NONSENS     Nwangawi Mbambazi Lekola Republic Ntamboutu Nyabubanga Lalaland Lazuanda Gurungdjara
    District 34 Kiyakilawi Xambu Lupombo Qwatibotimba Botimba Ntembe
Non-NONSENS Entities Relevant to the NONSENS Region:   ChungNwa   -  Ciquivi   -  Westria Annex
Gurungdjara   GURUNGDJARA   Gurungdjara
The Gurungdjaran people are quite ethnically distinct from all people groups around them, and are thought to have migrated to the southern shores along the Gulf of Examini possibly tens of thousand years ago from places unknown. Earliest attempts at classifying Gurungdjaran languages claimed they had similarity to Uudangwuu languages, while Colonial Armatirian linguists more recently claimed they bore similarity to Kongrenuru languages. Regardless, Gurungdjarans consider themselves to be a distinct people, though hundreds or thousands of years of shared history mean they have a close relationship with the Ntembenu to the north. The country has functioned for centuries as a confederation of small states, known as Nura, unified yet only loosely. In times of peace, a Gabami was appointed to implement the corporate policy and represent the Confederation to foreign powers, while a "Lord Protector" (or Biyanga) was appointed in times of war. One was appointed after Ntembe fell peacefully into the clutches of the New Armatirion Company (NAC), and war between the NAC's mercenary war machine and the Gurungdjari followed. With the latter's spears and few firearms no match for cannon and repeater rifles, Biyanga Gurawai surrendered the country after three major battles over seven months.
What followed was 97 years of NAC dictatorship, the NAC military deploying thousands of mercenary soldiers to dozens of forts and army bases across the territory, forcing the local population into slave labour for a set number of days per year. With the Gurungdjari not sharing in mining revenues, poverty was far higher in Gurungdjara than in Ntembe. If roads and other infrastructure was built, it was built because the NAC needed it, and the economic exploitation of the land primarily in gold mining and later offshore oil resulted in massive profits for the NAC.
An intervention by Ntembe's King Mfalmemajani IV in the 270s resulted in Gurungdjara being declared Ntembenu territory and thus falling under fairer conditions of Ntembe's contract with the NAC, and making the King an adored figure in Gurungdjara. Workers were now paid for their labours in mines and on plantation farms, and while not much, it was something. The discovery of oil off the coast resulted in a mass influx of Armatirian workers, but also many Gurungdjari were educated and trained for less critical tasks, resulting in a dramatic increase in incomes and standard of living. Under the Armatirian Colonial Administration, oil production skyrocketed, despite protests from Gurungdjari that they were not benefiting from the oil. The Administration's solution was to name the oil city that appeared almost overnight Badugura, meaning the sea breeze, as a sop to locals. Now that independence has been achieved, threats to nationalise the oil industry have gained popularity.
The flag of Gurungdjara is rich with symbolism: the red (Pantone 485C) is the rich red soil on which the country was founded; the gold stripe (Pantone 116C) on a forty-five degree angle representing the upward path of the people, inclined to indicate better times are ahead, but also that there is a long climb to be endured; the black represents the people walking that path, that fill the land; the blue sky (Pantone 306C) which hangs overhead in which is a golden sun (Pantone 116C) stylised according to Gurungdjaran tradition. This is the second national flag of Gurungdjara, the country founded in November 316ap under the old pentacolour flag which had similar symbolism for its colours.
BASIC INFORMATION:
 
Official Name: The Confederation of Gurungdjara
Demonym: Gurungdjari
Adjective: Gurungdjaran
Area: 159,719 sq.km
Capital: None.
Regime: Confederation
Legal System: Transitioning into Civil Law
 
Political map of Gurungdjara and Ntembe
Political map of Gurungdjara and Ntembe
 
CLIMATE AND RIVERS:
 
Climate: Tropical: one monsoon season, heavy rains, hot and humid
Rainfall (mm): 1,970 mm (Coriansilve)
Rainfall (days): 152 days per year (Coriansilve)
Largest River: Garigarang River
Largest River Flow: Annual Avg. 400 cu.m/s at Badugura
Peak 750 cu.m/s at Badugura
 
Almost a thousand kilometres of coastline yet less than 300 km inland from any point, Gurungdjara is a wide and thin tropical nation bounded by mountains and the sea of Examini. It is a monsoonal country having one long rainy seasons with up to 2,800 mm of rain falling in a year, with two-thirds of that falling in just four months of December to March. Much of that rain falls on the mountains, resulting in heavy flooding of rivers in Feb-Mar, but some smaller rivers can dry-up around July-August. The long, narrow country means there are many modest-sized rivers, nothing on the scale of the Ntembe. The heavy seasonal rain also results in rich soil and a good growing seasons.
 
