the most developed in southern Kesh. Over the last few decades, the Heibanese government has embraced early Pelankan 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 medical, research, construction and engineering 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/; he-ee-BAN; : 海傍, : Hǎibàng ; : ᨖᨕᨙᨅᨘᨕᨊ, : Hebuan ) comes from the Guoyu word hǎibàng (海傍, meaning ‘seafront’ ), and it is thought to be a nod to the main geographic feature of the country as a peninsular state being surrounded by bodies of water on three cardinal directions. However, some linguists and historians believe the term hǎibàng to be only one part of a complete name, xīhǎibàng (西海傍; meaning 'western seafront' ). This theory comes from old trade agreements between the Zhou Empire and Heiban written in Classical Guoyu, where the latter is oftentimes referred to as 'Xihaibang'; however, due to the antiquity of the documents and the linguistic differences, it is yet unclear whether or not the prefix 'west-' was part of Heiban's name or a mere location indicator.

History

 * Main article: History of Heiban

Prehistory

 * Main article: Prehistoric Heiban

Data suggesting the presence of homo-sapiens in modern-day Heiban dates back to 35,000 BCE, and it is estimated modern human habitation in northeastern Heiban dates back to around 15,000 BCE, as evidenced by the oldest remains found in the country. These first inhabitants, believed to have migrated into Heiban from southeastern and central Kesh, organized themselves into hunting societies, particularly focused on fishing and only occasionally resorting to gathering, as signified by the discovery of prehistoric fishing poles, and the isotopic analysis made on the skeletons dating back to this time period. Though scholars estimate these early humans to have migrated south at some point, no concrete evidence of early human settlements nearing this time period has been discovered, with the oldest remains found in southern Heiban only dating back to 6,000 BCE in direct correlation to the Austronesian migration wave from southern Kesh; however, it is hypothesized that these late Austronesian people groups are responsible for the destruction of any and all form of evidence of early human settlements in southern Heiban as part of their migration northward.

The end of the Stone Age in Heiban was characterized by the development of agricultural practices and small settlements toward the year 8,500 BCE, along the peninsula's eastern side. These communities formed by the first modern humans in the area have been assigned the name of Menyrang (ᨆᨙᨊᨐᨑᨊᨁ) by modern historians. Although not much is known about the Menyrang beyond certain point, the remains of small sailing ships and large canoes found along Heiban's northeastern coast, dating back to the Neolithic has set scholars into considering this a sailing community, hence the given name Menyrang, from the Ramayan words menyiram (ᨆᨙᨊᨐᨑᨆ), meaning ‘water’, and orang (ᨕᨚᨑᨊᨁ), meaning ‘person'.

Austronesian migration

 * Main article: Austronesian migration

Nearing the start of the 6th millennium BCE, the Austronesian migratory wave starting in Southern Kesh had reached the southern and eastern shores of Heiban. Initially, and based on the oldest found evidence of Austronesian presence in the peninsula, these new settlers had remained isolated from the Menyrang living further north and inland. However, traces of newer remains dating back to the year 5,700 BCE indicate the two communities to have probably encountered one another near the Nilam River in present-day Bankasa. Proof of Menyrang presence anywhere in the peninsula doesn't trace back later than 5,500 BCE, indicating the civilization's extinction in favor of the Austronesian presence.

The new dominant communities settled all over the Heibanese eastern seaboard, essentially replacing the Menyrang. These early Austronesian communities were dubbed Tiba (ᨈᨗᨅ) by modern historians (from the Ramayan word meaning 'arrive'). Toward the end of the 6th millennium, the Tiba had begun to migrate westward through the Heibanese northern plains, populating much of the land on their way, particularly along the many rivers and little lakes found in the region. The remains of the largest of these settlements were found along the shores of Lake Jing Shui in present-day Wuhai, near the city of Jingcheng. It is estimated the Tiba to have reached the western shores of the peninsula by the year 5,300 BCE where they began moving northward continuing their migration wave across Kesh.

First Ramayan civilizations

 * Main article Siha-Silulu

After the complete take over of the Heibanese peninsula, the Tiba began separating into many different tribes and civilizations, the most prominent of which were the Siha (ᨔᨗᨖ) and the Silulu (ᨔᨗᨒᨘᨒᨘ). These two civilizations, located on separate sides of the Zuanshi River, and around the Kansang and Qinghai rivers, were the ones to develop most of the traditions and customs followed today by Pelankan and Ramayan people in Heiban, as well as the first recorded users of the Ramayan script or Ramaysurat (ᨑᨆᨐᨔᨘᨑᨈ), used to this day in Heiban. Based on written records found in present-day Serjang, as well as remains all over the peninsula, it is believed these two civilizations united under one entity, the Matriarchy of Siha-Silulu. At its peak in the year 3,000 BCE, this civilization extended from the modern-day cities of Malagar to the east, and Guomen to the west, creating a sort of ancient urban corridor, leaving the north and southern halves of the peninsula essentially uninhabited by Austronesian people until later on, this due to the rough terrain and the less favorable land for agricultural practiced in these regions.

