---
title: "Auritania"
nativeTitle: "Gloriosa República de Auritania"
type: "overview"
nation: "auritania"
infobox: (36 rows)
---
**Auritania** (Auritania, *or-ih-TAY-nee-uh*), officially the **Glorious Republic of Auritania** (Gloriosa República de Auritania, *glo-RYO-sa reh-POO-blee-kah deh ow-ree-TAH-nee-ah*), is a country in Southern [[elysia]]. It borders [Hollosend](https://www.nationstates.net/nation=hollosend/detail=factbook/id=2681325) to the north and Ponurvia through the Aztekische Islands, while having maritime access to the Western Panthalassan Ocean to the west, the [Bay of Anahuac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Campeche) to the southwest, the Terranova Gulf to the northeast, and the Sea of Auritania to the southeast and processing a large lake, Lake Nahá, and the northern portion of Lake Tranquility. Auritania covers 2,931,723 km² (1,131,945 sq mi), and is the 6th largest country in the world by land area. With a population exceeding 141 million as of 1931, Auritania is the 10th most populous country in the world and is home to the largest number of native Oestenic speakers. [[auritania-city]] is the capital and largest city in Auritania, which ranks among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world.
Human presence in Auritania dates back to at least 12,000 BCE in Eastern Auritania, although dates as old as 28,000 BCE have been proposed for less securely dated sites in Western Auritania. Western Auritania, considered a cradle of civilization, was home to numerous advanced societies, including the Tenocelome, Kukul, Tzapoteca, Teotlacatican civilization, and Tarasca, while hunter-gatherer tribes and agrarian societies dominated Eastern Auritania. The most advanced among them was the [Mosca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muisca), who formed the Mosca Confederation. Southeastern Auritania possessed the Riwa Empire, [Phuyusinchi Culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chachapoya_culture), and Sapasuyu Empire, which were comparable to the civilizations of Western Auritania. Beginning in 1508, the Izteca Empire under Emperor Teuctzocamatl II engaged in the Great Flower War with the Tarascan Empire. This culminated in 1518 with the Izteca Empire emerging as the sole hegemon of Western Auritania. This state of affairs didn’t last long however, as although managing to defeat the Oestenic first conquest, the Izteca Empire collapsed in the years following Emperor Guatimozín assassination. After its collapse, 18 kingdoms were formed in the former imperial territory, before being unified by Emperor Miyamictiani in 1531, forming the Izteca Federation. Izteca, in the following decades, managed to reconquer lost imperial territories and established the Quintuple Alliance in 1559 with the Tarascan Empire, Cakchiquel Kingdom, Yuma Confederation, and Sapasuyu Empire, politically uniting most of Auritania, before dissolving in 1590 after the Izteca Federation collapsed into civil war. Oestenic colonization began in 1593 with the conquest of Sapasuyu and the alliance with factions of the Izteca Civil War. As a response to this, the United Front of Anahuac was formed in 1598 by North and South Izteca and the remaining Native nations to resist Oestenic colonization. The North-South Schism in 1620 officially started the Oestenic second conquest. Although the Front managed to hold against Oestenic conquistadors, it was ultimately defeated in the Battle of Karatá in 1639. By the late 17th century, most of Eastern Auritania had been colonized. The colony of New Oestenia, established in 1642 with its capital at [Tenochtepecan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenochtitlan), now Auritania City, became a major center of the transoceanic economy, fueled by silver mining and its position as a hub between [[evria]] and [[pelagonia]]. This gave rise to one of the largest multiracial populations in the world. The Napolyonic Wars led to the 1810-1821 Auritane War of Independence, which ended Peninsular rule and led to the creation of the Auritane Empire, which collapsed in 1834 due to instability after Emperor Orellana I died of old age. In the west, the monarchy continued to rule, now reorganized into the First Anahuacan Empire under Emperor Orellana II, while in the east, the United Provinces of Iglesia was established under President Bolívar Juan. Relations between Anahuac and Iglesia were very tense and border skirmishes between the two nations were common. After Emperor Orellana III passed away without an heir, a succession crisis occurred in Anahuac, which led to a civil war, military dictatorship and Hollosendian intervention, culminating in the establishment of the Second Anahuacan Empire under Emperor William Huntington-Windsor. In 1864, after a border accident, Iglesia declared war on Anahuac, starting the Thousand Days War. The War ended in 1867 with an Iglesian victory, annexing the entirety of Anahuac and forming the Auritane Confederation with the new Constitution of 1867 and two capitals at Auritania City, at the time known as Anahuac City, and Botai. The decade after the war, later known as the Auritane Golden Age, saw great economic growth and the ascendance of Auritania into a regional power, even competing with Hollosend and the at the time United States of Elysia, especially under González Perfecto’s presidency. The Confederation ended after the brief Auritane Civil War in 1876, from which General Rafael Santos came to power and established the Auritane Democratic Republic. The period later historians called Rafaelato saw stagnant economic growth, rising unemployment, rampant corruption, and severe social unrest due to Santos' dictatorship and his failed economic policies. Santos also centralised the government in Anahuac City, while brutally crushing any open rebellions against him and his regime, especially in Eastern Auritania. In 1910, Fausto I. Maldonado, an opposition to Santos in Western Auritania, rallied support and started the Auritane Revolution in November. The Revolutionary Army managed to achieve a quick victory, forcing Santos to be exiled. Maldonado attempted to reform the failed economic policies of Santos and restore the Confederation, but was assassinated in a coup in 1913 by supporters of the old regime, led by Víctor Hidalgo, a former minister in Santos government. This restarted the civil war and led to a long power struggle inside the Revolutionary Army. Eventually, Jaziel Cantù won the power struggle in 1915. He managed to unite the Revolutionary Army and finally wiped out all oppositions and remnants of the old regime in 1920, uniting the entirety of Auritania.
Cantù declared the creation of the Glorious Republic of Anahuac on December 1, 1920, and started the First Nights of Terror to consolidate power and eliminate all political opponents, even including his old allies. The event caused many in the public to question the regime, and resistance groups began forming, most notably Free Auritania, which was responsible for the March 21 Uprising. As a response to the Uprising, Cantù started the Second Nights of Terror, devastated the nation economically, while simultaneously implementing the Stabilization Reforms in 1925, beginning the centralization of political power around himself and his cabinet, the State Council. This decision was deeply unpopular with the public and members of Cantù’s government, leading to widespread protests and further instability. Drug cartels, most prominently the Sinaloba Cartel in Western Auritania and the Sea Cartel in Eastern Auritania, utilized the chaos to expand their influence and power in rural areas. Realizing his mistakes, Cantù implemented the New Economic Plan in 1928 to fix the nation’s economy and regain public support, while also declaring the War on Drugs to combat the rise of drug cartels. The War on Drugs didn’t make much progress as of now, while the New Economic Plan has worked for the most part and Auritania’s economy has been recovering since then, thanks to the nation’s partial opening to the world, which officially happened in 1930. On April 1, 1931, Cantù issued a decree in front of the National Congress to change the nation’s name and flag, resulting in the current official name and flag.
