Shimbori Islands

Shimbori Islands, officially known as the Democratic Republic of the Shimbori Islands, is a country in the Nesionytan Islands, located south of Borundia, northeast of Polungitia, southeast of Awanzoria, and northwest of Morasavia. The country is composed of 17 islands, including 5 main ones. It is an ethnically diverse country, home to a large group of ethnicities called the Shimboric peoples. Veshemituaa is the legislative and executive capital of the Shimbori Islands, as well as the seat of government, meanwhile Lambandda serves as the judicial capital.

Homo sapiens have settled in the Shimbori Islands since the 2nd century BC. It had been influenced by both Tawlic and Nesionytan tribes, but mostly by the Nesionytan Empire. The Lambandda Kingdom was established in 108 AD by the Nesionytan-influenced Shimboric tribes, which later conquered several islands which would later be part of modern-day Shimbori Islands. The Tawlic-influenced Shimboric tribes in the north later established the Veshemituaa Kingdom in 277 AD to combat against the Nesionytan-influenced ones. The Nesionytan Empire provided weaponry and ships to the Lambandda Kingdom for self-defense. As tensions soar, both kingdoms have fought several small battles over land, and a full-fledged war, known commonly as the Shimbori War, began in 450 AD. The war ended in 849 AD, and with a duration of almost 4 centuries, this was one of the longest wars in the world. This later resulted into the unification of both kingdoms to ensure peace and kindness, forming the Kingdom of Shimbori Islands. One of the oldest Nesionytan countries, the Shimbori Islands maintained peace with itself and the outside world. It also was one of the first recorded countries to have criminalized segregation and self-segregation, believing that all humans should live with one another in harmony. Despite the majority converting to Islam after the religion was brought to the archipelago by the Barundi Sultanate in the 14th century, the kingdom did not join the sultanate and refused to apply sharia law, encouraging secularism among all people. It resisted European colonization in the 17th century by trading with them and allowing them to establish small colonies in the archipelago, such as British Gaurazila and French Khokhotaumi. The Shimbori Islands was also the first country in Nesionyta to have a female head of state, with the coronation of Shijherilina I in 1785, which later led to the promotion of women's rights. Shijherilina I ruled the kingdom until her death in 1821.

The Shimbori Islands began industrialization in the early 1910s, as a part of modernizing the economy and society of the country. The country refused to join the Borundian Federation even after being offered to do so in 1938. It also maintained its neutrality during, supporting neither side, but has opposed the Mahbhartha Empire and its annexation of the Kanuzunda Islands and Sittapini. The economy of Shimbori Islands rose quickly and became one of the richest states in the Nesionytan Islands. As pro-Walakarimasist movements began to rise in the early 1970s, the monarchy thought of crushing them, but as their policy forbid them from ever going to war again, they encouraged them to be peaceful and supportive. Shimbori Islands ceased being an in 1973, transitioning into a. Its military was also formed in January 1974 for further protection and defense. The military later initiated a coup on July 5, 1975, and ceased control of the country. The military leader, Owasa Inditulug Saosentheki, dissolved the monarchy and subsequently ordered the execution of the entire royal family, leading to the Dead Day occurred on July 10. Saosentheki established a republic and declared war against the pro-Walakarimasist and pro-Communist groups on July 12. The war crippled the Shimbori Islands and heavily destroyed its agriculture and economy. After the war ended in 1986, multiparty elections were held for the first time, and Saosentheki was later executed in 1993 after being found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The country began restoring its economy and democracy in the mid-1990s, and later became one of the most democratic countries in the Nesionytan Islands.

Shimbori Islands is a multiracial and ethnically diverse country, with over 124 recognized ethnic groups present, half of which are collectively known as the Shimboric peoples. It is a federal parliamentary republic, composed of eight autonomous regions, each grouped into 50 to 100 municipalities. It is a member of the, Federation of Nesionytan Islands, Federation of Nesiondalsan States, , , and more. The Shimbori Islands is classified as a, with a middle-income economy and adequate living standards.

