Forum:Territory application/UL15h - Kingdom of Bijeloslavia

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Please fill in the information below to make a territory request.

	Territory ID and proposed name
	The Territory ID (from OpenGeofiction:Territories, e.g. AR123a) and proposed name of the country

UL15h - Kingdom of Byeloslavia (en)

UL15h - Kraljevina Bijeloslavija (hr)

As I have used Bijeloslavija in the title of the page, for continuity's sake, I will do so for the rest of the page, though the "Anglocized" name is Byeloslavia.

	Physical geography
	An overview of climate, topography and landscape of the country. It is advised to also create a sketch, you can add a link to this (hosted on imgur or similar)

Aside from a mountain range running along the nation's southwestern border, Bijeloslavija is largely flat, with a huge proportion of the country's landmass available for agriculture, upon which much of the nation relies on. Furthermore, the abundance of rivers and streams zig-zagging the nation's landscape provide sufficient water supply both for civilian and industrial purposes. They have also provided opportunities for investments into hydroelectric power generation, which contribute vastly towards Bijeloslavija's energy mix.

The nation's landscape is rather uniform, except in the south-east, and largely consists of flat, fertile farmland speckled with occasional towns and villages. Aside from this, there are also forested areas, many of which are protected and have national park status, creating tourism, though mainly for a domestic market. Along the coast of the Egalian Lake, there are many sandy beaches, which provide the north of the country - which has sandier, less fertile soil - with a growing demand for tourism, with many tourists coming from abroad to visit the coastline.

Summers are dry, hot and long, usually beginning in early May and coming to an end in mid October. Temperatures during the summer months regularly exceed 35°c, especially in the eastern half of the nation. Conversely, winters are harsh, more so in the western half of the nation, and especially towards the mountainous south-east. In a regular winter, the entire nation sees snowfall, as temperatures tend to linger around an average maximum of 5°c, and average minimums of -6°c. Winters in the north, along the coast of the Egalian Lake, are generally milder, but snowfall is still common.

	Human geography
	A brief description of the territory demographics, economic development, land occupation, infrastructure and mapping style

Due to the country's position as a crossroads between many different nations, there have, historically, been many influxes of migrants from neighbouring countries into Bijeloslavija. Though many have assimilated into Bijeloslavijan culture, and renounced their former homelands' own cultures, the number of those who still identify as an ethnicity other than "Bijeloslavijan" is still high (7.9% of the total population). Regardless of this, the majority of migrants over the course of history have been Slavic (unsure of OGF equivalent), and so have similar customs to the native population. Thanks to this, there is no real sense of divide between migrant and native populations.

There are three major sectors of the Bijeloslavijan economy, the most prominent being the aforementioned agriculture and livestock industry. Historically, the majority of the nation's inhabitants relied on subsistence farming on ancestral plots of land to survive and feed themselves, but with the advent of machinery in the mid-19th century, many farms were bought by private entities in order to industrialise the sector. This agricultural revolution lasted well into the 20th century, driving many hundreds of thousands into towns that grew into cities, but the advance of industrialisation halted as many farmers, particularly in the more conservative central heartlands of the nation, rejected the advance of modernism, and the wealth it promised to bring, instead opting to continue the traditions of their forebearers and live upon the very land their ancestors had for hundreds of years. This drove the monarch at the time, King Maksimilijan III, to push for amendments to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bijeloslavija (Ustav Kraljevine Bijeloslavije) concerning the protection and preservation of ancestral lands of Bijeloslavijan citizens to be rushed through state parliament. Nowadays, the agriculture and livestock sector contributes to roughly 36% of the nation's gross domestic product.

The second-largest, and fastest-growing sector of the Bijeloslavijan economy, is the service sector, with the tourism sub-sector seeing a particular boom in recent years. Tourism in Bijeloslavija is nation-wide, though the majority (around 70%) of non-domestic tourists centre their visits around the towns lining the Egalian Lake, which are known for their sandy beaches and laid-back, historical atmospheres. The tourism sub-sector has been held back in recent years by legislation barring individuals and corporations from constructing new hotel or resort complexes in the vast majority of the towns lining the Egalian Lake, which are designated almost entirely as historical towns. Many see this as detrimental to the Bijeloslavijan economy, though many others believe it is necessary to preserve the history of the nation, and avoid ruining the beauty and tradition of old towns.