Auritania has a totalitarian government, wherein all forms of political opposition are prohibited. The domestic press is highly regulated, and foreign literature is completely banned. The freedom of speech is severely limited, and people are constantly under surveillance by the Ministry of National Security. Anyone caught as a dissident or suspected to be one, no matter who they are, will be sent into working camps immediately without trial. Despite this, the state government is strangely tolerant to religions, which allow them to flourish. Auritania is a developing nation with low standards of living, educational quality, literacy, and life expectancy.
## Etymology
The name Auritania comes from Rumaic, meaning “land of gold”, referring to the legend of [Aureus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado), not to be mistaken as the city with the same name in Eastern Auritania. Auritania is also used to refer to the regions around the Sea of Auritania as a whole, which includes Southern Elysia and Western Pelagonia. Colloquially, Western Auritania is known as Anahuac, from the Ahmatinatl name meaning “land surrounded by water”, and Eastern Auritania is known as Iglesia, after Joel de Iglesias, the first Oestenic explorer to reach the land. There are also hundreds of indigenous names for both regions as well.
Foreign exonyms have varied across languages and eras. Rumaic sources refer to Southern Elysia as a whole, including Auritania, as *Elysium* *Australissima*, meaning “Far Southern Elysia”, due to the fact that Auritania’s terrains and geographical distance deter most Rumaic explorers and merchants at the time from reaching the land, although they did know about its existence and the peoples there through words and trades. The name changed to *Auritania* in the first century CE, when Rumaic explorers began hearing rumors about the legendary city of Aureus. This sparked interest in the land and led to many Rumaic expeditions into it. The Zalekian Empire refers to Western Auritania as *Kumal* and its inhabitants, generally believed to be the [Kukuls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_peoples), as *Vel’Rethk*, meaning “blood people”, referring to the Kukuls’ human sacrifice, while Eastern Auritania is known in Timla as *Temal* and its inhabitants, believed to be the [Mosca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muisca), as *Vel’Orak*, meaning “gold barbarians”.
When Evrian explorers arrived at Western Auritania in the early 1500s, they encountered the Izteca Empire and the [Noza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexica), from which birthed the name *Nozania*. In 1566, a Murad official named Muhammed Ali Petrov led a group of colonists landed in Southeastern Auritania and proclaimed the establishment of a colony for the Murad Empire in the area, which he called *Petrostan*, after himself. The colony was short-lived due to the unfamiliar environment, lack of food and Sapasuyu warriors drove out Petrov and the Murad colonists within weeks, but the name Petrostan continued being used to jokingly refer to Eastern Auritania and its inhabitants well into the modern day.
Auritania was first used as a geographical term for both Western and Eastern Auritania during colonial times. It entered official use through the Auritane Empire in 1822, and continues being used to refer to the state that encompasses both Anahuac and Iglesia.
## History
### Native civilizations before First Conquest (pre-1519)
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.515"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-5.jpg" alt="An Izteca Temple is currently under archaeological investigation."><figcaption>An Izteca Temple is currently under archaeological investigation.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
Native people inhabited the territory that is now Eastern Auritania by 12,500 BCE. Nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes at the [El Blanco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Abra), [Ómito](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibit%C3%B3) and [Guasamisca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequendama) sites near present-day Botai traded with one another and with other cultures from the [Yuma River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalena_River) Valley. The earliest human artifacts in Auritania are chips of stone tools found in the Valley of Anahuac in Western Auritania, dated to circa 10,000 years ago. Auritania is the site of the domestication of maize, tomato, and beans, which produced an agricultural surplus. This enables the transition from [paleo-Elysian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleo-Indians) hunter-gatherers to sedentary agricultural villages beginning around 5,000 BCE in Western Auritania and between 5,000 and 1,000 BCE in Eastern Auritania. This was also when pottery appeared, the earliest in Elysia. The formative period of Western Auritania is considered one of the cradles of civilization, this era saw the origin of distinct cultural traits such as religious and symbolic traditions, maize cultivation, artistic and architectural complexes as well as a [vigesimal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigesimal) (base 20) numeric system that spread from Western Auritane culture to the rest of Auritania. Villages became more densely populated, socially stratified with an artisan class, and developed into chiefdoms. The most powerful rulers had religious and political power, organizing the construction of ceremonial centers.
The earliest complex civilization in Auritania was the [Tenocelome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec) culture, which flourished at the southern banks of Lake Nahá from around 1,500 BCE, in the modern day province of Villa Rica. Tenocelome cultural traits diffused through Western Auritania into other formative-era cultures in Huaxyacac, Matinaktuun and the [Valley of Anahuac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Mexico). In the pre-classical period, the Kukul and Tzapoteca civilizations developed complex centers. Around this time, groups of Natives in Eastern Auritania, including the [Mosca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muisca), [Sinú](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen%C3%BA) and [Bayaquim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quimbaya) developed the political system of [cacicazgos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacicazgo) with a pyramidal structure of power headed by *caciques*. The first true Auritane writing systems were developed in the [Epi-Tenocelome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epi-Olmec_culture) and Tzapoteca cultures at around 300 BCE, which spread to the rest of Auritania over centuries. The Eastern Auritane writing systems were drastically different from that of Western Auritania however, due to influence from Timla through the Zalekian Empire and minor [Rumaic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin) influence from the Rumaic explorers entered the land in search for [Aureus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado). The Auritane writing tradition reached its height in the Classic [Kukul Hieroglyphic script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Script) in 200 CE, the earliest written histories date from then. The tradition of writing was important after the Oestenic conquest in 1621, with Native scribes learning to write their languages in alphabetic letters, while continuing to create pictorial texts.
