Dontalamh
Dontalamh ᚐᚊᚐᚏᚑᚐ (Akaroa) | |
|---|---|
| Autonomous District of Dontalamh Ceantar Uathrialach Dontalamh (Gjorkan) ᚐᚒᚈᚑᚅᚑᚋᚑᚒᚄ ᚇᚔᚄᚈᚏᚔᚉᚈ ᚑᚃ ᚇᚑᚅᚈᚐᚂᚐᚋᚆ (Akaroan) | |
 Flag  Coat of Arms | |
| Etymology: Don's Land | |
| Nickname(s): An tEarrach/ᚈᚆᚓ ᚓᚐᚄᚈ (The East) | |
| Motto: Abhaile as baile/ᚆᚑᚋᚓ ᚐᚒᚒᚐᚔ ᚃᚏᚑᚋ ᚆᚑᚋᚓ (Home away from Home) | |
| Song: "Long Live Dontalamh" | |
 Map of Dontalamh | |
| Sovereign state |  Gjorka |
| Voyages of Lord Shipwell | 2 March 1503 |
| Annexation by Gjorka | 18 July 1563 |
| Autonomous District | 19 April 1974 |
| Capital |  Nua Ross |
| Largest city |  Port Thior |
| Official languages | |
| Ethnic groups | 52.1% Akaroan 35.8% Gjorkan 10.9% Kerei 1.2% Other |
| Religion | 56.3% Christianity 28.7% Non-Religious/Atheist 9.5% Ratana 3.1% Islam 1.0% Druidism 1.4% Other |
| Demonym(s) | Dontalamher |
| Government | Devolved parliamentary dependency |
• President | Carter Morris (GA) |
• Governor | Hani Himona (CNA) |
| Legislature | District Assembly |
| Area | |
• Total | 31,276 km2 (12,076 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation (Aoraki) | 966 m (3,169 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 1,001,354 |
• Density | 32.02/km2 (82.9/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | ₵20.08 billion |
• Per capita | ₵20,123 |
| HDI (2023) |  .745high |
| Currency | Pón (₱) |
| Time zone | AMT +13 to +14 (See Time in Dontalamh) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +604 |
| Website | Dontalamh.ria |
Dontalamh (Gjorkan for Don's Land, Akaroan: ᚐᚊᚐᚏᚑᚐ;Akaroa) is made up of two islands in the Almanople Sea and is Gjorka's sole Autonomous District. Dontalamh is Gjorka's eastern most district, detached from the Gjorkan mainland in the southwestern part of the Almanople Sea. Home to 1,001,354 people it is by far the least populated district. The capital city is and second largest city is Nua Ross with Port Thior being the largest city. It is Gjorka's only district with a minority of Gjorkans as native Akaroans make up a majority of the population.
Akaroans have existed in Dontalamh since 1000 BC, and has been in contact with the Gjorkan mainland since around 100 AD. The islands were conquered by Gjorka in 1563 following expeditions by Lord Shipwell that established the Gjorkan colonies of Nua Ross and Port Thior. During its rule under the Third Kingdom of Gjorka, native Akaroans and Gjorkan colonists mostly lived separately with Gjorkans living on the coast in colonies and Akaroans living inland in villages. Following the First Gjorkan Civil War, the new republican government established racial segregation in the islands and forcibly relocated many Akaroans into resettlement camps. This racial segregation briefly ended in 1917 when the local government was overthrown by socialists during the Second Gjorkan Civil War. After the surrender of socialist forces, Dontalamh become a short-lived independent state known as the Socialist Republic of Dontalamh in 1919, before it was re-captured by Gjorkan forces in 1920.
The Second Gjorkan Republic re-implemented segregation within the islands, leading to the outbreak of war between the native Akaroans and the military government. Both the war and the military government's rule of the islands were particularly brutal, with the government often using chemical weapons in its response to the Akaroan's guerrilla tactics. Despite the military's overthrow in 1972, the war in Dontalamh continued on until 1974. The peace treaty signed ended segregation, and gave Gjorkan and Akaroan equal status within the district creating the first autonomous district.
Dontalamh while being comparatively well enough by international standards, is Gjorka's poorest and least developed district. It's HDI score of .745 is well below the Gjorkan score of .925, and it's nominal GDP per capita of ₵20,123 is less than half that of Gjorka's at ₵45,559. The Dontalamh economy is supported by three main sectors: tourism, fishing and nickel mining.
Etymology
Dontalamh translate's in Gjorkan to Don's Land. It is believed to refer to Prince Don, the third son of King Liam II of Éire, whom explored the islands in the late 14th century. However, some historians also believe it could refer to Donter, a minor god in Druidism whom was the god of crabs.
