Nation/Hackleberry Islands

The Peaceful Republic of the Hackleberry Islands
Motto: "Pacem, prosperitatis, libertas"
Anthem: I Vow to Thee, My Country
Capital		Neptune City
Official languages		English, French, Armenian, Irish Gaelic
Demonym		Hacklet (official)
Government		Federal presidential republic
-	President	David Hackett
History
-	Established by Jean-Louis Blueberry	July 26, 1799
Area
-	Total	170,000 km2 65,000 sq mi
-	Water (%)	48%
Population
-	2014 estimate	65,000,000 (NS Actual: 3,750,000,000) (4th in Kennan)
Currency		Berry (ß)
Time zone		Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5)
Date format		mm ˘ dd ˘ yyyy
Calling code		+232
Internet TLD		.hi

The Hackleberry Islands, officially designated as The Peaceful Republic of the Hackleberry Islands, is a country located east of the mainland of Kennan, located to the south of the Sandwich Territories, to the west of The Bagel Lands and The Pie in the Sky, and to the east of Ethan Foley, located on the mainland. The nation is an island archipelago consisting of 5 major islands (Technically, there are 8, but the smaller islands of the Tide Isles are conglomerated into a single island, due to their size).

The nation was formed in 1799 after citizens who had migrated from the nearby Sandwich Territories wanted to govern themselves due to a very strong sense nationalism. The Sandwich Territories allowed the citizens independence, and the Hackleberry Islands was founded on July 26th, 1799. The government was founded under Jean-Louis Blueberry, the primary lobbyist for independence, and the political system was established shortly after. The Hackleberry Islands and the Sandwich Territories have since remained very close allies and signed a permanent peace treaty in 1869. The channel located between the two nations has since been named "The Sandberry Channel".

The nation, like neighboring Samukan, is a federal presidential republic, headed by the legislative Hackleberry Islands Senate & Roll House, the Judicial System, and the Presidental System. The government is headed in Neptune City, the capital and largest city in the nation. The currency is the berry (ß), and is worth roughly USD $1.29, EUR €0.95, or GBP £0.76. The economic system is heavily socialist, and mildly regulated by the government. Taxation is at 10% of citizens' yearly income; The government allows the people to choose where their taxes go. A large amount goes to education, environmental services, healthcare, and public services, with lesser amounts going to industry and manufacturing.

The Hackleberry Islands have an extremely varied climate over an area no more than 300 miles from the Sandberry Channel to the southern tip of the Tide Isles (north to south). The northern two islands and the majority of the Westminster Island (the central island) are relatively temperate, while the southern islands and a minority of Westminster Island are warmer, almost subtropical. While the exact cause of this is unknown, many scientists agree that the Hackleberry Islands, as well as its neighbor The Bagel Lands are split by warm/cool ocean currents and warm/cool jet streams. This dramatic climate difference means that the Hackleberry Islands and the Bagel Lands are the epicenters of some of the most violent hurricanes and tropical storms in Kennan.

Culturally, the Hackleberry Islands have been known to other nations to be overall extremely courteous and friendly, known to some as "The Canada of Kennan", and is known for being pacifist, not having declared war once in the nation's history. This pacifist nature often means that the Hackleberry Islands are often targeted for terror attacks and regional conflicts. Yet, the nation's diplomacy and pacifist peace-seeking nature has led to what has been coined as "The Hackleberry Effect", meaning that the majority of nations in Kennan will aid the Hackleberry Islands in the event of a conflict or negative situation. Thus, there are not many nations who are public enemies with the Hackleberry Islands, if there are any at all. The nation holds a large amount of influence in Kennan's government, often being assigned the Secretary Nation of Human Rights in regional politics. The Hackleberry Islands have also followed the footsteps of the Sandwich Territories in pursuing foreign relations with other nations in related regions, such as the Sandwich Territories in the South Pacific. In this aspect, the Hackleberry Islands has been one of the de facto ambassadors to smaller regions from Kennan, such as The United Coalition.

Geographical Information

The Hackleberry Islands is an island archipelago composed of five major islands: Westminster Island, Crescent Island, the Keystone Mountains, the Tide Isles, and Sprite Island. The nation is located south of Sandwich Territories, to the west of The Bagel Lands, and The Pie in the Sky, as seen on the map, and to the east of Ethan Foley.

