Demographics of Terranihil

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Terranihil, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

As of 2021, the population of Terranihil was 92.2 million. Vaktrian people are the largest ethnic group, followed by Arameans.

Ethnic groups and languages

Vaktrians

Vaktrians are the majority ethnic group of Terranihil. They originate from the region of Vaktria in western Terranihil. They speak the Vaktrian language, a language isolate, which has multiple dialects. Subgroups of Vaktrians generally correspond to the spoken dialect of Vaktrian.

Southerners

Southern Vaktrians, sometimes called Dastivians, are from southern Vaktria and speak the Southern dialect of Vaktrian. Southern Vaktrian identity dates back to the Ragasan Kingdom (515–760). The majority of Southern Vaktrians are Vaktrian Christians. Some scholars consider them to be an ethnoreligious group. Accents of Southern Vaktrian include Dastivian, the accent of Dastivus.

Merashans

Merashan Vaktrians, sometimes called Northern Vaktrians, are from northern Vaktria and speak the Merashan dialect of Vaktrian. Merashan identity dates back to the Septarban Kingdom (325–780). About 75% of Merashans are Astrian and the rest are Imranist. Accents of Merashan include Minaltarian, the accent of Minaltar.

Hetisians

Hetisian Vaktrians, sometimes called Eastern Vaktrians, are from the historical region of Terranihil and speak the Hetisian dialect of Vaktrian. Hetisian identity dates back to the early Terranilian Empire (11th century). The majority of Hetisians are Astrian.

Travelers

Vaktrian Travelers are a peripatetic ethnic group originating in Vaktria. They are predominantly Vaktrian-speaking and have their own cryptolectic dialect of Vaktrian called Ametan. The majority are Shiya Muslims who practice Sufism, but there are also Astrian Travelers.

Arameans

Arameans are an ethnic group from Alaia. They speak Aramaic and practice Pytabian Christianity.

Kavardans

Kavardans are an ethnolinguistic group from Kavarda who speak Kavardan, a Gesporian language. They mostly practice Sunni Islam, but there are Pytabian Christian and Jewish Kavardans as well.

Acillians

Acillians are an ethnolinguistic group from the Terranilian Desert who speak Acillian, a Gesporian language. They mostly practice Astrianism, but there are Muslim Kavardans as well.

Druz

Druz are an ethnoreligious group that originate from Jabal al-Druz. They practice Druzism, which branched off from Imranism and combines aspects of Christianity and Astrianism. Druz are descendant from Arabs who settled the region during the Zuhraid Caliphate. They speak the Druz variant of Arabic sometimes called Vaktrio-Arabic for its incorporation of aspects of Vaktrian.

Jews

There are Aramaic-speaking Jews in Alaia and Kavarda.

Arabs

During the Muslim rule of Alaia, some Arameans were Arabized. There still exists a small population of Arabic-speakers in eastern Terranihil.

Farkmen

Farkmen are an itinerate ethnic group of Jackian origin. They traveled to Vaktria around the 11th century. They speak the Fergman language, which is derived from old Jackian but has significant Vaktrian influence. Most practice Astrianism, though their faith incorporates aspects of Catholicism.

Religions

Astrianism

Astrianism is the religion of about half of Terranilians, and the religion of most Vaktrians. It is a pantheistic faith based on the teachings of the ancient prophet Astera. Astrian theology is based around the infinite, eternal being called Nav from which all things in existence originate. The principle texts of Astrianism are contained in the Aftar, which were compiled around 400 BCE. There are multiple denominations of Astrianism.

Paitestanism

Paitestanism is one of the two most commonly practiced denomination of Astrianism. It is based on the interpretations of the Aftar by Paitest, an Astrian priest who assisted in compiling the first Aftar. He wrote his interpretation as an appendix to the text. Paitestanism is the oldest denomination. It has a neutral monist perspective on Nav, holding that fundamental reality is neither physical nor soul (mental), but rather a neutral being underlies both the mental and physical worlds.

Hadrianism

Hadrianism is one of the most practiced denominations. It is based on the teachings of Hadrian the Wise, who lived in the 15th century. Hadrianism has a materialist interpretation of Nav, teaching everything is fundamentally physical and that mind is illusory. Hadrianism is quickly growing in membership, as its materialist views have grown popular under modern secular governments of Terranihil.

Thantism

Thantism has an idealist theology, claiming that mind is the most fundamental category of being, while the physical universe is illusory. Thantism began during the Septarban Kingdom and grew in popularity during the Terranilian Empire.

Christianity

Christianity is the second largest religion of Terranihil, making up about 27% of the population.

Pytabian Christianity

Pytabian Christianity is the largest denomination of Christianity in Terranihil. Almost all Arameans are Pytabian Christian, as well as some Kavardans. There are two main Pytabian churches: the Pytabian Church of the West and the Pytabian Orthodox Church. Pytabian Christianity is named after the language of its earliest practicioners and its liturgy, the Pytabian dialect of Aramaic, and after the region of Pytabia in Southern Alaia from which the religion originated.

Vaktrian Christianity

Vaktrian Christianity is Christianity that originated in Vaktria and uses the Vaktrian alphabet in litrugy. The main church is the Vaktrian Orthodox Church, also simply called the Vaktrian Church. It is a Miaphysite Orthodox Church. The vast majority of its adherents are ethnic Vaktrian.

Islam

Islam is the third largest religion. Most Terranilian Muslims are Shiya, specifically Imranists.

Imranism

Imranism is the dominant branch of Islam in Terranihil. Imranism developed during the Zuhraid Caliphate and rose to become a significant branch of Shiya Islam during the Haltemid Caliphate. Most Imranists are Vaktrians on the west coast of Terranihil.

Sunnism

Sunni Islam is prominent in eastern Terranihil. Most Terranilian Sunnis are Kavardans, but there are Arab Sunnis in Alaia as well.

Judaism

Judaism is the religion of Kavardan and Aramaic Jews.

Other

Druz and Haythamites, despite branching off from Imranism, do not consider themselves Muslim.