Geography of Kalistan

The geography of Kalistan refers to the geographic features of the mainland territory of Kalistan as well as the island of Ananto, which together form the United Republic of Kalistan. Located within the north-eastern region of the continent of Seleya, Kalistan covers an total area of approximately 1.41 million km² and shares land borders with Lodamun and Baltusia. It has extensive coastline with the Anantonese Ocean.

Physical geography

Kalistan has extensive mountainous regions which causes a vast network of rivers. Major Ranges of mountains are the Vrassan Mountains, The Green Mountains and the Odufaray Ridge. Other Major geographical features are the Catfish Bay, Davon Bay, Dah Delta and the Green Plains in Ananto, Vrassa River, The Vrassan Plateau, and the Jah Lowlands in Vrassa, the Central Valley and the Bong Plateau in Neveras, the Odufaray Plain and the Pirate Coast in Odufaray, and the Sulari Coast, Sulari Bay, the Yoshimi Lowlands, and the Suldanor Hills in Suldanor.

The highest peaks are along the border with Baltusia in the Neveras Mountains, the highest peak being Montegrande above the city of Hand in Neveras. Vrassa, Neveras and Ananto are primarily mountainous and highland districts, though they each contain significant well watered valleys that support extensive agriculture. Odufaray and Suldanor are much lower in average elevation, with Odufaray being dominated by the Odufaray Plain, considered the both the Vinyard and the Breadbasket of the Republic.

Extensive tobacco, grain and sugar production occur between Sulari and Yoshimi, beyond which the land is considered to be too swampy for cultivation of anything other than rice. The Green Valley in Ananto is the center of the Republic's Cannabis cultivation, with the uplands of Odufaray and eastern Neveras producing raw coca, opium poppies, coffee and cocoa. The Central Valley is the center of extensive cereal crop, grape and fruit and ergot production.

Ananto

Physical geography of Ananto

Ananto is an island located five-hundred miles from mainland Kalistan in the Anantonese Ocean, in between the continents of Dovani, Keris and Seleya but generally regarded as part of the latter. Ananto's largest city is the Kalistani capital, Kaliburg. Located on the western coast, it is positioned where the Zappa River meets the ocean at Davon Bay. Luxon, known for Luxon Bay, is the second largest city on the island. Other large cities include Dahriel in the east, Dulnerstaad in the northwest, Eveari in the north, and Xanadu in the Alph Valley between Kaliburg and Luxon.

Climate

Ananto

Given Ananto's position as a divider between the Arctic North Seleyan Drift, a slow moving deep water current that flows through the Ananto Strait and the tropical fast moving Dovani Stream current that flows between Ananto and Lourenne, Ananto experieces a primarily maritime climate, with colder, rainier weather on the north and west sides of the Island and warmer monsoon type weather on the south and East side of the island. Ananto is seen as the wettest District in the Republic, but due to the volcanic origins of the Island, it is also well drained, with the only swampy area being the massive Dah Delta. The driest and most temperate section of the Island is the Green Plain, which are in the rain shadow of the Green Mountains, and this area is also the area which supports the highest degree of agriculture.

Average summer high temperatures range from the upper 80s in Dahriel and Bozo River to the around 70 in Kaliburg and the upper 60s in Dulnerstaad. Average lows in Winter range from the low 50s in Dahriel to the upper 50s in Kaliburg. There are generally two seasons on the west side of the island, one lasting between late October and mid March which is characterized by regular heavy fog and fairly steady rainfall that wash into the island in waves from the Northern Ananto, and the dry season, where warmer temperatures filter in from over the mountains, rainfall is significantly reduced, and fog is usually restricted to overnight and early morning hours. On the Eastern Side of the Island, monsoon season lasts from May to September, and involves near constant rain across the entire Dah Delta and Green Plain, with dryer weather at higher altitudes and north of the 6 Sisters Region. Fall, winter and Spring are all present at higher altitudes and snowfall is a regular event in the higher peaks of the Green and Davon Mountains, though in no case is there a permanent year round snowpack. At lower altitudes, the dry season between September and May allows for two growing periods annually.