Ramayan civilizations in Heiban maintained close ties with the people groups living in present-day Ramay, sharing customs, language, and beliefs. Nearing the year 1,000 BCE, and for centuries after, these early civilizations in the peninsula would focus their maritime trade toward the cities south of the South Kesh Bay, across present-day Ramay and South Kesh. This would result in some of the largest ancient cities being located along the Heibanese eastern coast, particularly on the open plains of the modern-day province of Diserak. The Jeran peninsula, Heiban's easternmost point, became a key location for the people living in the area, due to its proximity to the center of the South Kesh Bay, and consequently, to most of the coastal cities in the vicinity. Here, the ancient city of Port Temelangor was established around the year 700 BCE, which would go on to become one of the most important places in Heibanese history.

First Pelankan nations

 * Main article: Pelankan Nations

Sometime during the time period of 650 - 550 BCE, the Matriarchy of Siha-Silulu broke apart into smaller Austronesian communities all over the peninsula. These communities would began to move and settle north and southward of the Siha-Silulu corridor, gaining more territory, and encountering more communities living north of present-day Heiban. These Austronesian communities would eventually group into five separate nations or kumpulan (ᨀᨘᨇᨘᨒᨊ), known currently as the Pelankan Nations. Heibanese linguists aren't certain as to where the word pelankan (ᨄᨙᨒᨊᨀᨊ) comes from, nor if its of Ramayan origin etymologically, however, written records of this word written in the Ramayan script have been found all over the country; some theorize this word is a distortion of the Ramayan word pelabuhan (ᨄᨙᨒᨅᨘᨖᨊ, meaning 'harbor').

According to historians, the five Pelankan Nations were an ancient confederation of separate geopolitical entities coming together under one; this in the context of the time. This is believed as trading documents have been found between the five nations and other communities in the Southern Kesh region, where the former are referred to collectively as a single entity named 'Pelankan', as well as agreements signed by the leaders of the respective nations, each with their own name. The largest of these nations, named Serjang-Kemagi, settled across the present-day provinces of Meifeng, Xiangbei, Bankasa, and, its namesake, Serjang, was the birthplace of Devisudjarwadi, or Wulan, the first leader of Pelankan, and considered in modern times as the "First Pelankan Queen" (not to be confused with the "Pelankan Queen", a nickname given to Empress Jin Jin after her acts of benevolence toward Pelankan and Ramayan people in the 19th century), despite never carrying the official title of 'Queen' during her time of ruling.

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 at the head of which sits the Grand Secretariat, a rotative position similar to that of. The Constitution of Heiban, also known as the ‘Supreme Law of the Land’ (Guoyu: 土地最高法; Ramayan: ᨕᨘᨊᨉᨊᨁ-ᨕᨘᨊᨉᨊᨁ ᨈᨙᨑᨈᨗᨊᨁᨗ ᨈᨊᨖ) 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 in the Monarch of Heiban as the head of state, of the armed forces, and Protector of the Faith for life or until. The title of Queen or King of Heiban is ; there have only been three Kings in the country’s history as an independent state, with the current 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 will serve as the substitute monarch in the Heir’s stead until this one comes of age.

The head of government is the Royal Council, under the direction of the Grand Secretariat, a between the ten members of Council. The Grand Secretariat will act as the main advisor to the Monarch and will handle specific political affairs on their own; the order in which the Council members will take over the position of Grand Secretariat is random and established upon the Council formation. The members of the Royal Council are drawn from Parliament by the Monarch themselves, usually by recommendation of members from former Councils. The Royal Council acts as the main advisory body for the Monarch, who, as mandated by the Constitution, is the only political entity not entirely bound by the Supreme Law, hence the semi-constitutional status of Heiban’s monarchy, and holds reserved powers. Each Royal 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.

Upon the first Grand Secretariat’s term, each newly formed Royal Council will decide on people to appoint as Secretaries of Heiban, who are in charge of running the many departments known as. Each Secretariat has the responsibility of overseeing and handling different matters of government and reporting back to the Monarch weekly through the Royal Council. The Secretariats are assigned a specific annual budget proportional to their individual importance and contributions to the country; it is up to the Secretaries to decide in which way to spend this budget and report any financial movement to the Royal Treasury.



Secretariats of Heiban as of 2021: Secretariat of Internal Affairs, Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, Secretariat of Defense, Secretariat of Economy (also known as the Royal Treasury), Secretariat of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Secretariat of Justice, Secretariat of Transport, Secretariat of Infrastructure, Secretariat of Health and Wellbeing, Secretariat of Education, Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing, Secretariat of Culture, Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation, Secretariat of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Secretariat of Tourism and Entertainment, and Secretariat of Communication and Press.