In Western Auritania, the height of the classical period saw the ascendancy of [Teotlacatican](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teotihuacan), which formed a military and commercial empire, known for trading with the Zalekian Empire, the Rumaic Empire and the Kalifornian Empire, later the Penutian Empire. Teotlacatican, with a population of more than 150,000, had some of the largest [pyramidal structures](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_pyramid) in Elysia. After the collapse of Teotlacatican around 600, competition ensued between political centers such as [Xōchicālco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xochicalco) and [Tēcālco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholula_(Mesoamerican_site)). The Riwa Empire emerged in the 7th century in Southeastern Auritania and violently expanded into the surrounding territories, until it began to decline and collapsed in the 11th century. Around the 800s, the Mosca, who mainly inhabited the area of what is now the province of Zaquiza and Cunturquisa high plateau, formed the Mosca Confederation. They farmed maize, potato, quinoa, cotton, and traded gold, emeralds, blankets, ceramic, handcrafts, coca and especially rock salt with neighboring nations and the Zalekian successor states in the north, such as Ohna, Hahtal and Zantir. Interestingly, Mosca seem to have also sent their mercenaries to assist the successor states in their wars to make profits. At around the same time, the [Phuyusinchi Culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chachapoya_culture) started and, despite being subjugated by the Riwa Empire, continued to exist until being conquered by the Sapasuyu Empire. During the Epi-Classic, [Ahmatina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahua_people) [peoples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahua_people) began moving south from Gelnburg into Western Auritania, and became politically and culturally dominant in it through the [Tlamatin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toltec) culture, while the modern day province of Hyaxyacac was dominated by the [Mixehca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixtec_culture) culture, and the lowland Kukul area had centers at [Chichén Huayá](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chich%C3%A9n_Itz%C3%A1) and [Kukulpán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayap%C3%A1n). The Black Death spread to Auritania in the 1350s, which devastated the Native populations and led to the collapse of many culture centers and civilizations, while also giving rise to new ones, such as Tarasca. The [Kickwa people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quechua_people) from Cindara migrated into Southeastern Auritania during the 1470s and established domination there, forming the Sapasuyu Empire, which would grow into a major economic and military power in Eastern Auritania and become the main rival of the Mosca Confederation, later the Yuma Confederation.
Toward the end of the post-Classic period, two prominent civilizations were established in Western Auritania: the Tarascan Empire and the Izteca Empire. The Tarascan Empire, formed in the 14th century on the banks of [Lake Phásquaro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_P%C3%A1tzcuaro) as an unify effort to combat the Black Death, was a centralised kingdom, perhaps the first truly [territorial state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_state) in Auritania, under the leadership of a *Irecha* (king) or *Kucha* (queen). The Izteca Empire, also known as the Triple Alliance, was formed in 1428 after the Tepecan War, at first as an alliance of three Ahmatina city-states in the [Lake Hueyaltepec](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Texcoco) region: the Noza’s [Tenochtepecan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenochtitlan), the Ndähiyo’s [Xōchitecpan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetzcoco_(altepetl)), and the Tepecan’s [Cuauhtlān](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlacopan). Each city-states has an emperor with their own advisors. However, through numerous imperial reforms, political powers gradually concentrated on Tenochtepecan and the Noza Emperor. This eventually culminated in Emperor Teuctzocamatl II’s imperial reform, where he demoted the two other emperors into viceroys and removed all of their advisors, sometimes even killing them, while also making it so that no non-Noza people could enter nobility. The Tarascan Empire and the Izteca Empire were natural rivals as Tarasca blocked Izteca’s expansion to the north. They have fought numerous wars, collectively known as the Flower Wars, against each other, but most of them ended indecisively due to the Tarascan extensive border fortifications and its alliance with the peoples that the Izteca subjugated.
Everything changed in 1503 however, when Izteca managed to achieve a decisive victory in the Battle of Irékuaro, which severely weakened Tarasca’s military might. Realizing the opportunity, the newly ascended Emperor Teuctzocamatl II quickly mobilized a large army to finally defeat Tarasca for good. The Great Flower War began in 1515, when the Izteca Army attacked Tarasca’s fortified southern border, which ended successfully with many Tarascan cities getting captured, but with high Izteca casualties, forcing the Izteca Empire into a temporary truce with Tarasca. However, it broke the truce after 2 years and attacked Tarasca again. Tarasca managed to resist the Izteca invasion very well, even pushing it back, but they were struck by two natural disasters simultaneously for 2 years straight, an earthquake and a severe famine caused by a drought. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the disasters, the Izteca Empire intensified its attacks, while also sending spies into Tarascan nobility. An Izteca spy managed to convince Tzimtzincha II, the Irecha of the time, that his best general was plotting against him, which led to said general getting executed. The loss of its best general was Tarasca’s final nail in the coffin. The Tarascan Empire couldn’t resist the invasion anymore and finally surrendered in 1518. The entirety of Tarasca was incorporated into the Izteca Empire as tributary provinces. With its rival gone, the Izteca Empire became the sole hegemon of Western Auritania and achieved its largest territorial expansion, encompassing most of Western Auritania and even having an exclave in Northwestern Terra Oeste. The Great Flower War struck fear in all of Auritania of a potential Izteca invasion. This fear was especially strong among nations in Eastern Auritania, such as the Mosca Confederation, which caused them to form a military alliance to protect themselves. Through the Oestenic colonization of Navarelo and its first conquest, the alliance consolidated over time, eventually leading to the establishment of the Yuma Confederation in 1530.
