Ekar - Vision Statement

[Batsweda]

Statistics

Population: 58,730 (Low) | GDP: $44,270 per capita nominal (Very High) | Land Area: 50 km2 (Low)

My goal for Ekar is twofold – to explore and create the history of an ancient city and port that, through it all, has survived to the present day, and to look at and create the issues and challenges this state faces in the modern day, namely income inequality, corruption, and how a microstate (especially a very diverse one) can stay relevant among much larger neighbours. An important focus is also how Ekarrians in the present day struggle and concern themselves with their history, be that the lingering memories of colonialism, or struggles about identity and pan-nationalism in a country where what and who are "Ekarrian" has and continues to change and adapt.

Inhabited by possibly the 2000s BCE, the port city of Ekar was, during antiquity, one of the most notable ports in the region, supplying much of the ancient wurld with initially copper, and later one dyes and luxury foods, such as figs and dates. By the 1500s BCE, the city had emerged as a major trading post, and had established a number of smaller colonies, forming a thalassocracy in [Insert bordering sea here]. This projection of power only lasted for a few centuries however, as Ekar and its colonies were absorbed and annexed by larger and growing entities, and Ekar itself bounced between the vassalage of various states and empires for the remainder of antiquity, and into the Medieval period. Despite this, Ekar’s position as a trading port helped it to develop a unique and cosmopolitan society, as well as the financial support needed to become a centre of learning through its university. Although Ekar’s prosperity as a trading hub waned towards the 17th to 20th centuries, the city became more known for the development of a early tourism industry that turned the city, then a colony of Europan power, into a playground for the rich and famous. The construction of Ekar’s casino and the legalization of gambling in the early 20th century only cemented this reputation into the present day.

The Ekar of 2021, although very different from the Ekar of antiquity, has some things in common. Diversity and a cultural separateness from its neighbours, even if most Ekarrians speak the same language as them, define the city-state’s continued existence. Although Ekar till maintains that reputation of being the playground of the wealthy, income inequality is a major (id seldom discussed) issue for those living in the city-state, and corruption has started to halt governmental institutions from functioning properly. Ekar’s stability is one of its greatest assets given its small relevance on the wurld stage and it’s at-time volatile population, but when that stability begins to crack, how will the politicians, magnates, and average people of this small country change and adapt, if at all?

Edited June 28, 2021 by Ekar (see edit history)