Gdjestrana

The **Papaya Republic of Gdjestrana** is a fictional nation in Bujanski pop culture. Like many of its neighbours, its exact details vary between different authors and artists' interpretations; however, it is usually a reflection of their homeland of Bujan.

 Flag and symbols

The flag of the Republic of Gdjestrana is a golden rectangular banner with a white bar and hexagon. The golden background stands for the country's high technological standards, the white stripe for order, and the white hexagon symbolises scientific advancement. However, many artists may use other interpretations for Gdjestrana's flag.

The national animal of Gdjestrana would by either a yak, a seagull, a peregrine falcon, or a *Simargl*.

Its national motto is *Cherjez Ternii Ka Zvjozdam*, which means "Through hardship to the stars".

Its national days are May 19 (Independence Day) and June 13 (Federation Day). May 19 celebrates its independence from the Kingdom of Zvesta (now Bujan), and June 13 celebrates the formation of the republic with westerly Zvestora and its allies.

## Geography

See also: Provinces of Gdjestrana

It is located somewhere off the southern coast of Darania, making it a tropical nation. However, what kind of land Gdjestrana controls varies: it would either be a large island or an archipelago.

Its capital is the gleaming/choking metropolis of Gdjegrad.

## Government

It is a federal republic ruled by an elected President.

## Military

The Gdjestranian military is depicted as being as advanced as Bujan (at the time of writing), or perhaps much more advanced than nearly every other country. Depending on the artist, its soldiers either wear olive uniforms, blue and yellow uniforms, dark grey armour, or white armour.

Gdjestranians usually fire red or blue lasers.

Much of the Gdjestranian water and space navies' ships are built at the Sardine Islands, along with half of Gdjestrana's mechas that protect the local foundries. Gdjestrana is also one of a handful of nations on Jerde that continue using mechas (which are considered obsolete elsewhere), like Porashon.

## Economy

Gdjestrana has a developed, First World economy, and its technological level resembles that of modern Bujan (modernised or very advanced, depending on time period). It proudly practices a capitalist economy, although various smaller private organisations keep most of its people employed and out of poverty. Aentom and North Jaesharko are exceptions, as these two islands are dominated by corporations that dislike each other.

Papayas are the main cash crop and export of the whole archipelago.

## Demographics

See also: Gdjestranian mythology

The Gdjestranian people are Darroskei or Slavonian -- that is, most of them are peach-skinned humans with fair hair and colourful eyes, like the Bujanski. Some works mention that occasionally, small amounts of foreigners also live in Gdjestrana's major cities. Their society is usually conservative, they enjoy a high standard of living (though poverty may still exist in some districts), and they value education and science above everything else.

The Gdjestranian national culture is an Ardeschenised ("Westernised") culture with elements from their Slavonian ancestors. Although the Gdjestranians speak in an outdated form of Bujanski, many are learning a modernised vocabulary to catch up with the rest of the world.

Most Gdjestranians devoutly practice the Rodnover religion, and the most popular god in their country is Svetovid, the four-headed god of war.

Mutants in Gdjestrana do not even need any gauntlets to control their powers: on the contrary, the islands of Zvesljuch, Aentom, and the Jaesharko archipelago have the most freedoms for sdachels to use their powers as much as they please. Zvesljuch's sdachels are also the most powerful and dangerous in the whole republic, strong enough that they are capable of creating hazardous storms in the western shores of their island.

## Trivia

* Gdjestrana may be inspired by Singapore, Taiwan, the superheroes of X-Men, the stereotypes of a "banana republic", and America and its ambitions.
	+ "Try to guess where its islands' names come from, and you'll get a golden ticket to Nowhere," is a tagline for "Fifth Fitting Scissors", a surrealist comedy set in those tropical islands.
* Commonly, Gdjestrana is depicted as an intermediary between mundane nations and other "fantastic" realms, such as Zostrana and Parmankjapoi. It is also used by authors to compare Bujan's present condition and problems, and how many of them have failed to meet Gdjestrana's high standards.
	+ Some authors also depict Gdjestrana as a close ally of Bujan, due to their similar cultures and ethnic descent.
	+ Others portray the country as a target of enemy armies and invasive warmongers, who sought to steal its wealth.
	+ Still others happily describe its frequent attempts and failure to reunify the breakaway island of Port Gdjeza.
* Gdjestrana's name should be pronounced as "guh-DYES-trah-nah" ([g(ə)ˈdjestranə]).

### Why is it "peculiar"?

* Gdjestrana (if it exists) would be one of those countries with a significant sdachel population. It would also be among the last countries to still use mechas in its armed forces.

## See also

* Other fictional realms in Jerdiskar pop culture
	+ Port Gdjeza, a separatist city-state
	+ Zostrana, a kingdom of sorcerers
	+ Kogdoza, a feudal kingdom of time-travellers
	+ Parmankjapoi, another science-based civilisation and its current rival
	+ Ruotan, a drug-addicted realm
	+ Varunicha, a generic distant realm
	+ Chivurii, a generic desert archipelago realm
* Bujanski glossary, if you wish to make a conversation in Gdjestrana's lingua franca