The Republic of Meroskva
Towering mountains are an ever-present sight in Meroskva, which is famous for its terraced farms that cling to the sides of its jagged peaks, rocky valleys and plains scarred with glacial remnants. Meroskva is a land trapped between bygone resentment and resounding national spirit. Its people have clung to the slopes of these great pinnacles and devised inventive solutions to their unusual geographic issues, sculpting the land to suit their needs, and earned a reputation for being hardy and resilient. Barely 2% of the land is arable in the traditional sense, yet Meroskva has managed to create a thriving agriculture based economy and have become one of the major food producers of the Federation, only behind Vastonya and Priskipsa in agricultural output.
It is perhaps no more apparent in any other Lavennic Republic a sense of overbearing nationalism than is present in Meroskva. The Republic only reluctantly joined Lavenna in 472 to ensure their safety from the Seriphanese, of which they'd managed to wrestle their independence from a year earlier. For over a century, Meroskva was occupied by Seripha, who made Merkop their co-capital and enacted massive resettling efforts to attempt to replace the native Meroskvar population and fully establish the region as a core territory.
History
Meroskva has been continually inhabited for millenia, ever since the great collapse of the Collective and the sterilization of the planet. The imposing Merkosta mountains offered a fortified position and its harsh environment meant that the plant and animal life there was far more resilient. In fact, it is believed that the ancestors of what would become the Vards, the Novosti, and many others originated from the region.
As both the planet and humanity slowly began to somewhat recover, the tribes of Meroskva remained fiercely independent even as civilizations began to rise around them. They were seen as somewhat barbaric nuisances to the settled peoples of Lavenna, though several trading settlements were established in the region to take advantage of the lucrative but dangerous trans-merkosta trade routes.
However, during the early rise of the Novosti Empire in around 200 BA, their newly appointed Great Arbiter Vera Merkovo led an army into the region and spent years subjugating the territory, facing constant resistance from the determined tribal warrior clans. Although the campaign was gruelling and costly, after almost fifteen years, he finally managed to subjugate the entire region. This brought the lucrative trade routes of the region under Novosti control, which drew an influx of riches into the imperial coffers. For the next half a century, the region would prosper and many major cities would rise up as trading hubs, such as Merkop (then called Merkovalpo). Merkop would become so rich and influential in fact, that later Novosti Great Arbiters would use it as a seasonal residence.
For over a century, Meroskva was occupied by Seripha, who made Merkop their co-capital and enacted massive resettling efforts to attempt to replace the native Meroskvar population and fully establish the region as a core territory.
Demography and Population
Meroskva is one of the most ethnically diverse Republics within the LFR, being home to as many as 200 different distinct cultures. In order to unify these disparate groups, and to quell the decades of instability in the wake of the Continental War, Meroskva has fostered a strong sense of both communal and national pride that surpasses all but Rodanya in fervor. As a result, most outsiders consider the Meroskvar to be close-minded and distant. Regardless, they are known for their adaptability and ingenuity.
The largest ethnicity within Meroskva as of 500 AGL is the Matroshki, who account for around 20% of the total population. They are mostly concentrated around the southern lowlands regions, and are closely related to their Vastonyan neighbours, who likely originally settled the region. They historically made up the ruling classes of the pre-Seriphanese dynasties of the region.
The second largest ethnicity is the Nerovoni, who account for just under 15% of the population. They are mostly scattered throughout the rugged highlands to the north, and historically occupied most of the lower societal strata and were highly impoverished. Following the wealth redistribution after the end of the Continental War, they have been mostly successfully integrated into the government as equals in accordance with the Lavennic constitution, however many disparities persist despite continual communal and national intervention.
The third largest (formerly the largest) ethncity is the Merovi-Seriphanese, who account for around 12% of the population. Before the onset of the Continental War, the Seriphanese population accounted for a slight majority of 52% of the total population, however with the onset of the Violet Rebellions, a strong sense of anti-seriphanese hatred led to several massacres and terrorist attacks. By the end of the war and the independence of Meroskva, a forced resttlement program further displaced millions of Seriphanese and their numbers fell to an all-time low of under 5%, although in the past few decades after Meroskva became a member of the LFR they have reversed their policy due to labor shortages and Lavennic Consitutional obligations, which has led to many displaced people returning to their old homes.
Finally, a myriad of other smaller ethnicities account for the remaining 53% of the population, split into about 1-3% each. These remaining ethnicities represent anything from scattered and historically isolationist populations and mountain tribes, to immigrant populations and groups related to the Matroshki or Nerovoni.
Ou Pikska k Pikru (From Peak to Peak)
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Demonym
Meroskvar
Government System
Democracy, Parliamentary
Power Structure
Dependent territory
Economic System
Mixed economy
Gazetteer
Merkop
Legislative Body
Dumara
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Scalvost
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