Other tourist hotspots include the mountains in the south-west of the nation, which is home to a number of ski resorts, the rural central heartlands of the nation, which house a few historical spa towns, and the numerous national parks across the country. Bijeloslavija is also home to a growing financial sub-sector, the activities of which are confined almost exclusively to the capital city.

The third-largest sector is manufacturing, which has been largely forgotten by authorities in recent years, with funding often diverted to tourism instead, despite multiple attempts to revitalise the old manufacturing sector, which is based mainly in the eastern half of the nation. Historically, the manufacturing sector provided jobs for those who sold their ancestral land in search of new lives, but, as the tourism sector began to pick up steam in the second half of the 20th century, many abandoned their physical jobs in the old steel, automotive, and furniture industries for easier, better-paid jobs along the Egalian coast, and the manufacturing sector began to decline. Repeated failures by the government - historically largely made up of a mix of urbanites from the north and rural folk from the west of the nation - to invest in industry has seen much of it sold to foreign corporations, or outsourced to foreign countries, where supply is cheaper. This has seen repeated strikes and protests from those left unemployed by these failures in the east of the country.

The north of the nation has historically been the most urban of all the regions of Bijeloslavija, with many towns having been based around trade with other port towns of the Egalian Lake. As these port towns began to decline, tourism saw a boom, and so did the influx of people from across Bijeloslavija to work in the booming industry. Thanks to all this, the northern coastal region of the nation has almost always been the wealthiest.

In the west and central heartlands of the nation, the population is generally spread out across the vast steppe-like farmland that covers these regions. There are a number of large, historical towns, which grew out of being local markets for farmers to trade and sell livestock and produce over the course of the past millennia, and, though the inhabitants of these towns and the region itself aren't poor, the poverty rate is still well above that for inhabitants in the north of the nation, sitting at around 22.5%.

The east of the nation, aside from the mountainous region, is the nation's most impoverished. Colder winters mean a smaller variety of crops can be grown, and because of this foods such as potatoes and cabbage - historically the two main crops grown and eaten in the region - are very cheap across Bijeloslavija, leaving farmers in the east earning less. With the closure of much of the manufacturing sector, and a lack of investment in job opportunities, the median age in the east is significantly higher than anywhere else in the country, as the youth have largely migrated to the north of the nation to seek employment in the tourist industry. The poverty rate for those remaining in the east - which has a declining population - is around 28% - and the region has been declared a 'priority' by the government for a number of years. The main exception to these figures comes in the mountainous part of the eastern region, which also has a growing tourism industry, as well as surviving timber and livestock industries.

In terms of mapping, Bijeloslavija's different regions will be based off of different real-life areas. For instance, the north of the country will largely be based off of towns such as Makarska, Dubrovnik, Omiš, and other Croatian seaside towns, as the region is meant to reflect the Adriatic coast of Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro. The west's cities shall mimic towns such as Zagreb, Osijek, and Ljubljana - towns that largely grew and thrived during the 1800s, with much of their infrastructure being based off of that period's designs. The east, however, shall be based off of the region it is built to reflect - the impoverished Croatian region of Slavonia, with small settlements built around the few highways crossing the rural landscape, a lack of development, and mainly small, detached houses.

	History & culture
	A brief description of the intended culture and language

The Bijeloslavijan culture is distinctly Slavic, and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, with the vast majority of the population attending a church service at least once per week. Excluding the coastal region, Bijeloslavijan folklore is largely based around the nation's agricultural traditions, with many folk tales relating to the growth or death of crops. Along the coast, many stories of piracy are told, dating back to times when pirates regularly plundered the fortified coastal towns.