History
Early History
The earliest record of human existence in Dontalamh dates around 2000 BC when the islands were populated by a people known as the Pani. The Pani existed in Dontalamh from 2000 to 1000 BC when the ancestors of modern day Akaroans conquered the Pani Civilization. Gjorkan contact with the islands began in 100 AD when explorers from the Kingdom of Jor arrived on the islands. Gjorkan contact continued mostly in the form of ships drifting to the islands, however in 700 AD a short-lived Gjorkan colony was founded on the islands near modern day Ballymacarbry. A more permanent colony was erected in the early 11th century by refugees from the recently established Second Kingdom of Gjorka in modern day Nua Ross. This colony initially had a peaceful relationship with the Akaroans however their relationship quickly deteriorated and a war broke out between the colonists and the natives. The colonists managed to conquer the island, and ruled over it for around 5 years until the Akaroans reconquered the island, and massacred the Gjorkan colonists. The only other significant contact between Gjorka and Dontalamh wouldn't be again until the 14th century when Prince Don of Éire visited the islands, potentially becoming the island's namesake.
Gjorkan arrival and conquest
Gjorkans remained absent from Dontalamh until in 1503, Lord Shipwell departed for the islands on an expedition funded by the Kingdom of Nomakoa. Shipwell took detailed notes on the islands in first voyage, and managed to establish friendly relations with natives he encountered. Shipwell returned for a second expedition in 1515 where he brought settlers from Nomakoa to establish a colony. On advice from local natives that Gjorkans had set up a colony there once already, Shipwell founded Nua Ross, named after the village he was born in. On his third expedition the islands in 1522, he established Port Thior to be a trading port for Gjorkans arriving to the islands. On his fourth and final voyage in 1527, he had been appointed Governor of the islands and thus sough to establish a capital colony on the islands. His ship became shipwrecked off the coast where he and his crew perished.
However, Gjorkan presence on the islands continued. The colonies of Nua Ross and Port Thior quickly grew in major outposts. As the two colonies spread they quickly came into conflict with local Akaroans. In several cases, brief periods of armed skirmishes broke out between the colonists and the natives. As the situation continued to deteriorate, the two colonies look for protection from the mainland in 1563 swore allegiance to the Third Kingdom of Gjorka beginning Gjorkan rule of the islands.
Rule under the Third Kingdom
In 1631, King Harold II sent a military expedition to assert Gjorkan control of the islands. The expedition landed in Nua Ross and began conquering nearby villages and forcing them to swear allegiance to the King. Multiple villages were burned to the ground after refusal to swear allegiance causing the remaining 13 Akaroan tribes to form an alliance to counter the Gjorkan military. At the Battle of Hawea, the Gjorkan military was routed losing nearly 25% of its force to the locals. The battle began the First Dontalamh War, a guerrilla war which lasted for nearly 30 years until in 1660 the Gjorkan government signed a peace treaty with remaining tribes near Port Thior. The peace treaty asserted Gjorkan control over the islands but promised no more inland colonization. This peace lasted until the First Gjorkan Civil War. The Royal Governor of the islands, Connor Caiside, whom resided in Nua Ross, declared allegiance to the King, however the Mayor of Port Thior, Nóise Íomhair, declared allegiance to the merchants. A small naval battle occurred on January 3, 1771 where the Monarchists were defeated decisively asserting Merchant control of the islands. Following the war, despite petitioning for it the islands were not granted representation in the new Congress of Gjorka.
Rule under the First Republic
The new republican government did not recognize the peace treaty the previous King had signed with the Akaroan tribes, and encouraged more Gjorkan settlement of the islands. Nóise Íomhair, newly appointed governor of the islands, petitioned for the treaty to be recognized, but was promptly fired for Tiernan Caroll. The Congress granted Caroll one galleon and multiple schooners along with 500 soldiers to secure the islands. Despite local leaders cries to hold peaceful negotiation, Caroll demanded total submission. Following a villages refusal to comply with this demand, he leveled the village with naval bombardment. In response the native tribes once again joined together to form a protective alliance, beginning the Second Dontalamh War. Despite his technological and firepower superiority, Caroll performed extremely poorly losing nearly 250 men in three engagements with local tribes. He was sacked by the Congress and replaced with Hood Callamer, who served the remainder of the war. The war lasted another 18 years, but ultimately the Gjorkan's technological superiority was insurmountable and in 1830 the remaining tribes surrendered. Akaroans were resettled across the islands into camps with villages being burnt and destroyed, and racial segregation introduced between Akaroans and Gjorkans.