Coup d'état and civil war (1975-1986)
Due to the inability of the Shimbori monarchy to fight the pro-Walakarimasist forces, the military led by Owasa Inditulug Saosentheki initiated a coup and stormed the royal palace of Veshemituaa, subsequently seizing control of the country on July 5, 1975. The monarchy was forcibly dissolved by Saosentheki and later ordered the execution of the royal family, who were accused of "betraying and destroying" the country. Most of the royal family members, including the king Manmalabunkazi IV, were taken to a court in Lambandda, and were found guilty on July 9. Many historians have speculated this as an invalid and biased verdict, as the judges were found to be supporting the military's decision. Much of the family members were executed by firing squad on July 10, which led to Manmalabunkazi's son, Khenmeleze Manmalabunkazi, fleeing to with his wife. This event was known as the Dead Day. Protests against the military coup and the execution of the royal family subsequently began. Initially peaceful, the protests became violent after many of the protesters were gunned down.

Some of them joined pro-Walakarimast and pro-Communist groups who were against the military. After days of military junta, Saosentheki established a republic on July 12, 1975, with himself as president, and Lieutenant Mohamad Nasiruddin Mehenzagoa as prime minister. The Shimbori civil war immediately began when the military declared war on the anti-military coalition groups. As a result, many businesses were shut down, international companies ceased business in the Shimbori Islands, and many countries, mostly monarchies, had to cut ties with them. However, and  supported the military against pro-Communist coalition groups, which were supported by the  and Ulakisonia, which also supported the Hangala-aided pro-Walakarimasist groups. NATO and Australia's support for the military caused widespread opposition to the Shimbori Civil War. More than 3 million people fled the country to neighboring Morasavia, Polungitia, and the Borundian Federation. Conflict escalated heavily in June 1976 after a military base was bombed by the pro-Communist Imbirayi Dehawan.

Most cities were reduced to rumble and their situation worsened further when severe cyclones and floods occured. The war played a key role in the First Nesionytan War in 1978, when the Shimbori Islands expressed its support to the Coalition Commonwealth Government of Toalugi, providing them aid and weaponry. Ulakisonia responded by air striking several military bases around the country, and later aided the Imbirayi Dehawan. Muslim extremists, mostly situated in the north, later founded the Ansar ul-Jihad Shimbori on August 27, 1978, in an aim to establish an Islamic state in the Shimbori Islands, and joined the war with support from Islamists in Gezirnus. As a result, the military demolished several mosques and massacred Muslims accused of supporting the Ansar ul-Jihad. This led to Muslim-majority countries boycotting the military in the Shimbori Islands. In January 1979, the pro-Walakarimasist Shimbori Socialist Forces ceased control of the Fangatuluwan and Hinjimaji Khelsendewa islands, leading to military offensives in those islands. On January 15, 1981, the Shimbori economy experienced a free fall, and immediately became one of the poorest and the most impoverished countries in the Nesionytan Islands. Due to war, poverty rates have drastically increased, and many of its rivers have become polluted as a result of gunpowder and wastes being disposed of into them. Its agriculture was also destroyed due to war, floods, and droughts.

After the end of the First Nesionytan War in 1983, the Imbirayi Dehawan was dissolved and the communist leader Bahadur Khan Wenjelkula fled to the. Fighting continued with the pro-Walakarimasist and Islamist forces. The Shimbori Islamic Republic quasi-state was established by the Ansar in the Khekhelsi Munha island, which is almost extensively populated by Muslims, on July 8, 1983, with a goal to conquer the rest of the country and form a full Islamic Republic, like in 1979. The military later air striked the island, and later captured the Ansar leader Ibrahim Aziz bin Razzaq Abdullah Ghenghemula, who was later executed by firing squad in July 1983. After his execution, the Khekhelsi Munha island came back under Shimbori military control, and the Ansar was dissolved. Fighting continued with the pro-Walakarimasist SSF until the military successfully regained control over the SSF-occupied islands on February 25, 1986. The SSF was also dissolved and many of its leaders were executed. The civilians later formed the Free Shimbori Islands group after the fall of the SSF and the civil war continued until the FSI overthrew the military on November 12, 1986.

