Shanting (Landmass)

Shanting is one of the seven continents on the planet of Utopia. It comprises four large islands – Kuzikstan, Sazistan, Hurona, and Quziq – and is almost entirely in the southern and western hemispheres. Despite being the smallest continent by landmass it has the fourth largest population, boasting more people than Wasari, the Obsidian Isles, and Tramuntana. The continent is also unique for being entirely united in a single political entity, the Zovist Empire of Shanting. The continent’s geography is characterised by easily navigable waters within, making travel between islands easy; and rough, difficult to navigate waters beyond this, making travelling between Shanting and other continents extremely difficult for most of history. This fact led to Shanting being isolated and disconnected from the activity of the rest of the world, yet very interconnected within itself, leading to it developing independently for most of history. This phenomenon is most evident when analysing the cultures of Shanting, as whilst they are numerous and varied all of them share various common themes such as an emphasis on warrior culture and communalism around the family. Shanting’s large population and comparative lack of resources such as fertile land eventually led to competition between the various states of the islands over who should control them. The continent would go through numerous periods of squabbling states, after which one would emerge victorious and largely unite the continent under their banner – only then finding out that governing such vast territories and gigantic populations proved far too difficult resulting in various empires collapsing in on themselves largely under their own weight. Various empires such as the Golden Horde, Kuzian Empire, and Jazkovnian Imperium would try and fail to unify Shanting at various points in history; recently a Huronan movement was successful in uniting the continent under a Zovist government, but if it will last is yet to be seen.