Peace once again returned to the islands, however with the industrial revolution came an increase in immigration the islands from the mainland. In particular the whaling industry was the biggest driver of economic growth. By 1897, Port Thior had become the one of wealthiest cities in Gjorka because of the whaling business. This wealth was heavily concentrated in the Gjorkan dominated cities, with Akaroans serving as urban laborers or out in the countryside. However, this era of economic prosperity came to an end with the 1908 Gjorkan Stock Market Crash. The whaling industry, which was already struggling due to overfishing, cratered and nearly all banking disappeared from the islands. As wages were reduced and more businesses closed down, workers began to form unions and go on strike. Following the Blue Revolution and the beginning of the Second Gjorkan Civil War, the islands were initially controlled by the loyalists. They initially attempted to make peace with the socialist elements on the island, but by November the situation had deteriorated to open fighting in the streets. A socialist militia managed to secure control of Port Thior and on December 25, 1911 socialist forces from Ballymacarbry marched on Nua Ross forcing the loyalist government to resign and declare the islands allegiance to the Revolutionary Government. The new socialist government ended the resettlement camps and allowed Akaroans to reintegrate into island society. After the 1917 coup, the islands declared allegiance to the People's Republic of Gjorka. However, after the surrender of the last socialist forces the government declared independence from Gjorka declaring itself the Socialist Republic of Dontalamh.
Socialist Republic of Dontalamh
The socialist republic existed briefly from November 11, 1919 to March 3, 1920. Charles O'Brian, a Gjorkan, was elected prime minister of the islands. The republic declared Akaroans and Gjorkans to be equal within the islands and required the government to be evenly split 50/50 between Gjorkans and Akaroans. During it's brief existence, the republic attempted many times to receive international recognition, only succeeding in earning recognition from Ajakanistan on February 24, 1920, just nine days before it's eventual demise.
On February 14 1920, the newly established Gjorkan government sent a military force to re-capture the islands. The force landed outside of Nua Ross, and after threat of naval bombardment forced the soldiers in the city to retreat. They then sieged Port Thior for two weeks before forces in the city also surrender ending the Socialist Republic. As the Gjorkan government re-asserted control over the island, they attempted to re-impelent the racial segregation of Akaroans and Gjorkans and reconstruct native resettlement camps. This notion was resisted heavily by Akaroans who protested and rioted in the streets. On 17 May 1920, Gjorkan soldiers killed nearly 500 protestors in the Massacre of the 500. This event caused Akaroans to form armed resistance to Gjorkan rule, beginning the resistance phase of the Third Dontalamh War.
Rule under the Second Republic
The rule of the Second Republic over the islands was extremely harsh. Within the government controlled cities, racial segregation was strictly implanted with Akaroans being considered second class citizens to Gjorkans. Military units and police often roamed the streets discouraging Gjorkans and Akaroans interacting with one another. Akaroan were unable to: use public transportation, use Gjorkan marked restrooms or public water, hold certain jobs, walk on the same side of the street as Gjorkans, be out after 9:30 pm among others. These rules were tightly enforced, and any deviation usually resulted in severe punishment and even death.
Outside of the cities, much of the inland country was controlled by rebel groups. These groups would often raid convoys traveling between cities leading to the highways in the islands to be known as the "ambush road". The Gjorkan Air Force frequency used napalm and other chemical devices on suspected rebel holdings leading to much of the inland becoming uninhabitable even to the modern day.
Peace process and autonomy
Following the Black Revolution and the overthrow of the Second Republic, there was initially significant hope within the islands about the end of the war and of segregation within the islands. However, despite mass outrage from the Gjorkan public, the democratic government decided to continue in the war in Dontalamh. This decision was part of the Gjorkan peace process, as one of the many terms agreed to by the transition government to get the right paramilitaries to demilitarize. They demanded Gjorkan continue segregation within the islands, and for Gjorkan to "never depart from Dontalamh". The war continued on for another two years, escalating significantly as more of the Gjorkan military became focused on the islands. However, despite this they still managed to achieve little progress in securing the islands with many battles resulting in hundreds of casualties. The high casualties and futile progress only stirred on public outcry in Gjorka as pressure mounted on the government to end the war in Dontalamh. A 100,000 person anti-war march in Gjorka City, the largest march in Gjorkan history outside of the color revolutions, was the turning point in the war. By 1974 the public pressure had grown too great, and despite significant protest from right-wing factions, President Samuel MacMorrow announced a ceasefire to negotiate an end to the war. On November 11, 1974 a peace treaty was signed ending the war in Dontalamh. The treaty gave special autonomous district status, ended racial segregation and made Gjorkan and Akaroan equal languages on the islands.
