Danetia

Map of Aurora, Danetia's location shown in orange.

Danetia is a continent predominantly in the northern hemisphere and western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by Moray Udachi, on the south and west by the Abecean and Eastern Cidalian Oceans, and on the east by the Topal Sea. Danetia is connected to the contient of Samir (to the south) by an isthmus. It covers an area of about xxx sq km (xxx sq mi), about xx% of the planet's surface or about xx% of its land area.

Countries and Territories

Danetia is home to a large number of Aurora's leading world powers. It is also one of the most populous continents on the planet.

Country/territory	Area (sq km)	Population	Population density (per sq km)	Capital
Antara	3,194,400	126,622,094	32.00	Cedelphia
Caladan		71,519,227		Paderborn
Deria	xxxx	71,163,000	xxx	Denava
Erösország	768,345	19,024,222	24.76	Terézváros
Erth	72,674	3,986,896	54.86	Elsaas
Etruria	1,227,697	121,000,000	38.00	Tarquinia
Karsos	114,100 (in Danetia)	2,432,117 (in Danetia)	22.31	Wyatt
Norya	1,772,600	46,661,950	26.30	Hjørdsborg
Nuythco				Kloesz
Sam'thuma	737,685	27,233,400	37.00	BoNanras
Torentine Empire	41,785 (on Danetia)	7,614,000 (on Danetia)	182 (on Danetia)	Torentine

Cultural History

See also: Danatian Migrations, Samthuman Ethnic Background

Danatia is home to primarily ethnic Anadili to the east and ethnic Kubu-Dravi to the west both geographically separated by the TBD mountain range. Despite several waves of migrations, the Anadil/Kubu-Dravi ethnic division has remained relatively stable throughout Danatian history.

The earliest hominid remains discovered in Danatia are over 1 million years old. Large proto-human populations first migrated to Danatia 150,000 years ago and disappeared from the fossil record about 25,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence indicates that first modern human arrived some 40,000 years ago. The first migration, known as Anadili Type 1, migrated to Danatia from Samir via the Isthmus of Karsos. Their numbers were small and they lived by hunting animals and gathering plant food. It is believed that the Anadili Type 1 spread so far as Aesmund during the notable climatic warming period of that time. A severe climatic cooling period occured 25,000 years ago and isolated the northern Anadili Type 1 migration resulting in a distinct Anadili Type 1B population and gave rise to the northern Barbi/Fancii/Chiv cultures (Hussia). The same cooling period forced the remaining Anadili Type 1 populations to retreat and concentrate south to equatorial Danatia.

A subsequent warming period approximately 10,000 years ago, brought a second, more advanced migration, known as Anadili Type 2, to Danatia. This second migration gave rise to Ethnic Antaran Culture (Antara/Etruria). The Anadili Type 2 largely displaced the original Type 1 populations to inhabit the regions north of the lower TBD mountain range. The Anadili Type 2 migration was closely followed by the first (insert a proto Kubu-Dravi culture) migration which was equally advanced and settled the region south and east of the TBD mountain range (the modern border of Etruria and Antara).

Approximately 9,000 years ago, the first Osmani migration to Danetia brought with it perhaps the first organized civilization. This more advanced culture displaced the (proto Kubu-Dravi) populations from southern Danatia. As a result, the (proto Kubu-Dravi culture) split forming the distinct Kubu culture along the northeastern TBD mountain range. The southern (protp Kubu-Dravi) population formed the Dravi culture which despite its close contact was uninfluenced by its neighbors and acted as another buffer between the Osmani and the Kubu and the Anadili cultures.

At this same time, beginning some 8,000 years ago, Anadili Type 2 culture flourished and expanded. Evidence of Anadili Type 2 settlements from this period have been found as far west as eastern Lusitierra (modern Torentine. This was the first of many Anadili impositions on Aspenish culture. Anadili expansion to the North led to a series of conflicts with the remaining Type 1 Anadili populations of northern Danatia. A far less successful southern expansion provoked similar conflicts with the Dravi civilization.

Northern Anadili expansion was met by the gradual influx of seafaring Barbii peoples (of Anadili Type 2 stock) from Aesmund approximately 6,000 years ago. The clash of Anadili and Barbii expansion redirected the Barbii migration along eastern Danatia and ended the northern expansion of Anadili peoples before it could reach Aesmund. Meanwhile, the Osmani culture pushed north into the region now known as Etruria displacing the Dravi to southeast Danatia. This presented the first conflicts between the Anadili and Kubu cultures and the Osmani. Insulated by the TBD mountain range, the Anadili culture prevented further northern Osmani expansion.

Some 5,000 years ago a major expansion of Barbii peoples spread over region of eastern Danatia extending south nearly displacing the Osmani from the continent. Unlike previous expansions, which had been mostly raids leaving only temporary settlements, this expansion was a significant permanent migration of the Barbii people in response to the expansion of the far more aggressive Norric peoples of eastern Aesmund. This Barbii expansion devastated Kubu populations, which has only recovered in recent centuries. The Barbii influence on Danatia was short lived as the Norric culture displaced it from the north and the Osmani pushed back from the south. By 4,000 years ago the Osmani had regained the former sphere of influence.

As the grand drama of the Barbi expansion unfolded an unassuming tribe of Anadili in central Danatia developed a unique proto-Antaran subculture that would give rise to Antara and Etruria. They originated as a pastoral peoples who inhabited the plains of modern day Antara. The Antaran subculture is identified by the localized appearance of bronze age tools not found in northern Anadili settlements. Antaran culture spread rapidly through central Danatia. By 3,500 years ago, the proto-Etruri had separated from the now established Antaran culture and pushed south to what is now Etruria. At this same time, the Osmani culture had influenced a population of Dravi and Kubu peoples creating the hybrid Persii peoples in what is now now eastern Etruria and Sam'thuma. The Persii culture. As the Antaran culture flourished the Osmani/Dravi/Kubu/Persii populations were forced further east resulting in a significant migrations to Miotus. This resulted in a series of conflicts between the Persii/Osmani and the Heloans of Miotus that would unfold over the next millennia.

As a result of the Persii/Osmani/Heloan conflicts a great number of Heloan peoples remained eastern Danatia. Although the migration of Heloan peoples was no where near as significant as the Barbi or Osmani before, its influence on Danatian culture was profound in everything from the arts and architecture to military tactics and fashion. As the Antaran culture benefited from Heloan architects, priests, and philosophers, it's Anadili brothers to the North benefited from the Norric culture resulting in the Noryan, Frans, Chiv, and Frankish subcultures.

Within a thousand years the modern ethno-political organization of Danatia had been set.