Glaciaria

Flag of Glaciaria as proposed by the Assembly for Peace in the Western Hemisphere.

Glaciaria is a mostly uninhabited continent of Vexillium, situated on the planet's southern polar region. Long rumoured to exist by Erasian and Longerathian cartographers, sections of the coast of Glaciaria were known well before The Plague by navigators and explorers from Svarthaedir, Namuria and the Lexicon Islands. A number of whaling settlements were established in the centuries before the plague, such as Fort Capital, although the interior of the continent remained terra incognita well into the post-plague era. Only during the early third century would expeditions venture into the interior of the continent, such as the exploring party of Kinnarit Amundsdottir in 211.

By far the coldest continent, Glaciaria is covered almost completely by an ice sheet, averaging 2.000m thick. The coldest winter temperatures range from -93°C to -60°C near sea level. Mean temperatures of the coldest months are from -20°C to -30°C on the coast, and -40°C to -70°C in the interior. Midsummer temperatures in most coastal areas, however, are at a tolerable 0°C. Warm currents are able to keep some parts of the continent, such as Fort Capital and Tundraska, at tolerable above-zero temperatures.

Until 297AP, Glaciaria was claimed by only two countries: Northern Gronk and the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics, each claiming sovereignty over one half of the continent. On the 28th of February 299, as part of the Free Confederacy's dissolution process, the Lendian sector was divided between Westria, Whiland, Eastern Zartania, the Lexicon Islands and Islandia

As of 316AP, the following claims to Glaciarian territory exist:

• ChungLeixia, a dominion of the Greater Burovian Realm, inhabited by over 50.000.
• Fort Capital, formerly a Gronkian territory, administered by Altland. Population 27.633 (299 estimative).
• Gronkian Glaciaria, a territory de jure held by the rump government of Northern Gronk, inhabited by roughly 3.000 scientists year-round.
• Svartic Glaciaria, a territory of Svarthaedir.
• Lexican Glaciaria, administered by the Lexicon Islands.
• Tundraska, formerly known as Westrian Glaciaria, a dominion of the Greater Burovian Realm, population over 200.000 (313 estimative).
• Zartanian Glaciaria, a colony of the Greater Zartanian Empire, inhabited by 516 people (314 estimative).

Former claims:

• Guadacoa, a territory of Allacoa. Claims relinquished on the 6th of January 305, territory incorporated into then Islandian Glaciaria (now, Svartic Glaciaria).
• Lendian Glaciaria, a dependency of the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics, dissolved on the 28th of February 299.
• Whilandian Glaciaria, a protectorate of Whiland. Divided on 316 between the Burovian dominion of ChungLeixia and Zartanian Glaciaria

Map of Glaciaria and territorial claims.

A number of territorial disputes exist, the settlement of Fort Capital, although controlled by Altland is also claimed by Namuria. Gronkian Glaciaria and Fort Capital are claimed by the Greater Burovian Realm as the realmsprotectorates of Kiptilskaya and Futuronian Glaciaria.

Apart from that, many nations maintain scientific bases within the territory claimed by other nations in Glaciaria. Ordland, for instance, maintains a weather station within Tundraska, close to the south pole.

There is no consensus regarding the administration of Glaciaria. Several countries, such as Akitania Berria, defend the complete preservation of the continent. Others, such as Lendosa, Utania and Cruisana, do not recognise the legitimacy of any territorial claims to Glaciaria and defend the transformation of the continent into an UNV-administred zone. The Glaciaria Convention of 299AP attempted to secure the entire continent as a natural and scientific preserve, prohibiting military, commercial and industrial activities. Of all countries to hold claims to Glaciaria, however, only the Lexicon Islands and Altland have signed the convention.

Even so, economical activities remain quite limited due to the severe weather. Fort Capital depends upon whaling and fishing, for instance. Although it is known that the continent holds large reserves of petroleum, there is no commercial drilling. The Guadacoa crisis, an attempt by Allacoa to extract oil from its territory of Guadacoa in 301, was met with severe criticism.