Recent history
Following the peace treaty and arrival of democracy to the islands, the district's first political parties were the Dontalamh People's Party, an affiliate party of Gjorka United, the Alliance for Akaroa, formed by remnants of the Akaroan National Liberation Army and the Peace Party, formed by remnants of the Free Akaroa Movement. However, the Peace Party was unable to maintain support as the Alliance for Akaroa broadened its base and eventually dissolved in 1980. This influx of more centre and centre-right members to the Alliance caused political turmoil in the party. A internal coup from far-left members of the party caused the moderate faction to break away and form the New Akaroan Alliance in 1985. The Alliance for Akaroa was unable to maintain popularity and in 1991 dissolved.
Dontalamh remained a two-party system between the Gjorkan dominated Dontalamh People's Party and Akaroan dominated New Akaroan Alliance. The New Akaroan Alliance had initially been the affiliate party of mainland Forward Gjorka but following the election of Joe Wallace as President of Gjorka the party shifted it's position to support integration of Dontalamh into Gjorka. Union was founded in 2002 and became a significant third party contender in island politics drawing support from both Gjorkans and Akaroans. In 2011 following the election of Rahui Tawhai to leader of the New Akaroan Alliance who promised to move the party in a more left-wing direction, right-wing members of the Alliance left to form Akaroa Now.
Geography
Dontalamh consists of two islands: Oileán na Carraige (Gjorkan for Rock Island) and Oileán Thoir (Gjorkan for East Island). Their native names are Rakiura and Te Punga respectively. Oileán Thoir is the larger of the two islands being 9,636 square miles (24,958 square kilometers), nearly four times the size of Oileán na Carraige at 2,439 square miles (6,318 square kilometers). The islands are separated at their closest points by 120 miles (194 kilometeres) of ocean known as the Shipwell Strait.
As the name implies, Oileán na Carraige is a heavily rocky island containing only a handful of natural beaches. It was formed a result of volcanic activity nearly two million years ago by the now dormant volcano located on the island known as Aoraki. Aoraki is both the tallest peak on Oileán na Carraige and in all of Dontalamh being approximately 3,169 feet (966 meters) tall. The volcano is located in the northwest of the island, leading most of the islands topology being an incline towards the summit of Aoraki. The southeast of the island, home to most of the islands settlements include Nua Ross, is relatively low comparatively and less rocky than the rest of the island.
Oileán Thoir is significantly less elevated and rocky than Oileán na Carraige, being home to most of the beaches and inlets Dontalamh is famous for. Oileán Thoir was similarly formed nearly three million years ago by volcanic activity from a hotspot formed by the continental plates. However, the volcanos on the island became dormant much sooner than Aoraki, leading to their erosion over millions of years.
Climate
Dontalamh's tropical rainforest climate is extremely humid throughout most of the year, with a mean temperature of 79.7 °F (26.5 °C). June through August is the coolest period in the islands, followed by the hot and wet season from December to April. Season's are not particularly pronounced in the islands, with many of the native tribes referring only to wet and dry seasons. The annual rainfall in the islands is 120 inches (3,050 millimeters), making it one of the wettest places on Terraconserva.
Dontalamh has been classified as an "at risk" area for climate change by the Global Climate Change Watch, with the Government of the islands passing a resolution in 2022 calling for the end of the use of fossil fuels within the islands by 2030.
