Kauzka, Then and Now

Kauzka used to be a quite peaceful nation.
The inhabitants (although some tribes from the age of conflict still remained) were united in a single nation.
The minimal technology that they had was mostly used for comfort and farming and the like, a military hadn't existed for over 65 years. Most of the inhabitants were equal the only exception was Riaukas (Ranxiagrir's grandfather) and the rest of the nobility. They were and still are, developing their economy into a more efficient model. Their culture was very simple and valued traits like love, compassion, courage, activeness and intelligence. A persons worth was never measured by their physical strength or power, but intelligence was a thing that all people aimed to have in their short lives. One was taught to appreciate the beauty of nature and almost all civilians followed the Trakhi religion, which was based around the idea of Mother Earth as the one and only deity.

After contact was established with the rest of the world however, new technology flooded the nation and their culture fell away as the land was tainted with smog for the first time. Everyone all wanted to get rich and didn't care about the land or what they did to it. Trees fell, animals were slaughtered without feeling and mines turned plains into a minefield of sinkholes. Then Ranxiagrir took control of the nobility and enforced laws on the people. Trakhi was remade into a theology which suited the nation better and Kauzkan gained guidance from it. Today technology is slowly being ingrained into their society and children are taught the old way of living. Ranxiagrir frowns on technology but is accepting it. He and most Kauzkans are wary of other nations, lest their culture and way of living be overhauled again.

Culture:
Kauzkas culture is almost purely based on the Trakhi religion, although Ranxiagrir's rule has implemented some aspects of modern cultures in accordance with the technology influx of 1967. Most dresses or clothes of Kauzka are furs or at least have a feline aspect to them. Foreign imports are a common site however, but most citizens still choose to at least have some sort of cat related thing as part of their dress-code. Bone or tooth necklaces are becoming increasingly common as the people want to be in with the latest fashion or style, but still want to keep their heritage and culture alive. Nobility, excepting the council, often dress in the traditional furs and being of high rank, the feline masks as well. Although Ranxiagrir is almost never seen without his traditional dress and is working to promote it in today's society, he has no qualms about foreign imports or way of dressing. He has, however laid reasonable taxes on imports, for cultural and economic reasons, as Kauzkas feelings towards other nations means that Ranxiagrir likes to keep it mostly self sufficient.
Trakhi:
Trakhi, while mostly straightforward, may seem strange to foreign people or people that don't know it very well. It is based upon the idea of a single deity, and although this deity, much like the country itself, doesn't have an official name, most foreigners and even some citizens have taken to calling it 'Mother Earth'. Elderly, priests or people that stay true to Trakhi know it as well, 'it'. It does not have a name because it isn't meant to be named. 'It' refers to everything and giving everything one name is impossible, especially since we don't and most likely never will, know everything about it. In this way 'it' is similar to the 'God' of Christianity although in Trakhi 'it' is much more highly revered than 'God' as the Christian's have the audacity to name an being and then say that it is infinitely mysterious, loving a lot of other things but most of all that you can't ever know the nature of God. This does not make sense when viewing through a Trakhi followers point of view and to some may even be considered blasphemous. Trakhi followers believe that although you can't define the nature of 'it' that 'it' wants them to protect and revere it's creation, the Earth. This is why modern technology and capitalist way of thinking tore apart the culture of Kauzka, on one side people wanted to protect the Earth and follow Trakhi, but on the other side they wanted money and unfortunately the money side usually won. Now on to the other part of Trakhi. The feline aspect of Trakhi is the more primitive part of the religion and is based off of the cats diversity and commonality in ancient Kauzka and also it nature. While dogs were rigid and single-minded, cats were deeper, flexible, harder to tame, and generally more of a mystery than other animals. Ancients called people Kioko (single: Kiok) which meant 'Cat demi-gods' or similar deity. Kioko saw themselves as higher cats, this could be due to the religion itself, the hiss-sounding language of the Kioko, of which a similar language, Nouyarhi, is used today, or perhaps that the Kioko might have been hairier than they are today, or of a more feline look, although this theory is less popular.
 Trakhi's view on felines changed over the years. The longest period named the 'Praanier' period, meaning dominance, went from the 'Kioko's dawn' (3500BC (approx)) to about 250AD, which was around the time when the small numerous tribes formed into the great tribes Chapreshesh (occupied the northern islands and north-east of the mainland), Romchicrih (occupied central and south-western mainland) and Mitsuru (occupied the small corner of south-east of the mainland). In this period Kioko saw themselves as above felines, in accordance with the meaning of Kioko itself. They did not revere felines but respected and protected them. The next period called the 'Fymmis' period, meaning 'Pacifism' was a time of peace for Kauzka as the Great tribes, after the Namzuma wars (approx 255-550AD) in which the Great Tribes had fought for territory and in the process the Mitsuru were driven over-seas, and was from approx 600-1400AD. In this time the Kioko revered cats as gifts, or children of 'it'. They saw themselves as just below feline's, neither slaves nor masters. This was a rather uneventful time for Kauzka although records show that there were a serious of rebellions and attacks from barbarians or which the most powerful seemed to be the Sinsiess meaning 'blood-kin'. The next period is called the 'Cysuusra' period meaning 'Uncaring' in the old language and 'ingraining' in Nouyarhi, going from 1650-1967. The only thing that changed was that the feline aspect of Trakhi became less dominant, instead 'it' and it's concept was more used. Trakhi also became the national religion, with the Chapreshesh defeating the Romchicrih in the 'Battles of Dominance' (1500-1650 and a time were Trakhi and other religions were ignored as in other great wars). Trakhi remained unchanged until the technological influx and cultural collapse of 1967.
The last stage of Trakhi is the one that Ranxiagrir revised in 1989, ending the cultural collapse. Many still call this period Cysuusra although a few changes were made. First of all the feline aspect of Trakhi was suppressed and became more of a way of life, or as some argue a novelty or national/cultural identity. The 'it' aspect of Trakhi was also boosted up and it was more common to ask 'it' for guidance or help, much like praying in Christianity. Offerings were virtually abandoned and only continued by devout followers of Cysuusra, Fymmis or even the 'cult' as it has been branded that still follows Praanier version of Trakhi.
This is why culture is still changing today as the citizens of Kauzka debate Trakhi and the other religions of ways of life of the world.

Immigrants:
Kauzka's outside interactions have changed since the old days. Before the cultural collapse of 1967 the immigrants in other countries numbered in the tens. An estimated 15 immigrants were known to be over seas in 1050, with the number rising to 100 in 1500. The first immigrant is though to be Rofiauz, a male approximately 30 when he immigrated with his wife and only-child. Their bodies were buried in the Sol Federation, thought to have been murdered, perhaps by a native. Nowadays there are thousands of immigrants, with the number raising from 2000 in 1965 to 15000 in 1968. Some Kauzkan's descended from the ancient immigrants have morphed their culture with that of their host country, and some are barely recognizable as being descended from Kauzan's. Although now the number of immigrants in other countries number about 75000, most of the population prefers to keep away from foreigners, with some having a very xenophobic attitude. The countries population number about 45,550,305 according to the 2015 census, so the number of immigrants is dwarfed by the native population.

Map:
Due to Teks awesome map I got jealous and made one myself, definitely not as good as his though.
   
Nice job btw Tek

The 'states' are really just the cities spheres of influence i.e the Councillor of that city is the Councillor for any towns or cities in the territory. The towns in the territory would be counted in the vote for the Councillor as well.