Kurgan

"Order, Structure, Wealth, and Power"

General Facts:

Abakan is the nation’s capital and is a part of a sprawling commerce region that includes the Port of Revda.

Covering the largest land mass in Zemia, Kurgan has a robust agricultural economy and a significant manufacturing base. However, the vast majority of the population is uneducated, so it depends upon its neighbor Prenza for much of the technological development of its industries, including managing the northern nuclear plants.

Almost half of Kurganites practice the Tempran faith, 2nd largest religion in Zemia.

The Great Northern War against Amuria was very costly, so Kurgan (like its ally Khulna) is still rebuilding its economy and military. It seeks to undermine Amuria in comeuppance for the war and considers Khulna an economic and military ally.

The Patin Business Sector is home to the capital city, the manufacturing center, and the oil oligarchy. Most of Kurgan’s trade economy passes through this region and port cities bustle with imports, exports, and manufacturing plants. For example, raw materials, such as lumber from Amuria, is imported and then turned into furniture, paper, and other goods here, and then exported throughout Zemia.

The oil oligarchy’s family was one of the founding members of Kurgan’s council and wields significant power. The oligarch’s son is taking over from his father’s role and is said to have visions for new sustainable energy in Kurgan. The shake-up of power is concerning to other regional oligarchs but the Patin Business Sector is adept at managing the political infighting among the region.

While productivity abounds, so does pollution in this sector. The manufacturing cities that dot the western coast have not upgraded the plants, so 1950s regulations still apply. The ports also refuse to be limited by environmental friendly regulations, so oil spills and tanker crashes have persistent impact on the polluted waters. As a result, most capital politicians and business executives live in the more picturesque Barbol Plains.

The Barbol Plains are the “Potato-Bread Basket” of Kurgan. The potato industry feeds the nation in good and hard times and is a main food export for the nation. The region produces 10 times what it needs for food.

At times, there are political struggles regarding the Barbol Oligarch's preference for exporting his crops outside of Kurgan for a higher profit. During the Grain Famine of 2000, the Barbol Oligarch continued to export potatoes across Zemia and charged his fellow Kurgans higher prices because of the higher domestic demand.

The northern Ukugan sectors have not forgotten the loss of life and “Barbol Betrayal” during this difficult time. Nonetheless, the economic power of Barbol makes the oligarch one of the most powerful in Kurgan.

The Ukugan Tribal Coast is home to a strong tribal people, bounty of natural resources, and a palpable sense of resolve. The region’s coal production is unparalleled in Zemia and helps to power Kurgan’s agribusiness and manufacturing sectors to the south.

The Kurgan and Amurian Ukugans have close cultural ties. They even host regional, cross-national events celebrating Ukugan culture. A deep history and connection to the region are sources of strength. They also are connected to the Ukugan Central farming region and had considered unifying the two sectors years ago.

With the power of coal and a strength of survival, the Ukugan Tribal Coast is a force to watch.

Ukugan Central is a large farming community that is made up of several family farms.

The Ukugan Tribe is hierarchical so the most powerful families retain control of the farming business and allow share-cropping families to work the land.

While the Ukugan Central tribes have connections to Amurian Ukugan, the Central tribes prefer to keep to themselves or maintain limited connections to their northern brethren.

Ukugan Central depends upon the Ukugan Tribal Coast for energy and receives favored status with them for energy prices. The grain farms (primarily barley and wheat) help to feed the north, but the southern energy dependence is more pressing, so the Central region is in debt to the Tribal Coast.

There is considerable animosity between Ukugan Central farmers and the Polyarny Base because of suspected tritium leaks at the nuclear facilities.

Ukugan Central farmers located in the northern area of the region report higher incidences of cancer and lower productivity of crops.

The Polyarny Base protects two nuclear power facilities and Kurgan’s largest naval base. The nuclear power plants were built 40 years ago with the assistance of physicists hired from Prenza. The power plants were state-of-the-art at the time of construction but have suffered from a lack of funding for required maintenance. As a result, both facilities are rumored to have leaked tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen that can cause cancer and genetic defects, into the coastal waters.

Because the coastal waters leach into the inland water table, the nearby farms and villages have been impacted as well as the coastal water fish wfarms. The Polyarny oligarch refutes such studies on one hand, and requests additional funds for needed repairs on the other.

The naval base includes a training academy, 4 submarines (conventional) 8 warships (aircraft, destroyers, and frigate) and a dozen other navy vessels.

The base community includes 15,000 military personnel and 5,000 civilians. While community members are fiercely loyal to the naval community, tensions have grown over the decade-long trend of rising rates of birth defects and cancer in both young and old.

Independent community based fact finding commissions have risen only to be dismissed by base authorities mid-investigation. Residents both depend upon and feel threatened by the nuclear plants.

There is no solution to this dilemma in sight.

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