Barbas
The largest continent on Capepo by size rather than landmass, Barbas is a tropical continent consisting of thousands upon thousands of tiny islands. A good number of these islands are inhabited and used to grow tropical fruits and vegetables. Barbas contains a lot of unique cultures and ethnicities; over several thousand years capsains have travelled and settled on new islands, and over time traditions and cultures have slowly altered.
For exo-planetary tourists Barbas is the go-to continent. Capsains advertise it as the best tropical get-away on the planet, thanks to year-round high-temperatures, reliable weather patterns, gorgeous sights and friendly locals.
Geography, Location & Climate
Barbas consists of over two hundred thousand islands, ranging from less than a square kilometre to tens of miles in all directions, with some larger outliers. Both flat and mountainous islands reside in the tropical waters, interspersed with vibrant coral reefs.
Regions
The regions of Barbas are divided based on the formation of the Barbas plate. This continental plate is largely submerged, with underwater mountains that divide the continent into six distinct regions. The ocean in these regions have varying climates and ecosystems. The regions mean next to nothing for the cultures and ethnic groups that live among these islands; they flourish and mingle amongst each other as if the regions didn't exist.
Statistics
Area: 11,000,000 square kilometresNo. Of Islands: 238,201
No. Of Regions: 6
Demonym: Barban
No. Of Recognised Ethnic Groups: 2,503
Population: 32,305,589
Significant Sophontic Species: 3
- Tiavaras is the largest region of Barbas, consisting of about one hundred thousand islands. It is also the most populated, with seven of the ten largest settlements of Barbas, and over a third of the continent's population.
- Szataris is located north of Tiavaras, and is the northernmost region. It contains about fifty thousand islands, very densely arranged.
- Barbaris is the southernmost region in Barbas. With about a thousand islands, this is the smallest region. All islands in this region make up two small archipelagos.
- Elevara is the second largest region, albeit much less densely populated, with fewer islands as well. There are roughly sixty thousand thousand islands, with only two hundred and three inhabited by people.
- Synasita sits between Elevara, Tiavaras, and Etheras. This region contains around ten thousand islands.
- Etheras slots itself between Tiavaras and Barbaris. There is an estimated seven thousand islands in this region, but it is largely unexplored.
Ecology
There is no shortage of life on the islands of Barbas. Many species are semi-aquatic, capable of island-hopping. There is great variation of life from island to island. Over thousands of years, as certain species spread their territories, they begin to change and adapt to the slightly altered climates on each landmass, generating new subspecies, and on rare occasions and over millions of years, brand new species.
Avids are abundant in Barbas. Thanks to their ability to fly, migrating from island to island is easiest for birds. They have greater access to food and water because of this, and over millions of years have dominated this continent.
Many fauna, flora, and fungi, species are endemic to certain islands or archipelagos in Barbas. Spores can only travel for so long, and many plant and fungi species are restricted to certain areas. Some spores are carried to new areas when picked up by flying animals such as birds, but this doesn't happen often. Many isolated islands have developed unique ecosystems, with species found nowhere else on the planet.
History
When planet Capepo first appeared in the Cheem System around seven hundred years ago, Barbas had a population of thirty million. As it has grown by just over two million since then, this suggests that Barbas has been inhabited for thousands of years prior. Studies have shown that an industrial and societal revolution might have occurred about a thousand years ago. The use of industrial floramancy is a seemingly old discovery for capsains, as they have had floramagical factories globally ever since they first appeared in the Cheem System.
In the last seven hundred years, the ecology of Barbas has been used to promote healthy ecosystems. Despite the presence of capsains, the wildlife of this continent has fluorished in recent years, and space-faring capsains use their beloved continent, and entire planet, as an example of what co-existing with the natural world should look like. Barbas and its native species feature in posters plastered around a number of space colonies, promoting the solarpunk lifestyle.
Most excellent, an inspiring example! I realize I don't think I have any articles that are anywhere near 1000 words... yet. :)
"Wherever you go, there you are" - Buckaroo Banzai "Do or do not, there is no try" - Yoda "No plan survives contact with reality intact" - Me
Thank you so much! For larger topics I get around a thousand words or more, but most of mine end up around 500 or so. Just depends on how you write! :D