Essentially modern day Croatian, Bijeloslavijan is the only official language of the Bijeloslavijan nation, though it has 3 distinct dialects - one along the coast, one in the west/central region, and one in the east. The dialect of the west/central region is typically used in official documentation, being known by those who speak it as the "correct" dialect.

	Past mapping
	To support your request provide links to areas of OGF mapping which showcase your mapping skill. Mapping relevant to the requested theme & geography is especially useful
	The {{coord}} template can optionally be used to link to the OGF map - it results in a nice formatted link. Or you can paste in a URL.

https://opengeofiction.net/#map=14/-12.4029/170.7616&layers=B - Everything built upon this island bar the island itself has been done by me. Not finished, clearly.

https://opengeofiction.net/#map=16/-52.1105/-140.9123&layers=B - Another small town I worked on for a while.

https://opengeofiction.net/#map=19/-12.45761/170.80055&layers=B - Something new I've been working on. Terraformed the island, which was essentially a jagged lump of land before. Proof of mapping in target language (Croatian) and physical geography mapping.

	Username & date
	Sign and date the application by typing four tildes like this: ~~~~

Vjekoslav95 (talk) 16:09, 6 July 2023 (UTC)

	Discussion
	Discussion for clarification & decision

Hello, vjekoslav95, there's several points I'd like to discuss:

• First of all, the OGF name for the Slavic people group has not been agreed yet amongst the website's community, so I'll have to advise you to refrain from using '-slavia', or any similar words, in the territory's name.
• Your present mapping is not enough for me to accept your request, given the territory you are requesting is rather large, however I am not willing to reject you completely either. I'd first and foremost like to see you develop your mapping skills further (particularly the style you are targeting), whether it is where you are currently working, or in a beginner territory where you can map solely on your own as a practice area. The territory has been imagined to be the home of a Bulgarian/Macedonian-speaking country (or something like that), not sure how interested are you in that. Nevertheless, I am always open to discussions and compromises.
• The style of Adriatic Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro you are willing to implement is not really fitting the area, which is mostly revolving around Central European architecture and urbanism. There are two other nations which are inspired by Croatia nearby, and they already follow that Central European basis. The Mediterranean style can be implemented in different regions of the continent of West Uletha, however it is very hard to implement Croatian, or a Slavic language to begin with, in such an area. I can provide more information about this if you are interested.
• 36% for agriculture to encompass the national economy is very unrealistic, especially for this region. Consider lowering that number significantly.
• Likewise, 22.5% for the poverty rate for the 'richest' regions of the country is unrealistic, also especially for this region. The only European country with a higher rate than that is Albania. Simply put, I see what you are imagining with your nation, but the numbers don't add up, as it would be one of the poorest nations in the entire OGF world.
• Before reviewing your request further, I'd like you to create some maps of your plans for the country and visualize your stories.
• As a mapper in a territory which borders the one you are requesting, I am open to discussions regarding our border area, however please do know that the entire region and its active mappers are happy to help you shape up your plans so that they are better fitting for the region.

Bixelkoven (talk) 00:30, 8 July 2023 (UTC)

Thanks for your response,

It seems as though the style I'd like to replicate doesn't fit in either of the Ulethan continents, nor does my idea - which of course may not be perfect, but it seems that it will not fit in anywhere either regardless.

For that reason I'm going to essentially give up on this application and any more in future. If the idea doesn't fit it on the map, I don't blame anybody, then I'll stop trying to force it onto the map.

Cheers for your time, I appreciate it.

Vjekoslav95 (talk) 10:30, 8 July 2023 (UTC)

	Territory application closed
	Style not fitting for the region - Bixelkoven (talk) 12:56, 8 July 2023 (UTC)
	I am a bit saddened to hear you'd like to give up your application completely. I wrote already that you can try Mediterranean mapping in a different area, albeit most probably in a different language, and you are very welcome to try that style there. I can give you suggestions if you are interested. Sadly that's how it is set up, I personally don't have any issues with you mapping a nation of such description, but there's some consensus that was determined in the region and presently active mappers already follow it, it would be only wise for you to do the same. I hope you change your mind and not give up searching for a territory.