Contemporary republic (1986-present)
The following day, on November 13, 1986, multiparty elections were held for the first time, subsequently after all political parties have been legalized by the FSI. After the social democratic NDPSI won the majority of the vote, many of the former FSI members joined the party. Habibullah Yanmenje Kolihimuna was elected president on December 15, and sworn in on December 31, 1986. Seeing the extreme poverty and fallen economy, Kolihimuna called for reforms of the country. The process began the following year, with foreign investment being allowed again after over ten years. Mushtaq Aziz Onjementi replaced Saosentheki as the new military leader, with the latter being put under house arrest. The Shimbori economy strenghtened heavily and became the first Nesionytan country to graduate from in 1997.

Saosentheki was later brought to the Supreme Court of the Shimbori Islands in Lambandda and was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and was subsequently executed by firing squad on October 3, 1993. Despite the economic growth, the country still had widespread poverty and mass destruction problems caused by the war. In 1994, the Shimbori government began a three-policy strategy, liberalization, democratization, and nationalism, as an aim to develop the country further and strenghten its ethnic unity. Shimbori Islands improved ties with its neighboring states and reestablished diplomatic ties with them during the mid-1990s.

In 2002, the execution of the royal family occurred on July 10, 1975 was officially recognized as Dead Day. Opposing the, protests and mass civil unrest occurred in Shimbori Islands in 2004, injuring 100 and killing up to 43 people. This was one of the deadliest riots in the country. In the same year, the country's economy declined again after the, which has destroyed several places of the country. Aid was later sent by fellow Nesionytan nations and to help recover. The country is one of the fastest-growing Nesionytan economies, and is one of the largest exporter of metal in the region. The Shimbori Islands was also one of the first countries in the region to combat the by mandating masks and imposing lockdowns in March 2020. According to the Shimbori Ministry of Public Health, more than 95% of the total population is vaccinated against the disease as of June 2022.

Language
Main article: Languages of the Shimbori Islands

The Shimbori Islands is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in Northern Nesionyta. The country's constitution recognizes seven languages as official, including. The language with the highest official status is the most widely spoken language, Amintili, a Nesionytan language with 4 million native speakers in the Shimbori Islands, predominantly spoken in the southern regions, followed by Mehesen (3.2 million) and Palaponghama (2.4 million). Some of the dialects of the three languages are sometimes considered languages of their own. All of the three languages belong to the Nesionytan language family and are written using the Shimboric script.

Three of the largest Tawlic languages spoken in the Shimbori Islands are Simhisete (1.1 million speakers), Thowangala (500,000 speakers), and Zokolami (100,000 speakers). Several other Shimboric languages have smaller number of speakers, most of them being endangered. Non-local regional languages include Awanzori, Borundian, and Polungitian. is the main foreign language of the Shimbori Islands, with approximately 79% of the population knowing it as an auxiliary language.

Media
Multiple newspapers in regional languages are published throughout the Shimbori Islands. The largest newspaper in circulation is the Amintili-language daily Anaum Dehawan (Our country), followed by the English-language daily The Shimbori Tribune. Around 340 licensed newspaper publishers exist in the Shimbori Islands, many of which are published in regional and several foreign languages.

The national broadcaster of the country is the Shimbori Radio and Television Ministry (Shimbori Haamim ko Nerbelu Kamlokaash), which began radio broadcasts on August 20, 1918, as one of the oldest Nesionytan radio broadcasters. Its radio broadcasting division is the Voice of the Shimbori Islands, broadcast in ten languages nationwide and over seventeen foreign languages, including English, to overseas audiences. The television division of SRTM is Shimbori Television, broadcast nationwide via its 38 stations. Shimbori Television is currently the only network in the country to broadcast on terrestrial television, but privately-owned satellite and cable channels exist, including Island Prime TV. Foreign channels, most notably from the outside pan-Nesionytan region and Australia, are also provided to Shimbori audiences.

Internet penetration is fairly high, with 73% of the population of the Shimbori Islands connected to it. This is a dramatic increase from 2009, when less than 2% had internet access. However, internet speeds in the country are very slow.