| Climate data for Nua Ross | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 93.0 (33.9) |
97.0 (36.1) |
93.0 (33.9) |
92.1 (33.4) |
92.5 (33.6) |
91.0 (32.8) |
91.9 (33.3) |
92.3 (33.5) |
92.1 (33.4) |
91.9 (33.3) |
92.1 (33.4) |
94.6 (34.8) |
94.6 (34.8) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 87.3 (30.7) |
86.9 (30.5) |
86.4 (30.2) |
86.9 (30.5) |
87.3 (30.7) |
86.7 (30.4) |
86.2 (30.1) |
86.7 (30.4) |
87.1 (30.6) |
87.3 (30.7) |
87.3 (30.7) |
86.9 (30.5) |
86.9 (30.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 80.1 (26.7) |
79.9 (26.6) |
79.9 (26.6) |
79.7 (26.5) |
79.9 (26.6) |
79.5 (26.4) |
79.0 (26.1) |
79.2 (26.2) |
79.7 (26.5) |
79.7 (26.5) |
80.1 (26.7) |
80.2 (26.8) |
79.7 (26.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 73.4 (23.0) |
73.4 (23.0) |
73.4 (23.0) |
73.2 (22.9) |
73.0 (22.8) |
72.5 (22.5) |
72.0 (22.2) |
71.8 (22.1) |
72.1 (22.3) |
72.5 (22.5) |
72.9 (22.7) |
73.4 (23.0) |
72.9 (22.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 68.4 (20.2) |
69.3 (20.7) |
69.3 (20.7) |
68.2 (20.1) |
68.9 (20.5) |
66.9 (19.4) |
65.7 (18.7) |
65.8 (18.8) |
64.9 (18.3) |
63.7 (17.6) |
64.0 (17.8) |
68.9 (20.5) |
63.7 (17.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 10.9 (280) |
11.3 (290) |
14.3 (360) |
8.4 (210) |
5.6 (140) |
3.8 (97) |
3.9 (99) |
3.6 (91) |
3.7 (94) |
6.1 (150) |
5.6 (140) |
8.5 (220) |
85.7 (2,180) |
| [citation needed] | |||||||||||||
Government
.JPG)
Dontalamh's status as an autonomous district has led it to developed a political system that varies significantly from that of its mainland counterparts. While the national Gjorkan government and it's devolved district counterparts operate on the presidential system, whereby the executive branch is seperate from the legislative branch, Dontalamh operates on a parliamentary system where the Governor of the islands is elected by the Dontalamh District Assembly rather than appointed by the President in the case of other districts.
The legislative branch of the Dontalamh government, the Dontalamh District Assembly, is significantly more powerful than other district legislatures being afforded the ability to pass laws that differentiate from national standards. For example, Dontalamh's official languages are Akaroan and Gjorkan while Gjorka's sole official language is Gjorkan. The National Assembly still affords the right to override any laws passed by the district assembly they believe differ too significantly from Gjorkan law, but in practice this has never occurred.
Dontalamh's elections, just as other district elections, occur every 2.5 years, the most recent in 2021, with the entirety of the District Assembly being up for election. Each member of the Assembly represents a constituency and are elected via a first-past-the-post system. Once the District Assembly has been elected, they then vote for the next Governor of the islands, typically the leader of the majority or plurality party.
Political parties
Currently Dontalamh operates with a multi-party system as four parties (the Dontalamh People's Party (CDD), the New Akaroan Alliance (CNA), Union, and Akaroa Now) hold seats in the District Assembly. Traditionally Dontalamh has been a two party system between the CDD and the CNA (and its predecessor the Alliance for Akaroa (CDA)), however in recent years Union has become a strong alternative third party.
The political parties within Dontalamh are heavily based around ethnic lines with the CDD being led mostly by Gjorkans, the CNA and Akaroa Now being led by native Akaroans, and Union being primarily led by Kerei. The centre-right CDD, which is also the local affiliate of Gjorka United, promotes a policy of status quo within the islands, preferring not to change the status of autonomous district. Union, the local centrist affiliate of Forward Gjorka, promotes a policy of integration for the islands, preferring the end of the autonomous district in favor of full integration within Gjorka. The left-wing CNA promotes local Akaroan interests, namely for the islands to be renamed to their native name of Akaroa and for an independence referendum to be held within the islands. The party takes an official policy of being neutral on independence, but multiple members, including leader Hani Himona. support independence. Lastly, the right-wing Akaroa now is the only officially pro-independence party within the district assembly.
Relations with mainland Gjorka
The Gjorkan government remains largely hands off with the political dealings of Dontalamh, instead choosing to respect its autonomy. Despite having the power to do so, the National Assembly has never once vetoed a law passed by the Dontalamh District Assembly. However, Dontalamh remains a territory of Gjorka, and thus is not entitled to self defense or foreign relations. The Gjorkan military is responsible for the defense of the islands and maintains a sizable force in the district, particularly the Naval Forces. Additionally, the judicial system is still part of the wider federal judicial system and thus any decisions by the Supreme Federal Tribunal also apply in Dontalamh.
There is considerable debate within in Gjorka about the status of Dontalamh. All of Gjorka's major political parties are relatively ambiguous on discussion of the future status of Dontalamh. Gjorka United supports a status quo with district remaining an autonomous territory. Forward Gjorka's official policy towards Dontalamh is integration with the mainland, but in practice has done little to further integration while in power. A majority of the Gjorkan public, 86% according to a poll by the Gjorka Times, supports Dontalamh remaining a Gjorkan territory. However, only 28% of those in favor, also supported Dontalamh being integrated within Gjorka.