### Oestenic first conquest and intermediate era (1519-1613)
When the Empire of Oestenia established colonies in the Gulf of Hollosend in 1493, it made contact with the Auritane civilizations through the Joel de Iglesias expedition of 1500. At first, Oestenia peacefully traded with the civilizations of Auritania by selling Evrian goods, such as foods, clothing, and even iron weapons to both sides of the Great Flower War. After the War ended however, Oestenia considered the Izteca Empire to be its next target of colonization, especially after the establishment of the colony of Navarelo in 1510. The Oestenic first conquest of Anahuac began in 1519 when Heliodoro Belmonte, mayor of Santiago del Valle, capital of Navarelo, and captain of the Oestenic expedition, founded Villa Rica and sought Native allies as his army marched toward Tenochtepecan. Although originally only had 630 men, Belmonte’s army swelled to thousands as more and more Natives who hated Izteca rule joined him, especially after he allied with the Tlaxcallan Confederacy, which sent 5,000-6,000 men to accompany him. On his march, in the hope of instilling fear in the Iztecas, Belmonte ordered his army to massacre the city of Tēcālco, before burning it. Upon hearing of the news, Emperor Teuctzocamatl II quickly mobilized his army to defend Tenochtepecan. The two armies met outside the city and a large battle, later known as the Battle of Sad Night, began. Both sides suffered heavily, with Belmonte wounded and Teuctzocamatl II killed in battle. Belmonte’s army was forced retreated back to Villa Rica to recover and wait for Oestenic reinforcement, while Teuctzocamatl II’s brother Cuitlahuiatzin ascended to the throne. Cuitlahuiatzin vowed revenge for his brother and quickly mobilized a large army to attack Villa Rica. Oestenic reinforcement, under Pablo de Noguera, arrived at Villa Rica in 1920 and joined Belmonte’s army. However, conflicts between Belmonte and Noguera sparked when two of them disagreed on military tactics. This eventually culminated in Belmonte ordering his second-in-command Práxedes de Abascal to secretly assassinate Noguera. Although the assassination was successful, it was discovered by one of Noguera’s men. This caused the Oestenic army to split with a majority of them stop following Belmonte’s orders. This was when the Izteca army, directly under Cuitlahuitzan, attacked. The following Battle of Nahá Beach resulted in the defeat of the Oestenic army and their allies, with Belmonte being killed and the surviving men fleeing back to Navarelo. Unfortunately, Cuitlahuitzan suffered the same fate as his brother, when he was killed during battle. After his death, Teuctzocamatl II’s cousin Guatimozín ascended to the throne.
Although fending off the conquest, unrest spread throughout the Izteca Empire as more and more groups began to revolt, seeing that the Izteca army was severely weakened. Emperor Guatimozín attempted to follow his predecessors and control the situation, but was betrayed and assassinated by two of his advisors, Chicahuacpatlahuani and Tlilcahuitl. Guatimozín's death triggered a succession crisis within the Izteca Empire, as he didn’t have any heirs. Tlacotzin, one of Guatimozín’s generals, stepped up and established a regency until a new heir was chosen. Due to being inept, Tlacotzin often relied on Guatimozín’s advisors. This opens the opportunity for Chicahuacpatlanhuani and Tlilcahuitl to manipulate him to effectively control the entire realm. This caused Tlacotzin to execute all other advisors and even viceroys, started massive building projects, enlarged the army, increased taxes, and arrested messengers who delivered bad news. As a result, men from all over the realm revolted, attacking officials, raising armies, and declaring themselves emperor of seized territories, all while the independence movement led by Princess Eréndira consumed the Tarascan provinces, eventually leading to the return of Tarasca.
During this time, Chicahuacpatlahuani and Tlilcahuitl came into conflict with one another, which culminated in Chicahuacpatlahuani persuading Tlacotzin to put Tlilcahuitl on trial, where he was ultimately executed. The worsening army situation then caused Tlacotzin to blame Chicahuacpatlahuani for the rebellion and executed him. Unrest continued to spread among the people, and many local officials had declared themselves emperors. In this climate, Tlacotzin attempted to cling to the throne by proclaiming himself to be the one and only emperor with the reason that he was secretly a son of Teuctzocamatl II, thus proving his legitimacy. He was undermined by his ineptitude, and popular revolts broke out in 1525. When General Miyamictiani, a former civil service worker, and his army besieged Tenochtepecan, a state in such turmoil couldn’t hold for long. Tlacotzin surrendered to Miyamictiani upon the latter's arrival at the Palace of the Emperor in 1527. While initially being spared by Miyamictiani, he was executed shortly after by Miyamictiani’s men. In 1527, Tenochtepecan was set ablazed, marking what historians consider to be the end of the Izteca Empire. With the former Izteca territories temporarily divided into the 18 Kingdoms before Miyamictiani reunite them. On February 26 1531, in the new capital of Omilpan, Miyamictiani declared himself emperor of the newly founded Izteca Federation.
Miyamictiani believed centralization was the root of all tyranny, and was partially inspired by ideas of the old Zalekian Republic. The 18 Kingdoms still exist but as semi-autonomous regions in the Federation, each ruled by the same emperors as before, but now they were called commanderies. The commanderies formed a council for state affairs and had the ability to appoint and depose an emperor if they thought it was necessary. Although the idea was considered radical for Miyamictiani’s time, the people still accepted it thanks to his charisma. In his 7 years reign, Emperor Miyamictiani had rebuilt the Federation economically and militarily back into a regional power and settled border disputes with neighboring nations, even resorting to war when necessary. After Miyamictiani passed away, the new emperor Tlahuizmictiani continued to stabilise the Federation, while also repairing relations with neighboring nations. This eventually culminated in the formation of the Quintuple Alliance under his reign in 1559. The decades after the formation of the Alliance saw a long period of peace and prosperity in Auritania, thanks to the cooperation of the member nations economically and militarily. The Alliance was notable for fending off multiple Elvesterian expeditions into Auritania, as after the War of Jerkins’ Ear, the Empire of [[elvester]] had seized the control of Navarelo from Oestenia and had sought to expand its influence into Auritania. One such example was the Yuma War of 1569.
Over time, factionism began forming in the commandery council, as disagreements about state affairs became more and more frequent, while the emperors themselves attempted to consolidate more political power away from the council. This eventually reached a boiling point in 1588, when the Sapasuyu Empire, a member of the Quintuple Alliance, collapsed into civil war due to a succession crisis after its Sapa Inca passed away. The commanderies and Emperor Cuallitemīcti were split on how to respond to the civil war, with one side wanting to intervene, while others preferred to stay neutral. This caused Cuallitemīcti to attempt to arrest the council for treason but failed, leading to the commanderies raising armies against the emperor. Although the commanderies intended to just kill Cuallitemīcti and replace him with a new emperor, disagreement quickly appeared among them about who would be the new emperor and suddenly, the commanderies were now fighting themselves, thus starting the Izteca Civil War as imperial authority collapsed across the realm. With it, the Quintuple Alliance, without its leader, collapsed alongside Izteca, ending an era of prosperity for the civilizations of Auritania.
## Military
The [[glorious-republic-armed-forces]] (*Gloriosas Fuerzas Armadas de la República*) are administered by the Ministry of the Armed Forces (*Ministerio de las Fuerzas Armadas*). There are three branches: the Glorious Republic Army (*Glorioso Ejército de la República*), the Glorious Republic Air Force (*Gloriosa Fuerza Aérea de la República*), and the Glorious Republic Navy (*Gloriosa Armanda de la República*). The National Guard (*Guardia Nacional*) functions as a [gendarmerie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gendarmerie), while responsible for law enforcement, it is placed under military command. The Glorious Leader and the Minister of the Armed Forces act as Commander-in-Chief of the military. According to official government reports, Auritania spent roughly $215 billion on defense in 1930, accounting for around 6% of GDP.
