Kenestral

Kenestral is a state of Margate and is the political, economic and cultural center of the nation, housing the capital Margate City. With a population of roughly ten million, six million of which reside in the Margate City metropolitan area, it is the most populated and has the largest population density in the entire nation.

History
For a detailed report of the state's history up to 2008, see: Margate

Kenestral, along with the other Ambassador Islands, had been settled by tribal people since 300BCE, and had a relatively good postion on trading routes and fisihing locations. However, it was much unknown to the civilised world until 1495 when Lloyd Ootama claimed the island and established a colony when true growth and prosperity began. With its strategic position, it became known as a famous trading hub at the crossroads of North and South, and many traders and travellers used it as a stopover to rest, restock and trade. The primary location where most of this trade occurred was at the very south of the island, where the Crossian straits, where most ships passed through, were. The town of Kanas-tra was then the economic hub of the island, and its flourished and grew. In 1583 the island was ceded to the Sherbians to the north, who were much more wealthy and developed. Over time, as the Sherbian government largely ignored the island, the trading hubs fell into disuse and were abandoned as the local residents emigrated north to Sherby Hoodwounds.

In 1810, the High Penguin Confederacy claimed the island, and set up a trading port at the south-western portion of the island, a town called Muxen, which soon grew busy but was plagued with piracy. The HPC also set up new trading bases along the coastlines - Eastion, Fjord Snowhox, Margate and Torrey. Each of these trading posts were highly successful and captured most of the traffic passing through this route. One city however stood out - Margate Town was the most prosperous due to its natural sheltered harbours, lax immigration policy and low taxation rates. Eventually Margate Town would go on to be the economic and political capital of Kenestral.

The Japalandese occupation the resulted after the HPC coup in 1913 was a period of suffering, and for five years everyone lived under oppressive rule and poor economic conditions, with thousands dying from starvation, disease and genocide. After the Japalandese occupation, HPC rule ended and Kenestral Island (renamed Margate Island) became a Sherbian colony once more. Marked by social unrest and economic collapse, the Margatian populace was unhappy with Sherbian rule by 1940, barely twenty years after re-occupation. The civil war that ensued resulted in the Sherbians agreeing to immediate self independence in 1945. In 1963 it merged with Azilda, but the racial tensions that came out of it resulted in Margate Island being expelled and becoming an independent nation of its own - Margate Antarctica Island.

During the period as an independent nation the name Kenestral became highly used after a periodd of decline, thanks to archaeologists uncovering the ruins of Kanas-tra, and existed primarily in government-owned companies and national institutions such as the state's investment fund, Kenestral Holdings and the University of Kenestral. It was only up to 2008 when Margate Island was renamed to Kenestral Island to avoid confusion with the name of the nation which now comprised of three major islands instead of only that particular one. Today, Kenestral Island is a key economic hub, with trade still the primary contributor of its GDP.