Administrative divisions
Dontalamh is divided into 5 different counties and two independent cities, those being Port Thior and Nua Ross. Each county elects a county executive and a local county council. This process is the same in the independent cities who elect a mayor and a city council. Both the counties and independent cities are further divided into municipalities.
Demographics
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 511,796 | — |
| 1944 | 619,130 | +21.0% |
| 1965 | 679,130 | +9.7% |
| 1973 | 685,268 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 707,492 | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 745,318 | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 878,520 | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 953,574 | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 1,001,354 | +5.0% |
The population within Dontalamh as a whole has only been officially known since 1900 when the first census was completed in the islands, showing a population of 511,796. Previously only the populations of Port Thior, Nua Ross and some various other towns had been known, with estimates then being used to project the population as a whole. Thus any population totals before 1900 are considered unreliable.
Dontalamh has recorded a growing population in each of the eight censuses taken in the islands since 1900. During the Second Gjorkan Republic, only two censuses were taken in 1944 and 1965 showing a population of 619,130 and 679,130 respectively. Following the Black Revolution and the democratization, the Third Gjorkan Republic took a census of the islands in 1973 as part of the wider Census in Gjorka. Since 1980, a census has taken place every decade as part of the census.
Following the end of the Third Dontalamh War, the ensuing peace and economic prosperity has brought a population boom to the district. Since 1980, the islands have recorded population increases of 5.3%, 17.9%, 8.5%, and 5.2% in the decennial censuses. Dontalamh had its largest population boom in the 90s during a period of economic growth for both the district and Gjorka as a whole, growing by nearly 133,202 or roughly 17.9%. This boom was caused primarily by Gjorkan immigration from the mainland.
The median age of Dontalamh during the 2020 census was 27.2, with males and females being at 26.7 and 27.7 respectively. Life expectancy was at 74.90 years old in 2020 with males being at 72.83 and females at 77.97. Both Dontalamh's median age and life expectancy is lower than in Gjorka, with Gjoka having a much higher median age of roughly 35 and life expectancy of 82.
Ethnicity
Dontalamh is Gjorka's only minority majority district with native Akaroans making up 52.1% of the population in the 2020 census. Gjorkans are the next largest group making up 35.8% of the population respectively. Additionally Kerei, people of Gjorkan and Akaroan decent, make up another significant portion of the population at 10.9%. Almost all Akaroans do contain both Gjorkan and Akaroan DNA due as the two groups have intermixed heavily since the Gjorkan conquest of the islands, however most choose to classify themselves as Akaroans regardless.
Akaroans, Gjorkans and Kerei make up 98.8% of the population of the district, however other minor ethnic communities do exist within the islands. The largest of these is Khoroshiyans who live mostly in Port Thior and make up 0.4% of the population, down from 0.8% in the 2010 census.
Languages
Dontalamh is the only Gjorkan district to have two official languages, being both Gjorkan and Akaroan language. Gjorkan is considered the dominant of the two languages within the Government, with official documents having Gjorkan printed first and debate within the District Assembly being in Gjorkan. Other minor native languages exist within the islands such as Te reo and Tainui also exist, but are not officially recognized.
Over 80% of the population is bilingual according to 2020 census. Of those with only one spoken language, Gjorkan was the largest with 15% of the population listing Gjorkan as their sole language. A further 4% listed Akaroan as their sole spoken language. 52.1% of the population listed Akaroan as their primary language, while 41.3% of the population listed Gjorkan as their primary language.
There exists significant debate within Dontalamh over the status of Akaroan and Gjorkan as equal languages. One of the fiercest battles is within the public education system of Dontalamh. The current system allows schools to either choose Akaroan or Gjorkan as their primary language depending on the community they serve. However, the system also allows students to transfer between schools if their preferred language is not spoken by their closest school within their community. This had to led to significant self-segregation between Akaroans and Gjorkans.
Religion in Dontalamh from the 2020 Census
Religion
Dontalamh is Gjorka's only majority religious district, with christians making up 56.3% of the population in the 2020 census. This is due to a majority of Akaroans and a significant minority of Gjorkans being christians. Christianity has slowly become the main religion of Akaroans since the arrival of christian missionaries following the Gjorkan conquest of the islands. This rise began particularly following the end of the First Gjorkan Civil War in 1775 when christianity began gaining popularity in mainland Gjorka. The christians within Dontalamh are split almost evenly between Protestantism and Catholicism with 28.7% of the population following some sort of protestantism and 27.6% of the population following Catholicism.