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.347"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-3.jpg" alt="A military parade in the Juan Square of Botai during Revolution Day, circa 1929."><figcaption>A military parade in the Juan Square of Botai during Revolution Day, circa 1929.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.593"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-4.jpg" alt="Two National Guards in Tia Juana guarding an establishment suspected to belong to the Sinaloba Cartel."><figcaption>Two National Guards in Tia Juana guarding an establishment suspected to belong to the Sinaloba Cartel.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
The total strength of the Armed Forces is ~2.1 million personnel in active duty, with 1.2 million in the Army, 63 thousand in the Air Force, 210 thousand in the Navy, and 672 thousand in the National Guard, with an additional 700 thousand trained in the reserve. Technologically, the Armed Forces are quite backward compared to the rest of the world, especially in the Air Force and the Navy, but modernization efforts are improving the situation, especially after the War on Drugs started.
The current military of Auritania was formed from the Revolutionary Army in 1922. As of now, the military has only participated in the currently ongoing War on Drugs, while remaining neutral in international conflicts. Currently, there is no known plan for the military to participate in any conflicts outside of Auritania in the near future.
## Government
The Glorious Republic of Auritania is a totalitarian communist state. Its system is based on [unified state power](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_state_power) as well as [democratic centralism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_centralism). Political power is highly centralized in the office of the Glorious Leader, who exercises supreme authority over both the state and the ruling party. Executive authority is vested in the Glorious Leader and the State Council, whose members are ministers appointed directly by him. The executive possesses broad legislative powers, including the ability to introduce laws and override existing legislation through executive decrees. In practice, these decrees supersede other governmental processes.
The Glorious Party of Auritania (*Gloriosa Fiesta de Auritania*, abbreviated as GFDA), formally known as the Revolutionary Party of Auritania and the Glorious Party of Anahuac, functions as the state’s sole legal political party and serves as its ideological foundation. However, its role has diminished over time, and it largely operates as a formal or symbolic body. The Politburo is officially designated as the highest decision-making institution within the party-state structure, though its influence has declined significantly in comparison to the executive leadership. Legislative functions are formally carried out by the National Congress, a unicameral body composed of representatives from regions, labor, and military sectors. The Congress is responsible for passing legislation, approving the national budget, and formally electing key officials. In practice, it operates under significant state direction and primarily serves to ratify executive decisions, legitimize political transitions, and disseminate official policy.
The state maintains an extensive internal security apparatus. The Ministry of National Security conducts surveillance of both civilians and government officials, including members of the ruling party, with regular loyalty assessments aimed at identifying dissidents. Judicial authority is divided between the Ministry of Justice, which oversees standard legal matters, and the Ministry of National Security, which independently handles cases related to political offenses. Proceedings in such cases are typically conducted outside the conventional judicial framework.
The current government of Auritania is the result of the Stabilization Reforms it has undergone since 1925. The Reforms have led to the centralization of political power around the Glorious Leader and the State Council. The Reforms also led to the replacement of many communists in the government with loyalists.
Administratively, Auritania is divided into 1 Special Capital Zone and 55 provinces with 3,283 municipalities.
**Special Capital Zone** (*Zona Capital Especial*) encompasses the entirety of Auritania City. It is a special administrative region and has no intermediate provincial-level administration, instead being directly governed by the national government. This is because of Auritania City’s economic importance and its status as the capital and the largest, most populous city in Auritania.
**Provinces** (*provincias*) are the standard administrative units of Auritania. Each is headed by a Provincial Governor (*gobernador provincial*), who is appointed by the Ministry of the Interior (*Ministerio del Interior*). Provinces are divided into municipalities, which continues to get divided further.
**Municipalities** (*municipios*) are the second-level administrative divisions of Auritania and are below provinces. Each is headed by a Municipality President (*presidente* or *presidenta del municipio*, depending on the president’s gender), who is also appointed by the Ministry of the Interior, like the Provincial Governors. Municipalities are divided into localities (*localidades*), which get divided further into boroughs (*distritos*) and neighborhoods (*colonias* and *barrios*, they are distinct from each other). In some provinces, municipalities are grouped together into regions (*regiones*) for geographical, cultural or political reasons.
In Auritania, municipalities should not be confused with cities. Cities (*ciudades*) are locality-level divisions, which are below municipalities, although some larger cities are consolidated with their own municipalities and form a second level of governance, underneath provinces. In addition, the 16 boroughs of Auritania City are considered municipalities equivalent. This makes the total number of municipality-level divisions to be 3,299.
## Economy
Auritania is newly industrialized and has a developing [command economy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_economy) under the authority of the Ministry of the Economy, whereby production and distribution of goods are centralized and directed by the government. It is the 5th largest in Elysia and the 16th largest in the world by [purchasing power parity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity), with a [gross domestic product](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product) of $3.6 trillion as of 1930. The economy of Auritania was based on state ownership of the means of production, collective farming, and industrial manufacturing. An administrative-command system managed a distinct form of central planning. The Auritane economy is characterized by state control of investment, prices, a dependence on natural resources, lack of consumer goods, shortage of goods and services, little foreign trades, public ownership of industrial assets, macroeconomic stability, low unemployment, high job security, low inflation, but with high poverty and high economic inequality.
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.689"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-1.jpg" alt="Auritane employees in the classification of coffee, Auritania’s main export."><figcaption>Auritane employees in the classification of coffee, Auritania’s main export.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.292"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-15.jpg" alt="A line of Gloria A-30 Models, Auritania’s first homemade automobile line and part of the New Economic Plan, new from the factory."><figcaption>A line of Gloria A-30 Models, Auritania’s first homemade automobile line and part of the New Economic Plan, new from the factory.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.523"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-2.jpg" alt="A street market in Auritania City."><figcaption>A street market in Auritania City.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
Auritane industrial sectors are heavily concentrated in urban centers, such as Auritania City, Botai and Cualācoyotl, while the rest of the nation remain agrarian. This created large gaps between the urban and rural population, the northern and southern provinces, and the rich and the poor. The avocado and coffee industries are the backbone of the economy, with sub-industries such as food processing, livestock, fishing, oil, mining, silver, gold, emerald and coal accounting for the majority of Auritania’s economic output. In recent years, the economy has seen a rise in automobile and electronics manufacturing, especially after the New Economic Plan was implemented. Certain provinces in Auritania are specialized in an economic sector, such as Michcalli and Guevara for avocado and coffee growing, Tajo for livestock processing, Zalaya and Holguín for gold and silver mining, and recently Auritania City SCZ, Cunturquisa and Xaltipac for automobile and electronics manufacturing.