Physical map of Gurungdjara and Ntembe
Physical map of Gurungdjara and Ntembe. The vertical scale of this map is incorrect, but the topography is roughly correct. The eastern centre of Ntembe has an elevation higher than 500m. Borders are also not to be taken literally.
 
POPULATION:
 
Inhabitants: 7.61 million
(incl. 300,000 non-indigenous)
Density: 47.64 persons/sq.km (123.37/sq.mi)
Growth: Est. 1.6%
Life Expectancy: 52.6 years
Ethnic Groups: Gurungdjari, Armatirian, some Ntembenu, others
Languages: Gurungdjaran (official), Kintembe, Armatirian, Ingallish
Literacy: Est. 54.15%
Religions: Gurungdjaran traditional beliefs, Cruisianity
Major Cities: Coriansilve (pop. 40,000), Badugura (pop. 35,500), Nidapianta (pop. 27,000), White Sands
 
Gurungdjara's population is 96% Gurungdjari, with White Sands the former colonial capital. Unlike Ntembe, Gurungdjara was not left autonomous under the NAC, with a heavy company military presence all across the country in military bases with families living in segregated compounds.
 
GOVERNMENT:
 
Independence: November 9th, 316ap
Autonomy: November 9th, 316ap (proclaimed freedom from Armatirion)
Divisions: 218 "Nura" or communities
Head of State: None
Head of Government: (Gabami) Yurunga Murunggal
Parliament: One man, one woman from each of the 218 or so "Nura"
Foreign Minister: Maoni Kiongozi (also Ntembe)
Organisations: NONSENS
 
The Confederation government is in two forms: in peacetime, a Gabami "chairs" the confederation, as chief negotiator to settle disputes and forge a common destiny. He (or she) will implement common policy, though in centuries past this was far more limited than it might be today. However, during times of national-level threat, a Biyanga is appointed who then becomes the dictator of the Confederation until such time as the Nura decide peace can be restored.
 
ECONOMY:
 
GDP: Est. G 715.90 million (ChC 20.35 billion)
Currency: Gadyan (G), sabu (j) (1:100)
Exchange Rate: G1.00 = M 0/5/0 = H 33.3333 (= ChC 28.43189352)
G 0.01 = H 0.3333 (= ChC 0.2843)
Average Annual Household Income:
Est. G 340.91 (ChC 9,692.59)
Average Subsistence Farmer Income (yr):
Est. G 19.76 (ChC 561.81)
Average Subsistence Farmer Income (daily):
Est. 5.4j per day (or ChC 1.54)
GINI Coefficient: n/a
Inflation: Est. 4%
Unemployment: n/a
Working Population: 3.57 million
Major Industries: Mining, oil, subsistence agriculture
Imports: Almost all goods except basic foodstuffs
Exports (value): G 286.74 million (ChC 8.153 billion)
Exports (goods): Gold, Oil, Manganese, Diamonds, Aluminium
Oil Production: Est. 268,329 barrels/day
worth ChC 2,450.18 million annually
Oil Reserves: Est. 7,524 million barrels
76.8 years' worth at curr. prodn.
Main Trading Partners: Ntembe, Armatirion
Main (Private) Companies: New Armatirion Company (North-West), Coriansilve Bank, White Sands Gold, White Sands Oil, Coriansilve Insurance, Armatirion Gold Coast Group
Government Companies: National Bank of Gurungdjara
 
The New Armatirion Company profited largely from the gold and oil wealth of Gurungdjara, which is vast. Last year, the NAC and its subsidiaries and allies extracted 100 tonnes of gold and 98 million barrels of oil but paid little in royalties. Following Ntembe's lead, a 50% royalty is set to be imposed which may yield the government four billion crowns a year.
 
OTHER:
 
Timezone(s): -13
Int'l Phone Code: +65
Digraph/Trigraph: .gd, GRD
Airports: Badugura International, Coriansilve International
Seaports: Coriansilve, Badugura
Major Sports: Football, Athletics
People per Doctor: 5,678
People per Hospital Bed:
578
Rail: Approx. 783km
Paved Highways: Approx. 3,394 km
Electricity Generation Capacity:
1,625 MW in 14 stations
National Electricity Consumption:
8,421 GWh
 
Gurungdjara is underserved in national infrastructure, yet better served than its neighbour, Ntembe. A lack of reliable rivers and a long but narrow territory meant most transport was either achieved by sea or by roads. Furthermore, while not every town and village is electrified, most of the country has high voltage lines covering it.