Atheism and non-religion still represent a significant minority within Dontalamh with 28.7% of the population, mostly Gjorkans and Kerei, identify themselves of non-religious or atheist in the 2020 census. The growth of irreligion with Dontalamh has coincided with the decline of Druidism, as in mainland Gjorka. Druidism has fallen from 20.5% of the population in 1973 census to just 1.0% in the most recent census.
Ratana is the main native religion of Dontalamh, having been the primary religion of Akaroans up until the 19th and 20th centuries. In the modern day it is still followed by 9.5% of the population, with this number growing from the 2010 census where only 9.2% of the population followed it. This growth coincides with the revival of Akaroan culture as part of the growing Akaroan independence movement. Ratana is sole surviving native religion, with other major religions such as Tangaroa or Rongo having died out in the 20th century.
The only other significant religion within Dontalamh is Islam which represents 3.1% of the population, mainly Akaroans. Dontalamh was one of the first regions within Gjorka to have a permanent muslim population, as it was adopted by a handful of Akaroans in the 19th century. The Al-Maryam Mosque in Port Thior is the second oldest continually operating mosque in Gjorka.
Culture
Cuisine
Cuisine in Dontalamh is heavily based around seafood, with native Akaroan meals consisting mostly of fish and local agriculture. Distinctive dishes include kōura (crayfish), tuna, oysters, whitebait, pāua (abalone), mussels, scallops, pipi and tuatua (shellfish). Since the Gjorkan conquest of the islands, the native cuisine and mainland cuisine have intertwined heavily with the settlers introducing other meats to the islands including lamb, beef and chicken. The most popular of these fusion meals is Rihi heihei ika, a mixture dish of chicken and tuna that is extremely famous within the islands.
Up until its decline in the late 19th century, whale was also major part of the local delicacy. However as whale populations declined due to overfishing and soon after whaling was outlwawed, the meat slowly was phased out of local cuisine.
Literature
There is very little Akaroan literature remaining from before the Gjorkan conquest of the islands, as much of it was destroyed intentionally by Gjorkan settlers. However, since then there has been a number of notable Akaroan writers including Rona Tereiti, Patrick Arona, Taanga Tiki and Riley Kerehoma. Kerehoma is the only Akaroan writer to feature a best selling book in Gjorka with her murder mystery novel Death in the Islands being the Gjorka Times #1 seller in 2003. Tiki is also notable for being the most popular author to write only in Akaroan as she considered the Gjorkan language the "language of rapists, thieves and fascists."
Dontalamh has influenced Gjorkan writers since its conquest of the islands. The islands are also a popular destination and topic for many Gjorkan writers, with several prominent writers including Elizabeth Vanderburg, Josh Downing, Cooper Carney and Elsie Lynch among others.
Media
Mass media within Dontalamh exists in a variety of forms including radio stations, television stations and newspapers. There is significant divide between the media stations used by Akaroans and Gjorkans as most stations choose to only broadcast in either Gjorkan or Akaroan. The most popular Akaroan newspaper is the Port Thior Daily, while the most popular local newspaper among Gjorkans is typical the Dontalamh Times, a subsidiary of the Gjorka Times. The dominant telecommunications provider within the islands is Teilifís Dontalamh which provides access to most Gjorkan channels as well as a handful of local channels including Akaroan Rongorongo, DC-TS, and Whakaata Inaianei.
Dontalamh music is among the most unique and diverse within Gjorka. Native Akaroan music focused mainly on traditional chants and songs, that created a unique "monotonous" and "doleful" sound. The Haka is a well known ceremonial dance performed within local villages to welcome distinguished guests that has since become an intimidation tactic used by local sports teams, most famously the Dontalamh national football team. Modern Dontalamh is often a blend of native chants and modern music techniques, with the rock being the most popular genre within the islands.
Sports
Sports in Dontalamh, similar to mainland Gjorka, is dominated by Football and Peil. However, unlike the mainland Football is significant more popular of the two sports. Despite the small population of the islands, both major local football teams Port Thior C.C. in Port Thior and Dontalamh-Nua Ross C.C. (often abbreviated as DNR) based in Nua Ross are in the top two tiers of Gjorkan Football, being in the Gold League and Silver League respectively. Dontalamh is also represented separately in international football from Gjorka with the Dontalamh national football team. The team is famous for it's play in the OFL Continental Cup, being known as the "heart attack islands" for their ability to hold on in games against significantly more talented opponents. However despite this the team still has performed poorly in the cup, having never advanced past the group stage with a record of 3-7-26.
Peil remains significantly popular within the district, mostly among ethnic Gjorkans. The Gjorkan Peil League (SPG) often plays exhibition preseason games within the islands. The Nomakoa Mariners have been designated by the SPG as the unofficial home team of Dontalamh due to their local popularity, with the Mariners having played one preseason game in Nua Ross or Port Thior since 2007.