Extensive bases of natural resources in Auritania further fuel its economic growth. Western Auritania, the nation's industrial heartland, extracts vast quantities of silver, copper, zinc and lithium, while Eastern Auritania contributes vast quantities of gold, coal and emerald. Eastern Auritania also contains vast swathes of fertile soil, allowing lucrative cultivation of agricultural commodities, most notably coffee, fresh-cut flowers and tropical fruits, with rice and cocoa beans in the provinces of Rimachu and Sacharuna, while also allowing for massive livestock raising and processing. The [Sierra Padre Occidental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_Occidental) and the Gargarea Rainforest represent Auritania’s primary timber harvesting center, although there are concerns of unsustainable logging in those areas. Having access to the Western Panthalassan Ocean and the Sea of Auritania create the thriving fishing industry of Auritania, yielding large catches of shrimp, bass, tuna, sardines, lobster, and abalone, while Lake Nahá, Lake Tranquility and numerous rivers within Auritania provide tilapia, carp, trout, catfish, tetras, cichlids, discus, stingrays and arowana. The [Tlilchapopotli Fields](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicontepec_Field) in Western Auritania, alongside the [Callisto León Oilfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca%C3%B1o_Lim%C3%B3n) in Eastern Auritania, represents Auritania’s primary petroleum production centers, although the technology to extract them is still limited. Recent discovery of the [Carmona Field](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantarell_Field) in the [Bay of Anahuac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Campeche) has prompted the government to invest in offshore oil extraction technology.
### Labor Force
Auritania’s domestic labor force in 1930 totaled 68.8 million people, accounting for approximately 49% of its population. During 1930, 62% of the domestic labor force worked in the primary sector (agriculture, food processing, mining, oil, etc.); 25% in the secondary sector (forestry, fishing, manufacturing, etc.); and 13% in the tertiary sector (banking, administration, etc.). The unemployment rate in 1930 was estimated at 2.7%. In 1930, approximately 36.3 million people were employed by various state companies with most of them joining a labor union.
The Auritane labor force is characterized by state-controlled employment. The government mandates all adults, regardless of their gender, to get employed and they will automatically be granted union membership when doing so. This helps Auritania achieve higher employment rates and higher female employment than other countries in Elysia respectively. Most Auritane workers enrolled in one of the 30 labor unions overseen by the Ministry of the Interior, the largest and most popular among them was the Confederation of Auritane Workers (*Confederación de Trabajadores Auritanos*, abbreviated as CTA). While union membership brought benefits like holiday vouchers, these organizations served to enforce state directives rather than protect independent worker rights. Outside the civilian workforce, the government also used large-scale forced labor from prisoners of working camps as an economic tool, especially in dangerous jobs such as mining. The exact number of those forced laborers remains unclear, although estimatedly it could reach hundreds of thousands or even millions.
## Geography
### Topography
Auritania is located between latitudes 19° and 38°S, and the longitudes 41° and 59°W in the southern portion of Elysia, with a total area of 2,931,723 km² (1,131,945 sq mi), is the 6th largest country in the world by land area. It has coastlines on the Western Panthalassan Ocean, the [Bay of Anahuac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Campeche), the Terranova Gulf and the Sea of Auritania. Almost all of Auritania lies on the Elysian plate, with small parts on the Western Panthalassan plates.
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.333"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-6.jpg" alt="Yuma River created the natural eastern border between Western and Eastern Auritania, along with Hollosend, and is its longest river."><figcaption>Yuma River created the natural eastern border between Western and Eastern Auritania, along with Hollosend, and is its longest river.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.778"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-7.jpg" alt="Belmonte River is the longest river in Western Auritania."><figcaption>Belmonte River is the longest river in Western Auritania.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.779"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-8.jpg" alt="Ghoarapéa River is the longest river in Eastern Auritania."><figcaption>Ghoarapéa River is the longest river in Eastern Auritania.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.499"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-9.jpg" alt="Lake Nahá, the largest lake in Auritania, was the center of many western pre-colonial civilizations."><figcaption>Lake Nahá, the largest lake in Auritania, was the center of many western pre-colonial civilizations.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
The majority of Western Auritane central, northern and eastern territories are located at high altitudes, and as such the highest elevations are found at the [Anahuacan Volcanic Belt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Mexican_Volcanic_Belt) and the [Cordillera Central](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Central_(Colombia)): [Pico de Muere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_de_Orizaba) (5,636 m or 18,491 ft), [Ayauhtepetl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popocat%C3%A9petl) (5,393 m or 18,491 ft), [Nevado del Bayaquim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevado_del_Huila) (5,364 m or 17,598 ft), [La Mesa de Herrero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevado_del_Ruiz) (5,311 m or 17,425 ft), [Cochcihuatl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iztaccihuatl) (5,230 m or 17,160 ft), and [Nevado del Ármon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevado_del_Tolima) (5,276 m or 17,310 ft). Two mountain ranges known as [Sierra Padre Oriental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_Oriental) and [Sierra Padre Occidental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_Occidental), which are the extension of the [Assinwati Mountains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains) from northern Elysia, crossed the country from north to south, and a fifth mountain range, the [Sierra Padre del Sur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_del_Sur), runs from Michcalli to western Huaxyacac. The [Cordillera Occidental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Occidental_(Colombia)), one of the three branches of the Auritane Massif, running adjacent to the Yuma River, with its peak being Cerro Matata at 4,100 m (13,500 ft). The Western Auritane territory is prone to [volcanism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanism).
