Uldum

**Uldum** (Ulda: Uldumi) is the southernmost region of Kalimdor, as well as its most populated region with roughly 11 million people living in Uldum as of the modern day. The region is surrounded by the Veiled Sea to the west and the South Sea to the east. Its geographical location cuts it off from the rest of southern Kalimdor thanks to its mountainous ranges that span from Uldum's southwest to the north.

Thanks to the dozens of rivers, lakes and oases that span throughout Uldum's geography, the region was vital to the Uldumani Empire under the late Qirajid dynasty because of its status as the breadbasket of southern Kalimdor as well as an ample supply of manpower that expanded and colonized neighbouring regions. Today, Uldum as a whole is an independent nation cut off from the rest of Kalimdor as a consequence of decades of isolationist policies advocated by the many dynasties that ruled it ever since the collapse of the Uldumani Empire.

### Geography

Uldum lies in the southernmost part of Kalimdor. It is bordered by Tanaris to the north, Ahn'Qiraj to the west and Un'goro to the northwest. Uldum's natural defenses have had a great impact on its resident's lives as well as their policies which revolve around isolationism.

Uldum holds a diverse set of biomes from arid deserts to mediterranean. The majority of Uldum's landscapes are made up of arid deserts with very few oases dotting the land. These deserts are mainly concentrated in both Canaemidia and Yimarad, with the rest of the region enjoying either mediterranean or subtropical landscapes thanks to its rivers and lakes.

Influenced by its position within the subtropical pass of the world, Uldum's climate is very dry and hot with minimal rainfalls throughout the year. While its average daytime temperature in its coastal regions can reach 30°C during summer, the average in its inland desert can reach up to 48°C, proving fatal for the unprepared.

Because of Uldum's secrecy, the entire region is surrounded in mystery, and oftentimes finds itself not existing on the maps of Kalimdor that were not made by Uldumani hands.

#### The Vir'naal

The Vir'naal is the longest river in Uldum. The river begins in Akhma and flows southeast, through Tygria and Tol'vir. Due to its strategic placement and its sheer size, the Vir'naal river fuels hundreds of acres of fertile lands and contributes more than 50% to Uldum's water supply. The river naturally branches out into the Vir'naal delta across the entirety of Tol'vir's coastline, feeding the floodplains surrounding the delta.

The construction of the Vir'naal Dam prevents the annual floods of the Vir'naal river which used to happen annually during Uldum's summer months. While these floods made the soil more fertile, they also proved to be dangerous for the inhabitants surrounding the river.

#### Natural resources

While most of the population remains significantly reliant on timber found around the length of the Vir'naal river, Uldum is known for its abundant coal reserves found in the mountainous passes surrounding Canaemidia and Akhma. Coal must be mined underground, as open-pit mines are too expensive to be realized in the difficult terrain. Precious metals such as gold or silver can be found dotting the entire region, though most of its mines are found in Tygria and Nida. A rare phenomenom which involves Uldum's abundant supply of gold can be found in the Vir'naal river, where miniscule particles of gold can be found sitting at the bottom of the river. Most of Uldum's iron ore supply comes from Yimarad, where mining complexes have been constructed for its extraction and later processed to remove any impurities, transforming the ore into raw steel.