Abahoughyate


 * Jammed in between two small muddy rivers lies the tiny nation of Abahoughyate. For centuries, the forested valleys of the Etian coast were united under one crown, but with the fall of the Etian Federation, the city of Abahou and the surrounding principality of Ghyate became an independent nation. The turmoil and chaos following the collapse of Etia gave birth to a number of Balkanized countries that lack both an identity and a healthy, functioning economy. Abahoughyate is a prime example of such a state. Small and very poor, even for Cominore standards, Abahoughyate remains a cesspool of drug trafficking from Envina to the Cassaian Sea.

Abahoughyate (Ghyatan Etian full name: Etinmarou Abahou-Ghyate, the Etian Republic of Abahou and Ghyate) is a tiny country on the northwestern Cominore coast, formerly part of the Etian Federation. With just over 600,000 inhabitants and little to no natural resources, Abahoughyate remains one of the poorest countries of Cominore and Moqa as a whole.

The capital of Abahoughyate is Abahou, which is also the largest city. Abahou is by far the largest settlement of the country. The enormous lower class neighborhoods and semi-slums surrounding the city account for more than one-third of all inhabitants of Abahoughyate. Small, tightly packed clusters of makeshift houses together form favelas where crime and drug trade is rampant. The other major settlements of Abahou are predominantly rural provincial towns founded on the site of ancient forts and other easily defendable places such as hilltops and river bends.

Most of the land is low-lying farmland where mediterranean crops are grown. Small patches of forest are scattered throughout the countryside in the south and the heartland, while the less populated north is mostly covered by forest. The more north one goes, the more rugged the land becomes, higher and cut in two by large hill ranges.

The lakes of the ghyour (district) of Eilkarou are the primary tourist attraction of Abahoughyate. Al-Etian and north Envinan middle class often choose to spend the weekend in this lake district due to the low cost of living and idyllic, arcadian countryside. Due to the lack of any industry outside of Abahou, the Abahoughyate countryside is generally unspoiled.

Plaguaed by human trafficking, trade in illicit narcotics and general lawlessness, Abahoughyate remains an important hub for predominantly Envinan organized crime.

History
As said earlier, Abahoughyate once belonged to the Etian empire. Before those times, the lands that are now Abahoughyate were controlled by several different rulers from abroad. Sometimes a client state, sometimes an integral part of a foreign empire, Abahoughyate didn't exist as an independent entity until recently.

The earliest incarnation of Abahoughyate as a region with a separate identity was the Free City of Kurousil, now Paskounara. This small hill fortress settlement was a highly developed trade settlement founded amidst the warring tribes of the Etian forests in the 21st century. In the 25th century fishermen from the island of Bousaga, now Cassaian property, founded the city of Abgus, later renamed to Abahou. Several other towns and fortresses were founded in the following century.

The area has been ruled by the Envinans, the Korozians of Kensterzio, the Malmuman colonists of Titio, Cassai, again Envina and eventually Etia. The principality of Ghyate and the city of Abahou sought independence amidst the turmoil of the collapse of the Etian Federation and the prince of Ghyate distanced himself from the Al-Etian government in 3392. The city of Abahou, ruled by a representative (umousa) of the Etian government, followed suit after a popular vote. The two entities joined the same year and proclaimed themselves the Etian Republic of Abahou and Ghyate, Abahoughyate for short.

Geography
Abahoughyate is a coastal nation. Most of the coast consists of cliffs and gradually sloping hills. Further inland, the hills become higher and the landscape becomes more rugged. The eastern and western border of Abahougyate are formed by two rivers that run from south to north, the Perezil in the east and the Krou in the west. The Eilkarou district features a lot of lakes. A small part of the country lies west of the Krou, Dubtrovou Na Kurum Hyladou ("the Hyladian lands across the river Krou").

To the northwest lies the Bay of Abahou (Abahouskol), the location of the capital city of Abahou. This naturally secluded bay is just deep enough for maritime trade. Several islands shield the bay from storms.

The climate is subtropic and the natural vegetation is a mix of tropic plants and more temperate species. Lots of pine trees and cypresses can be found throughout the country.

Administrative divisions
Abahoughyate has two levels of administrative division: ghyour (districts) and houas (villages). There are 17 ghyour and 475 houas. The amount of houas doesn't correspond to the actual amount of villages and other inhabited settlements due to the use of an archaic system of land division that has been used for over five centuries and changed little in the meantime. In fact, there are three houas that don't contain any village, just farmland and scattered farm buildings, and some of the houas correspond to neighborhoods of Abahou, the capital.

The 17 ghyour of Abahoughyate are:
 * 1) Abahou
 * 2) Boncan-Sontou
 * 3) Dubtrovou Na Kurum Hyladou
 * 4) Eilkarou
 * 5) Ghyakaske
 * 6) Ghyamere
 * 7) Kalaspaén
 * 8) Kengerangsa
 * 9) Kesghaén
 * 10) Kurmou
 * 11) Kusoulatha
 * 12) Kyliengesthi
 * 13) Lagou Hyrasgha
 * 14) Marmusgutha
 * 15) Nubourast
 * 16) Nufulango
 * 17) Paskounara

Demographics
Most inhabitants of Abahoughyate speak Ghyatan Etian (Ghyatni Etiani), a dialect of Etian. In the north, some Envinan is spoken. In Dubtrovou Na Kurum Hyladou, a more Al-Etian form of Etian is spoken. The inhabitants of Abahou speak either Abahou Ghyatni, a standardized form of Ghyatni Etiani or an immigrant language such as Cassaian, Kensterzian or Kotharian.

The largest city of Abahoughyate is Abahou, which, with over 320,000 inhabitants, harbors over half of the Ghyatian population. Other towns of importance are Paskounara (Paskounara), Kansol (Kalaspaén), Boncantol (Boncan-Sontou), Kangsar (Kusoulatha), Sitoli (Kyliengesthi) and Tilorona (Kengerangsa).