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.333"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-10.jpg" alt="Pico de Muere, the highest mountain in Auritania, part of the Anahuacan Volcanic Belt."><figcaption>Pico de Muere, the highest mountain in Auritania, part of the Anahuacan Volcanic Belt.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.333"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-11.jpg" alt="Nevado del Bayaquim, the highest mountain in the Cordillera Central, is a dormant volcano for nearly 500 years."><figcaption>Nevado del Bayaquim, the highest mountain in the Cordillera Central, is a dormant volcano for nearly 500 years.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.642"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-12.jpg" alt="Pico Blanco, the highest mountain in the Cordillera Oriental."><figcaption>Pico Blanco, the highest mountain in the Cordillera Oriental.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
In Eastern Auritania, east of the [Riesengrat Cordilleras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes), extended from Pelagonia and includes the [Cordillera Oriental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Oriental_(Colombia)) and the [Cordillera Central](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Occidental_(Colombia)), lies the savanna of the [Llanos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanos), part of the [Marilyn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orinoco) River Basin, which also extends into Southern Hollosend, or Navarelo, and in the far southeast, jungle of the Gargarea Rainforest. Together these lowlands make up over half of Eastern Auritania’s territory. Part of the [Ring of Fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire), a region of the world subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the Riesengrat Cordilleras are the prevailing geographical features in Eastern Auritania. The [Cordillera Oriental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Oriental_(Colombia)), a branch of the [Auritane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_Massif) [Massif](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_Massif) along with the Cordilerra Occidental and Cordillera Central in Western Auritania, extending northeast to the [Guatocona Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guajira_Peninsula) in Sputhwestern Hollosend, at the confluence of the Yuma and Rio Grande. The peak of the Cordillera Oriental is the [Pico Blanco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritacuba_Blanco), which reaches 5,410 m (17,750 ft).
<div class="imgrid">
<figure style="flex:1.333"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-13.jpg" alt="Green Canyon, the most impressive group of canyons in the Sierra Padre Occidental."><figcaption>Green Canyon, the most impressive group of canyons in the Sierra Padre Occidental.</figcaption></figure>
<figure style="flex:1.502"><img src="/assets/old-media/media/auritania-14.jpg" alt="Cerro San Mateo, the highest mountain in the Sierra Padre Oriental."><figcaption>Cerro San Mateo, the highest mountain in the Sierra Padre Oriental.</figcaption></figure>
</div>
Auritania has twelve distinct natural regions: the [Anahuacan Plateau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Plateau), the [Cordillera Occidental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Occidental_(Colombia)), the [Cordillera Central](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Central_(Colombia)), the [Sierra Padre Oriental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_Oriental), the [Sierra Padre Occidental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Madre_Occidental), the [Anahuacan Volcanic Belt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Mexican_Volcanic_Belt), the Western Highlands, the Lake Plains, the [Matinaktuun Peninsula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucat%C3%A1n_Peninsula), the [Cordillera Oriental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Oriental_(Colombia)), the [Llanos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanos) and the Gargarea Rainforest. An important geographic feature of the Matinaktuun Peninsula is the Kisinbaan Crater, the result of a fragment of the [bolide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolide) that was responsible for the Second Impact. There is also the [Auguasnegras Structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichada_Structure), a large impact crater in the northeastern province of Aguasnegras, which belongs to the Llanos. Although Auritania is large, much of Western Auritania’s landmass is incompatible with agriculture due to aridity, soil or terrain. Eastern Auritania is more agricultural however, supporting a wide range of crops and fruit trees.
In 1930, an estimated 46.5% of land was agriculture; 7.1% was arable; 3% was in permanent crops; 37.4% was permanently pasture; and 42.7% was forest. Auritania was irrigated by several rivers, with the longest being the [Yuma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalena_River), which served as a natural border between Western and Eastern Auritania, along with Hollosend. Auritania also possesses Lake Nahá, which has numerous economic benefits for the surrounding provinces, and the northern portion of Lake Tranquility.
### Climate
The climate of Auritania is varied due to the country’s size and topography. Western Auritania’s temperatures are fairly consistent year-round and vary solely as a function of elevation. Eastern Auritania is characterized for being tropical, presenting variations depending on the altitude, temperature, humidity, winds and rainfall.
There are six major climate types in Western Auritania, with warm sub-humid climate being coastal up to 900 m (2,953 ft); temperature humid and sub-humid being found mostly on pastures at an elevation of 1,800 m (5,906 ft) and higher and cold climate usually found at an elevation of 3,500 m (11,483 ft) and glacial climate above 4,000 m (13,123 ft). Most of the Western Auritania’s territory has a dry climate. Eastern Auritania has a diverse range of climate zones, including tropical rainforests and savannas. About 82.5% of Eastern Auritania’s total area lies in the [warm altitudinal zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_caliente).
Areas of Western Auritania with elevations up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft) and the southern parts of the coastal highlands have a yearly median temperature between 24 and 28°C (75.2 and 82.4°F). Temperatures here remain high throughout the year, with only a 5°C (9°F) difference between winter and summer median temperatures. The Panthalassan Coast and the Anahuacan Bay is subject to natural hazards such as tsunamis and is vulnerable to serious [hurricanes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone) during the summer and fall. [Mountain climate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_climate) is one of the unique features of the Riesengrat Cordilleras and other high altitude reliefs where temperature is determined by elevation. Below 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in elevation is the [warm altitudinal zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_caliente), where temperatures are above 24°C (75.2°F). The [temperate climate altitudinal zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_templada) located between 1,001 m and 2,000 m (3,284 and 6,562 ft) is characterized for presenting an average temperature ranging between 17 and 24°C (62.6 and 75.2°F). The [cold climate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_fr%C3%ADa) is present between 2,001 and 3,000 m (6,565 and 9,843 ft) and the temperatures vary between 12 and 17°C (53.6 and 62.6°F). Beyond lies the alpine conditions of the forested zone and then the treeless grasslands of the [páramos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A1ramo). Above 4,000 m (13,123 ft), where temperatures are below freezing, the climate is [glacial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_helada), a zone of permanent snow and ice.
### Human Geography
Auritania’s population distribution closely follows its topography. The majority of people reside within the Anahuacan Plateau and Riesengratian highlands, where dense urban centers have developed due to favorable terrain and climate. Western and Central Auritania served as an economic and demographic center, which contrast sharply to the more rural and traditionally indigenous Southern and most of Eastern Auritania. The majority of Auritania’s population is concentrated in urban areas, such as Auritania City, Botai and Cualācoyotl, while the rest of the country is sparsely populated. The national population density was approximately 64.43 people per square kilometer in 1930, placing it in the mid-range among developed nations. However, this average belies massive regional contrasts. Heavily urbanized metropolises typically record densities exceeding 3,000 people per square kilometer, while rural areas generally fall below 12 people per square kilometer. Urbanization continues to rise steadily, caused by rural migration into government-designated cities where industrial employment and public works offer new economic opportunities. Major cities, especially Auritania City, Botai, Cualācoyotl, Yoloxochitl, and Los Ángeles, have absorbed the bulk of this migratory influx, expanding rapidly as industrial hubs and administrative centers over the past decade.
