Kanowa

Kanowa (srb. Kanova) is a state of the United Provinces, which lies in central United Provinces. The state borders the most states out of any state in the United Provinces, bordering all but two states, Dolphinas City and Caspian. Being one of the largest states and located in the middle, the area that now is Kanowa has seen the rise and fall of multiple regimes, including the Osloven Empire. Today, Kanowa is a mostly agricultural state, of which the economy is based on, but the state also boasts a large tourism centered in the largest city, Doriath.

Etymology
Kanowa is of an unknown etymology, although linguistic experts believe that the name Kanowa comes from kao nova in Serbian, meaning (good) as new. Other linguists believe that it derives from a Glodic language, but so far there is no evidence to prove that claim.

History
See also: History of the United Provinces

The first tribes to settle in Kanowa were the Pennic tribes, followed by a brief Penguin Empire occupation. Eventually came the Recidens and Glodes, the latter who managed to conquer the whole area of Kanowa and form the Glodic Empire. The capital of the Glodic Empire was Glodia, a city whose ruins are located in northeastern Kanowa. During this time many major cities in Kanowa were also founded, such as Doriath, later to become the largest city in the region. Major battles took place on the territory of Kanowa and the Oslovens managed to successfully annex the Glodic Empire and establish the Osloven Empire.

In the middle ages the region that encompasses Kanowa was under the rule of the Principality of Kanova, a wealthy and powerful principality that was centered in the Doriath, a major trading center and port that was the capital at the time. Eventually, the daughter of the Prince of Kanova married the son of the Osloven Emperor, and Kanova was united into the Osloven Empire as a province, though they continued to have much autonomy. Kanowa supported the House of Fronfir in the war of succession in the 13th century, but were pardoned after the war when Fronfir joined with Aventine.

Kanowa was known as the Osloven Dairyland and Kanowa was the second wealthiest and most productive region of the country, behind only Staplia. Industry boomed in Kanowa in the late 18th century, and at the beginning of the 19th century, during the Osloven Civil War, Kanowa was the site of many, many great battles which damaged the infrastructure and many major cities. Many great politicians were also born in Kanowa, such as Jovan Petrović, Prime Minister from the middle of the 19th century.

When the Osloven Empire was invaded during the Khanzem War, Kanowa continued to hold out bravely against the Khanzem forces, despite being massively outnumbered. Though the Kanowan soldiers fought fiercely against the Khanzem forces, they were eventually outnumbered and overwhelmed, and 300,000 Kanowan soldiers evacuated first to Penland, before evacuating again by sea to Dragonstone, which supported the Good Guys, when Khanzem invaded Penland as well. The evacuations were incredibly exhausting and many Kanowan soldiers eventually died due to lack of food. Years later, towards the end of the war, Kanowan soldiers invaded Kanowa again with the aid of the Dragonstonian allies, and succeeded.

Kanowa's relevancy in the country fell throughout the 19th century as the cities of Dolphinas, Winsburg and Snegrade / Snegrad (Snowy City) began to rise. Under President Horacije in the second half of the 20th century Kanowa started booming again and the government encouraged people to move to Kanowa and create new settlements or move into the existing cities. One of these new settlements was the city of Shallow Crossroads, founded in the 1990s, which would grow to become the capital of Kanowa and the second largest city in the state, after Doriath.

Economy
Kanowa is a very agricultural state, and about two thirds of the population lives in farms in the countryside. The abundance of rivers and fertile soil allows for a thriving farming industry, and Kanowa is responsible for growing much of the country's food. One of the largest industries besides agriculture is shipping, which is based in the Port of Doriath, the state's only major seaport, in the state's largest city of Doriath. Doriath also has a major tourism industry, with many from both the United Provinces and other parts of Antarctica coming to see the city's many sites.

The state is one of the richest in the United Provinces, with much of its economy stemming from Doriath. The average income is higher than most states in the United Provinces, and the quality of life and cost of living is one of the highest in the nation as well. Kanowa also has a low unemployment rate, at about 2%, which is higher than the national average, but still lower than other states and is a low unemployment in general. The state government has been working to lower the unemployment rate to the national average of 1.7% or lower.

Culture
Though the Penguin Empire only occupied Kanowa for a short time, their traces of their presence are still visible in Kanowa today in the form of old ruins. Many ruins of settlements and landmarks from the Penguin Empire are still visible today, and are visited by millions each year, which boosts the tourism of Kanowa. Some other popular historical landmarks include the ruins of Glodia, the old capital city of the Glodic Empire, and the historic old city of Doriath, which dates back to the middle ages and draws millions of visitors each year.

Geography
Kanowa is mostly flat, with no major mountains, and only a few small hills. There are two major plains, the Central Plains and the Shallow Plains, where a large part of the farming takes place. One major river, the Dolphinas River, flows through the state, and is considered the state's lifeblood due to the fact that it irrigates much of the farmland near its banks. There are also two smaller rivers, the Central River and the Shallow River. Most of the state is covered in grassland, with little forest, besides a few trees.

Transportation
The main transportation is road transportation, and like all states, Kanowa is served by the Interland Highway System, the highway system of the country. Water transportation is the second most common mode of transportation, and a large part of the population has boats, which are used to traverse the rivers that run through the state. As the only major seaside city in the state, Doriath also uses water transportation. Trains are also often used, and many train lines run through the state, along with a subway system in Doriath. Air transportation is also popular, but not as much as the other modes. The state has two major airports, Doriath International Airport the main airport, and Shallow Crossroads International Airport.

Trivia

 * Some popular foods in Kanowa include cevapcici, pljeskavica, and rakija, which is a type of cream soda.
 * Kanowa is based off of Serbia, but not completely.