Geography of Etruria
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The geography of Etruria refers to the diversity of its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. Etruria stretches TBD miles (TBD kilometers) across the central Danetian landmass bordering the Bay of Trieste Vistula in the East to the Esslyean Sea and the Gulf of Etienne to the West in a changing configuration of broad plains and lofty mountain ranges, including large areas of inhospitable dense tropical jungles.
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Physical Geography
Atenian Range
The length of Etruria's northern border with Antara is mountainous, with the highest point being the steep Promontori Atena at 4,884 meters (16,023 ft) near the nation's center. Although the Atena does not carry the distinction of being the tallest peak in the world, it is certainly one of the steepest and its permanent equatorial glaciers are unique. It is along this mountainous range that some of the highest quality Etrurian lumber is found.
The Atenian range is characterized by great recumbent folds often breaking and sliding one over the other to form gigantic thrust faults formed by tectonic pressure. Crystalline basement rocks, which are exposed in the higher central regions, are the rocks forming the Promontori Atena. Further the Atenian were shaped by glacial movements caused by the climatic cycles that have left such a widespread footprint on all of Aurora. Today large granite boulders are found scattered in the forests in the region. These were carried and pushed by the glaciers during the last ice age. Besides leaving an Arctic-like wasteland of barren rock and gravel, the huge moraine of material that was dropped at the front of the glaciers blocked huge masses of melt water that poured onto the central plain during this period forming the Ambrosi basin. Furthermore the Atenian foothills are actually glacial side-moraines.
The karst topography of the Aragat and Purgatario ridges, also created by the glacial outwash, produced the approximately 3,100 tall quartzite sandstone pillars of south eastern Etruria, some over 2,625 feet (800 meters) in height. The sandstone in the region also produces a large number of sinkholes, cenotes, caves, and underground rivers. Unfortunately, it also creates a very limited surface water and unsafe water supplies due to its porous qualities.
The Atenian form a southern part of a orogenic crescent of mountain chains that stretch from the northern terminus of the continent along the eastern Danetian coast south to the Esslyean Sea. Gaps in these mountain chains in northern Danetia separates the southern Atenian, central Ghandu Than and the northern Mol Mountains to the north. Orogeny took place continuously and tectonic subsidence is to blame for the gaps in between. Although the Atenian are dwarfed by the Ghandu Than, the entire Danetian mountain chain is often called the Atenian. The Ghandu Than includes the Strosari M'Kai, the worlds highest mountain, which under perfect conditions is visible from the summit of the Promontori Atena.
Ambrosi River Basin
The center of the country is dominated by the Ambrosi river basin flowing from headwaters high in the Atenian, which runs into the Gulf of Etienne. The Ambrosi river is the longest river in Etruria and believed to be one of the deepest in the world with sections reaching 750 feet (230 meters). The river and its tributaries flow through the third largest rainforest in the world and due to its proximity to the equator its flow is nearly constant throughout the year with generally mild seasonal variations during the wet season. The sources of the Ambrosi are the highlands and mountains of the surrounding Atenian range, as well as Lake Fatia and Lake Valais. The river flows generally southwards. Nearly the entire Ambrosi is navigable in sections, although the Cascata Cervina prevent access from the sea. The river is then effectively segmented by three large waterfalls: the Cascata Dolemites, Magni Casi Prevasi, and the Cascata Velinero. Cascata Cervina, the least dramatic of the four major Etrurian waterfalls, consists of a series of rapids dropping 900 feet in 220 miles (270 meters in 350 kilometers). It is the world's largest waterfall in terms of flow rate, provided one accepts rapids as being a waterfall. The Cascata Dolemites and the Magni Casi Prevasi were both formed by glacial advances. The most impressive is the Magni Casi Prevasi a massive system of 300 waterfalls along 2.7 kilometers (1.67 miles). However, the Cascata Dolemites is Etruria's widest and most powerful waterfall. In addition, it is the most accessible of the major waterfalls and as a result the most popular among tourist. The smallest, but perhaps the most beautiful and intriguing of Etruria's great waterfalls is the Cascata Velinero. Situated along the Rieti tributary near the low alpine village of Velinero, it once fed a wetland that was thought to bring illness (probably malaria). To remove that threat to the city, in the eighth century BCE, Cimmerians began construction of a canal (the Curiano Trench) to divert the stagnant waters into the natural cliff nearby, creating the tallest man made waterfall in Etruria. Unfortunately, this created flooding problems for another nearby town. The issue was so contentious between the two cities that the court of King Cai Artorius was forced to address it in 523 BCE. The problem went uncorrected until the great Etrurian King Augustinus ordered that a new canal be built (the Augustinian Trench). This gave the falls its present look and operation. In 2012, the newly formed steel mills in Terni and Velinero began using the water flow in the Curiano Trench to power their operation. In the following years, engineers began using the water flow to generate electricity. Making Cascata Velinero one of the first hydro electric powerplants in Etruria. The plan was to expand the Curian Trench and to build a regulating valve to control the flow. Most of the time, the water in the canals above the falls is diverted to a hydroelectric power plant, so the flow in the falls themselves is reduced to the level of a creek. Nera Lake, above the falls, is used as a reservoir for the power plant. The Galleto power plant, built in 2029, is architecturally interesting. Its capacity is about 530 MW. To control the operation of the power plant, and to satisfy tourists, the fall is turned on according to a set schedule, achieving a spectacular effect at full flow. An alarm is sounded first, then the gates are opened, and in a few minutes the small creek is transformed into a full-sized river rushing into the void below.