## Demographics
### Ethnic Groups
Auritania is ethically diverse, its people descending from the original Native inhabitants, Oestenic conquistadors, Pelagonians originally brought to the country as slaves, and 19th century immigrants from Evria and Nabatea, all contributing to a diverse cultural heritage. The demographic distribution reflects a pattern that is influenced by colonial history.
At Auritania’s 1930 census, 26.3% of the population identified as Native and 8.3% of Auritania’s population speaks an indigenous language. Whites (Evrians) and Pelagonians were 18.4% and 3.1% of Auritania’s population respectively, while Nabateans and Valtherians were around 1% of the population each.
### Languages
[Oestenic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castilian_Spanish) is the [de facto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_facto) national language spoken by the vast majority of the population, making Auritania the world’s most populous Askurophone country. Anahuacan Oestenic and IglesianOestenic refers to the varieties of Oestenic spoken in Western and Eastern Auritania, which differ from one region to another in sound, structure, and vocabulary. There is also Riesengratian Oestenic and Gargarean Oestenic, which are mainly spoken in Southeastern Auritania.
The state government recognizes one hundred and fifty-six linguistic groups and 888 varieties of indigenous languages, with two [Creole languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_languages) in addition. In 1930, an estimated 11.7 million citizens spoke these languages. [Ahmatinatl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl) is spoken by more than 2.3 million, followed by [Matinaktuun Kukul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucatec_Maya_language), used daily by nearly 1.1 million people. [Tequi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzeltal_language) and [Tzinac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzotzil_language), two other [Kukul languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayan_languages), are spoken around one-half million people each, primarily in the southwestern province of Chian. [Mixehca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixtec_languages) and [Tzapoteca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapotec_languages), with an estimated 700,000 native speakers each, are two other prominent language groups. Through the National Indigenous Languages Institute and the General Law on the Linguistic Rights of Native Peoples, all indigenous languages were recognized as [de jure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_jure) “national languages” with status equal to that of Oestenic. That notwithstanding, in practice, Native Peoples often face discrimination and do not have full access to public services such as education and healthcare, or to the justice system, as Oestenic is the prevailing language. However, the state government is actively trying to change this, while also preserving endangered languages through Language Day, celebrated on April 23 every year.
Aside from indigenous languages, there are several minority languages spoken in Auritania due to international immigration, such as [Nordalemannsch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plautdietsch) by the 80,000-strong Nordmarken population, primarily settled in the southwestern province of Gran Torre. The [Choquiliztlan dialect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipilo_Venetian_dialect), a variant of the [Venesian language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_language), is spoken in the town of Choquiliztlan, located in the western province of Los Ángeles, by around 2,500 people, mainly descendants of Venesians that migrated to the area in the late 19th century.
[Brantish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_second_or_foreign_language) is the most commonly taught foreign language in Auritania. It is estimated that nearly 28 million, or around a fifth of the population, study Brantish through public schools, private institutions, or self-access channels. However, in 1930, a high level of Brantish proficiency was limited to 5% of the population. [Avernois](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language) is the second most widely taught foreign language. Every year, between 250,000 and 300,000 Auritanes students enroll in Avernois language courses.
### Religion
Although the Constitutions of 1867 and 1920 put limits on the role of the Ecclesiastical Nazarist Church in Auritania. Ecclesiastical Nazarism remains Auritania’s dominant religious affiliation. In the 1930 census, 70.3% (99,484,342) of the population were Ecclesiastical Nazarist. 22.1% (31,247,594) belong to Veritism. 6.2% (8,773,868) of the population declared no religion and 1.4% (1,981,196) belonged to other religions.
The 130,731,936 Nazarists of Auritania constitute in absolute terms the largest Nazarist community in the world. In 1930, 63.0% of them attended church services weekly. Migratory phenomena have led to the spread of different aspects of Nazarism, including branches Veritism, Northern Ecclesiastical Nazarist Church and Northern Sorovite Church.
In the 1930 census, there were 237,270 Hasmoneans in Auritania. The presence of Hasmoneans in Auritania dates back to the 16th century when Oesteniards arrived in the region. The modern Hasmonean Community began to be formed in the late 19th century when Hasmoneans from Evria and the Murad Empire immigrated to Auritania due to instability and antisemitism. [Shahadism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam) in Auritania, with 32,167 members, is practiced mostly by Nabateans. In the 1930 census, 148,159 Auritanes belonged to a spiritualist religion, a category which includes a tiny [Shugendōsha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism) population. About 298,220 people practiced religions with “ethnic roots”, religions of mostly Pelagonian and Native origin.
There is often a [syncretism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretism) between [shamanism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism) and Nazarist traditions. A religion of popular syncretism in Auritania is Unisolura, which is very prominent in the south, with its sanctuary in Villa del Sol. One of the more exemplary cases of popular religiosity is the cult of Holy Dead (*Santa Muerte*). Other examples are the representations of the [Passion of Christ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross) and the celebration of [Day of the Dead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead), which take place within the framework of Nazarist imagery, but under a very particular reinterpretation.
### Citizenship
Auritane citizenship is based on the principle of [jus soli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_soli). Any person born within the national territory automatically receives citizenship regardless of their parents' nationality or ethnic background. This birthright citizenship doesn’t extend to any person born abroad, even if one or both of their parents are Auritane. Any foreigners who want to have Auritane citizenship must have residency in Auritania for at least 5 years and complete a test to prove their knowledge of the Oestenic language and Auritania history, along with their ideology and allegiance to the state.
### Largest Cities
| Rank | City Name | Urban Population | Subdivision |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Auritania City *Ciudad de Auritania* | 21,942,000 | :img[/assets/old-media/media/auritania-16.jpg] Auritania City SCZ |
| 2 | Botai *Botai* | 9,814,000 | Cunturquisa |
| 3 | Cualācoyotl *Cualācoyotl* | 5,422,000 | Xaltipac |
| 4 | Yoloxochitl *Yoloxóchitl* | 4,124,000 | Ármon |
| 5 | Los Ángeles *Los Ángeles* | 3,244,000 | Los Ángeles |
| 6 | Santiago *Santiago* | 2,842,000 | Valle del Bayaquim |
| 7 | Esturdio *Estudio* | 2,312,000 | Tajo |
| 8 | Nuevo Refugio *Nuevo Refugio* | 1,894,000 | Nuevo Refugio |
| 9 | Zalaya *Zalaya* | 1,422,000 | Zalaya |
| 10 | San Luis *Sanluis* | 1,318,000 | San Luis |