The Secretaries will later on go to form the People’s Cabinet, a political body formed by the Secretaries and the Grand Secretariat, designed for the head of government to receive all updates pertaining to the different areas of politics handled by the Secretaries, and be advised on their respective fronts. The position of Secretary of Heiban is bound to the Royal Council, meaning each of them will have a term of 5 years, after which they will either be replaced or kept for an extra term upon decision of the newest Council. Secretaries 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 works under a formed by a  known as the Parliament, that meets in the Palace of Laws (Guoyu: 法宮; Ramayan: ᨕᨗᨔᨈᨊ ᨕᨘᨊᨉᨊᨁ-ᨕᨘᨊᨉᨊᨁ), 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; the two restrictions put on the Legislature, are the acts of  and dissolving government, both powers reserved by the Monarch of Heiban.



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 April 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 April 2nd. All are excluded by law.

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 16 and 20, and citizens living or staying abroad during the election period; not voting during elections, without presenting a written permit or excuse, is punishable with a financial sanction. 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 (Guoyu: 女义; Ramayan: ᨕᨘᨕᨊᨗᨈ ᨀᨙᨕᨉᨗᨒᨊ); this is the only position of government inaccessible to men, as stated in the Constitution. Ladies of Justice are granted a 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’; 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 Jingshui, 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 Beiqiang Mountain Range.

Flowing southward from the Beiqiang Mountains, through Heiban's plains and southern hills is the Zuanshi River. East and west of the Zuanshi, 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 Ganghou, 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 JinJin 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.

Administrative subdivisions

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

The largest administrative divisions are the provinces of Heiban, of which there are eleven. Each province is run by a Provincial Committee, formed by 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 population 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, and each of them has their own provincial traditions, festivities, foods, and customs. Each province can establish its own official language, which all provincial authorities must abide to. All provinces have a single official language, with the exception of Meifeng due to its location and population.

The urban prefectures are the newest subdivision and they vary in size and population. Heiban's urban prefectures are former prefectures that hosted one of the country's largest cities. Today, all urban prefectures encompass the entire metropolitan area surrounding the five largest cities in Heiban. All urban prefectures have a population of over 3 million, and are run by a City Council. Despite carrying the 'prefecture' designation in their name, urban prefectures are more similarly administered in the provincial way instead of the prefectural. Much like provinces, urban prefectures are granted power to institute an official language.

The prefectures of Heiban are the first level subdivisions within each province. Prefectures are run by governors, elected by the citizens of each prefecture, who are called to form the Provincial Committee. Before the increase in population, prefectures were created with the original intention of acting as electoral districts, however, this has been now passed down to the counties. Nowadays prefectures don't serve much purpose beyond representation at the Provincial Committee. The only instance in which a prefecture shall exercise autonomy is in matters of sanitary or defense urgency, where each prefecture may opt to to close its borders to the rest of the country or international arrivals.

The counties of Heiban are the smallest subdivision in the country, and their purpose is purely electoral and statistical. They were created during the Parliamentary Reform, in order to provide much more accurate representation in the Legislature, as well as better censual data, as the Census in Heiban is organized by counties. Counties are run by chancellors, appointed directly by the Provincial Committee.

Non-administrative subdivisions

 * Main article: Regions of Heiban, Nature Realm Protectorates

The regions of Heiban are the largest official division of the country. Though non-administrative, the regions of Heiban are of great importance. They were created by Empress Jin Jin in the 19th century as part of her National Reorganization Strategy, with the purpose of creating a safe space for Pelankan and Ramayan people groups in the country without Zhou interference. This strategy took into consideration the geographic distribution of both people groups, and sought to dissect the country evenly and half. Eventually, the Zuanshi river was chosen as the regional boundary, allowing for the capital city of Qifeng to remain in its place at the limit of both regions.

To the west is the region of Zhouguo, home to a Guoyu-speaking majority as most citizens of its citizens have ancestral ties to Kodeshia and the Zhou Empire. Prior to the Guoyu immigration wave from eastern Kesh, this region remained mostly uninhabited aside from a few sparsely located towns and small cities. With a vast sizable open plain located in present-day Wuhai, most of these immigrants settled around it, eventually founding the city of Guomen at the mouth of the Zhou River. This region

To the east, the region of Pelankan, named after the ancient Pelankan Nations, the inhabitants of the peninsula before Kodeshi arrival, is home to a Ramayan-speaking majority, as most of its citizens have ancestry tracing back to Pelankan and the Austronesian people groups of Heiban. During Kodeshi occupation, ethnically Ramayan people were displaced south, to the provinces of Terkal-Suntu and Kelau-Jalah, however, during the Decade of Turmoil, these communities seized control of eastern Heiban, which had remained mostly unoccupied up until that point. Ramayan peoples took control over the largest city in the region, Jayadi (formerly known as Feidongzhu), and for the following years until the creation of the Zhouguo and Pelankan regions, the area remain in an almost constant state of conflict.

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.

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).