The entire region is noted for its many waterfalls, which make access to the interior depths via numerous tributaries impossible by way of boat. In total, central Etruria has over five thousand waterfalls. As a whole central basin of the western interior, although unmatched in beauty, has been historically difficult to traverse due to the thickness of the rainforest, the diversity of its topography, and the number of large predators. As a result, much of this land had been under-developed for centuries. Only in recent history, has the region been commercially exploited by the rubber and tourism industry.
Coastal Highlands and Interior Plains
To the north west the craggy mountainous terrain continues eventually jutting out into the Abecean Ocean at the southwestern end of the Atenian mountain range creating steep cliffs and small islands along the western coast. The dramatic beauty of this shoreline is considered a national treasure. Much of the country hills are terraced and the grain exports of this region are a testament to the ingenuity of the ancients. The south western interior turns to rolling plains which gradually descend to the central basin as the savanna turns to jungle.
The east consists of the eastern foothills of the Atenian opening into the narrow coastal zone along the Bay of Trieste Vistula. This region is known for its high deposits of precious metals and large coal deposits. Almost half of the Etrurian population lives along the narrow eastern coast.
Climate
The climate of Etruria has three distinct zones. The northern mountain zone varies with altitude ranging from the tropical jungles and savanna at the low lands to snow fields, glaciers, bare rock, lakes and stream beds in the high lands. Low land climate is very diverse and influenced by adjacent climatic zones. The eastern coastal foothills and western low lands of the Etrurian Atenian range typically have more hospitable climates than the jungles of the central low lands. Roughly one-quarter of the land lying between the summits and about half of the high lands are available for cultivation. The eastern coastal zone is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The central tropical rainforest characterized by high temperatures and high humidity along with heavy rainfall. The western tropical savanna is characterized by high temperatures and humidity year round with defined dry and rainy seasons.
Temperature
Temperatures in Etruria are high all year round with the exception for periods during the wet season and at higher altitudes. Etruria is crossed by the equator in its southern part, but the majority of the territory is part of the northern hemisphere and within the torrid zone which is characterized for receiving direct sunlight throughout the year. A considerable area of Etruria is mountainous, mainly crossed by the Atenian mountain range from east to west. Altitude in the mountain regions counter the effects of the latitude characteristics producing gradual variable climates from tropical foothills and coastlines to perpetual snow peaks. Etruria is also bordered by two large bodies of water, the Abecean Ocean and theTopal Sea via the Bay of Trieste Vistula.
Natural Disasters
Etruria is affected by a large variety of natural disasters yearly. In 2113, sixteen wildfires burned nearly 500,000 acres of eastern Etruria, destroyed 1,300 homes, required the evacuation of half a million people, injured 25 firefighters and civilians, and killed three people. Such devastating fires are not unusual in Etruria. An estimated 25 million standard are spent annually fighting wildfires. Other less common but no less tragic natural disasters include seasonal flooding along the Ambrosi river, flash floods and mudslides along the eastern coast, tornadoes in the western plain, sinkholes in southern Alsatia, and the occasional tropical storm.