Each of the 5 islands has their own personality, people, ecosystem, and natural features.

Westminster Island is the largest island, in the center of the archipelago. Regarded as the main island, it generally resembles a circle, has a diameter of 250 kilometers from its northernmost city, Cambridge, to the southernmost city, Neptune City, the capital. Westminster Island is best known for being a communication, transportation, and shipping hub of Kennan. Aside from trade, the island has a large technological industry, and produces the majority of the Islands' energy. The western and southern coasts of Westminster Island are separated by a contiguous bay, which appears to resemble large rivers from space. The southern portion of the island has a temperate climate, with warm summers at 70°F (21°C), and cool/cold winters, generally ranging at 25°F (-3°C). Due to the Keystone Mountains, the northeastern area of Westminster Island has cooler summers at 60°F (15°C), and similar winter temperatures at 20°F. Many areas contain deciduous forests, coniferous forests, lakes & streams, and marshes nearby some coastal areas. Grasslands and coniferous forests may be located inland. Glacial rock formations & springs densely populate the land, due to the large amount of ground water in the ecosystem. Hot springs and geysers are occasional sights, while more common on the Keystone Mountains.

The Keystone Mountains is an island consumed by a mountain range that rises above sea level, due to volcanic activity that occurred about 2 million years ago. The climate consists of the Keystone Mountain Range, with various deciduous forests near sea levels, and plateaus at higher elevations. While populated near the coastline facing Westminster Island, the rest of the island is sparsely populated, with the exception for scientists nearby the range, and native peoples that have survived in the mountain range for hundreds of years. The temperatures at sea level very rarely rise above 50°F (10°C) in summers. In winter, the temperature averages at sea level at 10°F (-12°C). However, temperatures in all seasons can lower to levels that cannot sustain human life, depending on the season. Several mountains nearly reach the death zone, at 26,000 ft (8000 m), such as Mt. Berry, the tallest peak in the nation, and a competitor for one of the tallest in the world, reaching to 24,975 ft (7612 m). While Mt. Berry and the surrounding mountains are dormant, many erupt in a calm flow on a daily basis into the sea, providing spectacular shows for boaters. Geysers and hot springs are also very common sights.

Crescent Island is named for its shape - It resembles a face in a half moon. Economically, it's the center of agriculture of Hackleberry. The land consists of grasslands, and marshes. Much of the land is used for farming: 38% of the land is owned for farmland. Orchards, vineyards, stables, ranches, dairy farms, and plantations dot the landscape. Many cities dot the coast, allowing materials to be sent to the other islands for consumption and further distribution. Urban and suburban areas exist in average quantities, but with large amounts of farming settlements. Summers are warm at 70°F (21°C), and winters are cool at 40°F (4°C). Snow, while not a rare occurrence, does not occur as often as islands to its north. It does receive a lot of precipitate in general, most commonly rain.

The Tide Isles are a miniature archipelago of three small sized islands: Chatham, Heath, and Poxdale. The islands are grouped together into one title: The Tide Isles. Best known for its tourism and sea-faring population, the Tide Isles have the second highest population of the nation, and are thickly settled. All three islands have the same climate, similar to Crescent Island. Warm summers at 70°F (21°C) and cool winters at 40°F (4°C). The three islands have similar ecosystems: Deciduous forests and marine ecosystems cover the isles. Poxdale has a large marine ecosystem due to its small size, and harbor economy. Described as "Tropical, but not tropical", the Tide Isles are a popular tourist destination in all seasons, and are generally warmer than the other four islands. It also tends to receive less precipitation in general as well.

Sprite Island is a smaller sized island that is located northwest of Westminster Island. It has warm-mild summers at 60°F (15°C) and cool winters at 40°F (4°C). Notorious for its mild weather and cooler temperatures, Sprite Island has an island inside it, which it surrounds. While unknown how this small island came to be, it's known as Derby. Sprite Island is best known for its historic and environmental value: Some areas of Derby have remained relatively preserved since the founding of the country in 1866, and some areas have not been touched by humans for years on the rest of the island. For this reason, some areas of Sprite Island are kept under the protection of the National Environmental Agency. It also consumes the least amount of energy of the 5 islands. The ecosystem of Sprite Island is a deciduous forest & coniferous forest mix.