Artisans

Artisans is a continent in the world of Geckourgette and has fourteen countries. Ten biomes are located on the mainland and the two island groups of Artisans. The continent also has the highest biological diversity among the four continents on the planet.

Etymology
The continent was discovered by Otrolmian expedition groups as they went ashore at the Theas' Desert in south-western Artisans. Since the primordial Theas' culture paid a lot of attention to their architecture the Otrolmian explorers refered to the new land as "the home of artisans". Later the Otrolmo-centered world view established, thus Artisans stuck to its Otrolmian name.

Climate
Artisans has ten biomes. From north to south and from west to east polar deserts, tundra, taiga, temperate steppes, temperate forests, savannas, dry steppes, arid deserts and volcanic badlands are located on the mainland. The west end of Artisans is very arid (the average amount of precipitation sums up to 60mm), the east on the other hand is very humid (average precipitation of 1000mm). The eastern Theas' Isles are mostly covered by temperate steps, but the northern few islands clearly belong to the Artisan taiga. The highest average temperature (volcanic badlands excluded) on the mainland is 32°C and was measured in the south-western desert of Miriss. The lowest average temperature of -36,5°C was measured in Mias on the top of Mt. Ulric.

The southern Pinas Isle has its own, unique biome. The ground is covered by characteristic blue sand on the shores and by brown and green sand in the heartland. The climate is fairly humid (800mm), thus rain is a very common phenomenon. There are no rivers, but many small blue streams, which change their course very often due to the free-flowing nature of the sand.

Flora
Artisans has the highest diversity of flora on the planet. 70% are loacted in central and eastern Artisans in the steppic regions and continental forests, mostly being gymnosperms. The south-western desert and the southern mountains are the area with the smallest forestation (5% of the total mainland).

The Pinas Isle has the lowest diversity, but still a fairy high population of the few specie, that manage surviving on the hostile soil. The shores are basically dead, still the plants in the heartland area specialised to the region's cupriferous and magnesium-bearing soil. Thus photosynthesis is very efficient in this particular area.

Politics and Economy
Artisans has fourteen countries, eleven of them located on the mainland.
 * Theas' Desert: A tribal kingdom in the south-west of the mainland. Their main export products are pottery and desert spices.
 * Dead Mountain: A democratic republic in the south of the mainland. It is named after the mountain, that almost entirely covers the country. Areas of the northern Pinas Isle are Dead Mountain territory. Their main export product is livestock (Goats and Sheep) and minerals. They have well developed and industrialsed metallurgy.
 * Erming: A kingdom east of Dead Mountain. It used to be a province of Dead Mountain, but it got independent.
 * Arriffa: A democratic republic in the far east of Artisans. Economic plants, livestock, rare earth minerals and weapons are the main export goods of the country. Arriffa's technological progress is impressive, compared to the other nations of Artisans. Also their scientists are well known and admired.
 * Theas' Isles: An island group under dictatorship. The main island produces a lot of crops, the northern archipel exports a lot of fish.
 * Apeph: A kingdom west of Arriffa and north of Erming. Their main income is from forestry and exporting arms. Their merchants are famous and can compete with Otrolmian peers. Thus Apeph sometimes is humorously called "tempered Otrolmo".
 * Lizzuc: Lizzuc is reigned by a workers council. Their mainexport goods are tobacco and opium. There are diplomatic tensions with Mias, because of the overuse of pesticides, which pollutes the riverwater.
 * Mias: The kingdom is mostly covered with snow. In the past the people lived from seal and whale hunting, as well as heavy industrialisation. Mias was heavily affected by the Panemian crisis between the kingdom and Arriffa.
 * Greater Otrolmo: It is a former colony of Otrolmo. Although gaining formally independence some decades ago, they are still dependant on their former mothercountry. They are reigned by a Governour sent from Otrolmo, but the otrolmean King is still head of state.
 * Eli: Was the first feminstic republic that existed. Even though Eli is quite small it has a rather significant army, due to the compulsory military service and its well developed diplomatic relationships to its neighbouring countries. The soil is rich of precious metals and minerals.
 * Zofa: Reigned by the archduke Rudolph IV. the archduchy has a pact with Mias. Mias vowed to protect Zofa while the archduchy provides crops and livestock, since the kingdom has a lack of fertile soil. Mias also subsized slaves to Zofa's farmers since they would not be able to handle the immense neccessity for food.
 * Pinas Is'r:
 * Niara:
 * Krakensar: