Country profile

Introduction

The Republic of Chernarus, more commonly known as Chernarus, is a post-Soviet republic in the Green Sea region, near the Caucasus Mountains. Chernarus is bordered by the Russian Federation to the north along the Black Mountains, Takistan to the west and the Green Sea to the south and east. The capital, Novigrad, is situated on the coast of the Burnaya river delta in the south-west of the country, a short distance from the Takistani border. The Burnaya and Svetlaya rivers form the core of modern Chernarus, giving rise to major cities such as Kirovograd and Belozersk. Other major settlements can be found along the length of the nation’s coast, such as Primorsk, Miroslavl’ and Chernogorsk. Several islands in the Green Sea fall under the sovereignty of Chernarus, most notably the islands of Utes, Moschnyi and Lyutyi. Chernarus has been inhabited from at least the 5th Century, with Slavic peoples settling the area sometime around the 11th Century. Various dukedoms controlled the region until the nation was united in the 13th Century by Taras Kozub. Chernarus joined the Russian Empire in 1631, and only regained its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. In 2009, a civil war would erupt in the predominantly ethnically Russian province of South Zagoria, instigated by the Chernarussian Movement of the Red Star who sought to unify with Russia.

History

Early History

The earliest known inhabitants of what is now Chernarus were the Skyths, a nomadic tribe who inhabited the valleys of the Burnaya and Svetlaya rivers sometime in the 5th Century. The Skyths wouldn’t stay in the region however, as they would travel further south-west to establish the foundations of what are now Karzeghistan and Takistan, including the capital of the latter, Takmyr, on the banks of the Salak Darya.

Slavic peoples inhabited the area sometime around the 11th and 12th Centuries. The basis of modern Chernarus was established in the delta of the Burnaya River, divided from much of the Zagorie region – under the control of the Moscow Principality – by the Black Mountains. The Slavs of Chernarus shared a common enemy with their Slavic Russian cousins, in the form of raiders from the south-west; the two Slavic peoples were traditionally bound for this reason, although the Slavs of the Burnaya delta always sought to maintain their independence.

The first of several dukedoms were established in the area during the 11th and 12th Centuries, the most notable of which being the Kozlov duchy in South Zagoria, headed by Duke Ivan Kozlov. Kozlov constructed a series of castles and keeps to protect his dukedom from raids via the Green Sea and Black Mountains. Kozlov’s dynasty would collapse at the turn of the 13th century, precipitating the collapse of his fortress system; two notable ruins remain of his work – the infamous Devil’s Castle and the lesser-known Rog keep. Despite the collapse of his dynasty, Duke Kozlov is considered to be an important figure in the early history of the establishment of Chernarus.

At the turn of the 13th century, the Kozub Dynasty, led by Taras Kozub, would ultimately usurp the various dukedoms of the region to successfully create a unified Chernarussian state. Around this time, Karzeghis in Zagoria staged a rebellion, led by Ataman Simurg. Despite this there would be no other major rebellions during the rule of the Kozub Dynasty, and in 1631 Chernarus would join the Russian Empire.

20th Century

Chernarus continued under this arrangement until the demise of Imperial Russia in 1917, becoming a part of the Soviet Union as an autonomic federal republic after the Russian Revolution. Chernarussians served in the Soviet Armed Forces during the Great Patriotic War, their sacrifice evidenced by numerous prominent war memorials. The Red Army possessed a small airfield, near the town of Vybor in South Zagoria, for parachute training, which was greatly expanded post-war into a fully-fledged airbase.

During the 50s, the government of the Chernarussian Autonomic Republic rapidly industrialised the coastal areas of South Zagoria, transforming Chernogorsk, the administrative centre of the province, from a small fisherman’s village to a large regional harbour, primarily to facilitate the transport of supplies to Elektrozavodsk rather than to enhance its traditional role of linking with northern trade routes. During this period of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, rural townsfolk were uprooted and forced to live an urban life, else they be stationed at one of the vast northern kolkhozs. The price for this forced industrialisation was unchecked damage to the coastal regions, particularly to the coastal fauna and flora.

The rapid industrialisation rendered the existing power output insufficient. Many roads still consisted solely of gravel, and yearly floods constantly threatened the coastal rail network. As a result, the Chernarussian government undertook an initiative to upgrade much of the infrastructure in the province, notably constructing two large dams (Topolka Dam and Pobeda Dam) to assist with irrigation and power generation.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Republic of Chernarus gained independence for the first time in more than 300 years. The newly established Chernarussian Defence Forces assumed ownership of all military installations in the newly established republic, including Vybor Air Base and the sophisticated S.A.M. and Radar base near Grozovoy Pass. Some bases in the far north of the province were neglected due to insufficient funds and their condition quickly deteriorated. The Chernarussian government sought to make amends for the ruthless industrialisation of the scenic South Zagoria region under Soviet rule by declaring the “Zagorie Protected Natural Area”, which encompassed the near-untouched Skalisty Island.

Government

Since 2019, the Republic of Chernarus has been governed by the National Salvation Government, made up of both the Chernarus National Party and the Chernarus Movement of the Red Star. An agreement was reached in 2018 that would end hostilities preliminarily and focus on rebuilding the nation.

Culture

Culture

Chernarus is officially a bilingual state, where the Russian and Chernarussian languages have official status. The prevalence of the Russian language receiving official status stems from the long-standing historical and cultural ties to neighbouring Russia. In the North-Eastern province of South Zagoria, along the border with Russia, the dominant usage of the Russian language is due to the ethnic Russian minority being the majority in the region. The heavy usage of Russian in the northeast has historically caused skirmishes between Chernarussian nationalists and the Russian populace. As a result of this conflict, various separatist movements have sprung up, most notably the Chernarussian Movement of the Red Star, which had aimed to create an independent South Zagoria or even full integration with the Russian Federation.

Chernarussian Language

The Chernarussian Language is a West Slavic language similar in grammar and tonation to the Czech language. Chernarussian is written in the Latin script, making it easy to distinguish it from the Cyrillic script used in the Russian language. Throughout Chernarus, many signs written in both Russian and Chernarussian can be found in Hospitals, Medical Centers, billboard advertisements, vending machines, storefronts, and so on. The Chernarussian language is less frequent compared to its Russian counterpart. In the school buildings found around the country, the primary language is Chernarussian, as evident on posters and information boards found within classrooms and hallways.

Religion

The most prominent religion in Chernarus is the Russian branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, as identified by the multiple churches featuring traditional architectural elements seen in Russian churches. Gilded cupolas adorned with orthodox crosses, ornate iconostasis’ in front of altars, and mosaics in the vaults or domes of the churches.

Architecture

Chernarus is marked by its well-preserved cities and towns featuring primarily traditional styled architecture, a unique feature in its identity. Neo-classical and baroque architectural styles can be found in many cities, with row houses being a prime example. Soviet architecture can also be seen in Chernarus, however uncommonly. The only example of Soviet architecture is the municipal City Hall building in Novodmitrovsk, one of the tallest buildings in the game. Modernist architecture is prominent in many cities. During the Soviet era, many apartment blocks, schools, and stores were built in Brutalist and Socialist Realist architecture styles. Brutalism finds its origins in Western Europe and was widely used in the USSR during the early 1960s after the severe housing crisis as a result of the cost of the Great Patriotic War that ended in 1945.