Mainland

The Climate on the mainland is very diverse and ranges from temperate maritime in The Jah and Funk Valleys to tropical continental climates in southern Odufaray, and northern Suldanor, to tropical wet in southern Suldanor, to temperate continental in Neveras. All four seasons are present across the majority of Mainland Districts, with the exceptions of the Vrassan Coastal Regions which are wet and cool most of the year, but never get cold or hot due to the climatological influence of the North Seleyan Arctic Current, which smacks into the Kalistani coast north of Senvias and Eshar before turning southeast through the Ananto Strait, and the Yoshimi Lowlands, which are always hot and rainy due to their subtropical latitudes and proximity to the sea.

Neveras tends to experience the widest swings of temperature, ranging from average summer highs of 87 degrees in the Central Valley during summer months to average lows of -6 degrees in High Bong during winter months. Neveras also has the highest amount of snow fall in the Republic as moisture laden air travels up the Vrassa and Gran River Valleys and lifts over the Bong plateau dropping large amounts of snow across the entire plateau. The Neveras Mountains are perpetually snowcovered at the highest elevations.

Vrassa gets snow in its mountains and generally keep a snow pack most of the year, only occasionally losing it during the warmest summers. The Vrassan Mountains past Harland are generally always snowcovered. Vrassa is one of the most consistently cool districts in the Republic, with the Vrassan Plateau being cool and dry, and the lowlands being cool and wet. The Vrassan Plateau has similar temperatures to the Bong Plateau in summer and winter, but much less precipitation.

Odufaray is warmer than Neveras or Odufaray and experiences regular, but not heavy, precipitation. Odufaray rarely experiences snow, with the only measurable snow occuring annually on the Odufaray Ridge west of Santasburg. Its climate is more moderate than other areas in the Republic, with no extremes. Average highs in the summer are between the mid 60s in Eshar to mid 80s in Kluptoon, and average lows in the winter being between the mid 40s in Eshar to the lower 50s in Kluptoon. This relatively moderate climate allows for several growing seasons every year, and allows the District to experience continuous cultivation, with wide and sympathetic diversification of crops at all elevations.

Suldanor is the consistently warmest District in the Republic, with dry , almost savannah climates in the North to tropical, consistently rainy weather in the south. North of the Suldanor Mountains, there are generally two dry seasons, with hot dry summers and warm dry winters. Rain rarely arrives in the North, but the District benefits from both Kluptoon and Dana Rivers which are themselves fed from snows from far away Suldanor Mountain peaks. The Dana River periodically runs dry in summer above Dachin. This portion of the District is almost entirely shadowed by mountains and hills. Meanwhile, the Yoshimi Lowlands almost always experience precipitation, as wet air currents frequently blanket the region. The area experiences daily downpours and thunderstorms, and there is only a brief dry period between late November and early February, where drier air sinks down from the Suldanor Mountains. As a result of near constant rain and poor drainage due to a low grade of land , the Yoshimi Lowlands are covered in swamp and marsh land which has proven a challenge to Republican Engineers to drain. The Majority of Yoshimi is below sea level, and is protected from the sea by strong seawalls. Average temperatures range from highs in the low 90s in the summer, though slightly lower in Yoshimi and upper 70s in Ulshar City, to average lows ranging from low 60s in Dana, mid 70s in Yoshimi, and upper 50s in Ulshar City.

Political geography

Political geography of mainland Kalistan

Politically, Kalistan is divided into five Districts: Ananto, Odufaray, Vrassa, Suldanor and Neveras. Each District elects members to a District Assembly, a legislative body which governs in areas designated by the national government. In addition, elections are held for the Governor of the region, who forms an regional executive branch. Districts are broken down further.

Ananto is its own administrative province, which is subdivided into 52 counties (see Counties of Ananto). Seperate from the province is the Kaliburg-Port Davon Federal District, which is still divided into counties, but not administered by county governments.