Aardlaver

Aardlaver (Aardlaverese: Ārdlaever), officially the Republic of Aardlaver (Aardlaverese: Repūblikae Ārdlaever), is a sovereign state located on the continent of Allangria. An entirely landlocked state located along the middle of the River Aard, Aardlaver borders Octolavia to the east, Creltaria to the north and northeast, and Spereschia to the west and northwest. Aardlaver has a population of 5,193,201, making Aardlaver is the 97th-largest country by population worldwide, and the 31st-largest on the Allangrian continent. With land area of 711 square kilometers, Aardlaver is the smallest country in the world, and also the most densely-populated. The capital and largest city of the country is Dolsowy. Other major cities and towns include Guchavi, Bnaboy, and Hetēhwila.
Aardlaver's people, the Aardlaverese, have existed since roughly 30,000 BCE, but have faced extreme hardships due to their homeland, which, being along a river situated near several different biomes of land, was very favourable due to it's fertility. In 31 CE, the Aardlaverese tribes lost a fight with the Kingdom of Spereschia, which occupied the area for years. The Aardlaverese were not subjugated as severely as the other minorities in Spereschia due to their cultural similarities.
Aardlaverese independence movements had existed prior, but hadn't become anything on a major scale until 2001, with the spark of the Spereschian Civil War. In 2013, after establishing a foothold around the city of Dolsowy, Aardlaver agreed to an armistice with Spereschia, granting the country independence. Now independent, Aardlaver began to focus on building up an economy. Much of it's exports include agricultural supplies, such as herbs and spices, which were favoured by many nations. In recent years, the government of Aardlaver has begun to lean towards Jonathia, which has sparked some controversy.
Aardlaver is a developing country. It is a member of the GUIS and the Union of Allangrian States. It is also an applicant to join the Commonwealth of Nations.
== Etymology ==
Aardlaver's English name is a transliteration of its Aardlaverese name, Ārdlaever. "Aard" derives from the River Aard. "Laever" is a word meaning "a group". The word laever descended from the similarly-pronounced laivara in Spereschian. Hence, Aardlaver's name means "the group [along/on] the River Aard".
Aardlaver is the first country when ordered alphabetically.
== See also ==
Category:Aardlaver
Category:Countries in Allangria
Category:Allangria
Category:Countries