Dontalamh is also a popular location for watersports with the Gjorkan National Surfing championship being hosted in the islands. Lastly, the island is also home to several native Akaroan sports. The most prominent of these is Waka ama, a form of competitive canoe racing, which has been played on the island for centuries.
Economy
The economy of Dontalamh is significantly less advanced than that of Gjorka. Dontalamh ranks significantly below Gjorka in many economic factors. For example, the district's nominal GDP per capita of ₵20,123 is less than half that of the Gjorkan one at ₵45,559. Its GDP of ₵10.08 billion ranks last among districts of Gjorka. Dontalamh's Human Development Index of .745 is also dead last among districts and significantly below the Gjorkan average of 0.925. Globally, Dontalamh's GDP per capita would be ranked 29th, just above Akvarelusus but below Creeperopolis, and it's HDI would be 31st, just above Terranihil but below Uulgadzar.
Dontalamh experienced an economic boom in the 90s where the district rapidly ascended from a relatively undeveloped economy to a strong developing years. Since the turn of the century, this economic has declined with the district's GDP growth rate declining year over year since 2007. The Dontalamh is significantly boosted by aid from Gjorka, with Dontalamh receiving significantly more per capita aid from the Gjorkan government then other districts. Dontalamh's main economic drivers are the Tourism, Fishing and Mining industries.
Tourism
Tourism in Dontalamh plays a major part in the local economy. In 2022, Tourism generated roughy 20% of the country's GDP. Of Dontalamh's 501,000 annual visitors, over 75% come from Gjorka. Dontalamh is viewed a cheap destination for many Gjorkans who do not wish to leave the country. The number of tourists to Dontalamh has been increasingly rapidly since 2000 as transportation to the islands becomes more widely available and cheaper.
Dontalamh's most popular tourist destinations in the islands are Aoraki National Park, Cnoic Bhuí Black Sand Beach, and the Shipwreck of Lord Shipwell in order.
Fishing
Another significant sector within the district's economy is the fishing industry. The local EEZ around Dontalamh catches nearly 40% of all of Gjorka's fish, and represents 30% of the local economy. The industry catches a variety of fish with wild fisheries catching bigger fish such as tuna, marlin and whitefish and aquaculture catching smaller marine life such as mussels and oysters.
Fishing with the islands is extremely seasonal due to fish migration in the islands. The most profitable months are from June to September, with fish migrating to the islands during the cooler months.
Historically, whaling was also major industry within the islands, with it being the largest part of the economy in the 19th century. However by the 20th century, the local whale population had declined significantly due to overfishing and by 1975, whaling was outlawed in the islands.
Mining
Mining makes up the last and most significant sector with the Dontalamh economy, representing nearly 40% of the region's GDP. Dontalamh is home to one of the world's largest nickel deposits, with the nickel mining industry being the second largest employer in the islands behind the tourism industry. Dontalamh supplies Gjorka's with essentially all of its nickel used in manufacturing.
The Dontalamh Mining Corporation is one of the world's largest nickel mining companies, producing approximately 35% of the district's nickel output. It and other mining companies have been accused of poor working conditions with its nearly all Akaroan work force receiving minimum wage. Strikes within the mining sector as common as a result.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Currently Dontalamh is only accessible from the Gjorkan mainland, with no means of transportation existing from other countries. Additionally, the only two ways to travel to the district is either by boat of by plane. East Cruises is the largest company servicing cruise trips to the islands offering both transportation and hospitality cruises. East Cruises was founded in 1975 to serve as boat transportation for the islands. The company was privatized in 1993, with the government stil retaining 30% ownership. East Cruises offers both direct service to the islands and luxury tours. Both of its main competitors: Dontalamh Tours and Cross-seas Ferries only offer tours or direct service respectively.
The more common method of travel to the islands is via air. The two largest airports are Shipwell Airport located in Port Thior and Nua Ross Airport in Nua Ross. Aer Dontalamh, a subsidiary of Aer Gjorka is the largest carrier flying to the islands, however Danielaer, a subsidiary of Spéir, has become steadily more popular in recent years.
Within Dontalamh, ferries are commonly used for transportation between the islands, and roads used for transportation within the islands. Both islands have one major highway. For Oileán na Carraige, there is DH-1 which is a circular highway around the edge of the island connecting most of the major settlements. Similarly there is DH-2 in Oileán Thoir which creates a u-shape following the coast of the island. In both islands, inland road systems are often poorly maintained with many of native villages only being accessible by dirt road.
See also
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