Matobo

Matobo, officially the Republic of Matobo (Matobwe: Nyika yeMatobo) is a located in southeast Miju. Its territory also includes the island of Nduri. It is surrounded by the Meskuswe Sea to the south and east, Lu'Wavzo Mountains to the west, and the Kupenya River to the north. It shares a land border with Tsongtiko. Covering over 3.75 million square kilometers, Matobo is the largest country in Miju and the fifth largest country in the world by area. Its population of 168,951,244 is made up of 184 distinct recognized ethnic groups. Matobwe national identity is grounded in the historic and contemporary roles of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and indigenous Matobwe religion; its history as the Zadwabi Empire; and the nation's resistance to foreign rule.

Some of the oldest skeletal evidence for s has been found in Matobo. It is widely considered the region from which modern humans first set out into other parts Miju, Yoju, and beyond. Matobo was a monarchy for most of its history, and traces its roots to the 2nd millennium BCE with the formation of the Kingdom of Changara. The Indikulu Empire, formed by Emperor Hondo I in 286 BCE, consolidated the various kingdoms and city-states of the Sahezi River into a single state that emerged as a leading cultural, political, and religious center. A period known as Kutanga kwaIndikulu, generally accepted to span 13 AD - 286 AD, ushered in a period of hegemonic stability in Miju that saw the empire's influence extend deep into the continent. The empire's stability and influence waned in the following centuries, sparked by economic crisis, cultural tensions, and nomadic invasions. In 405 AD, the warlord Kugenda the Great led an army of nomads from the Likwende Plateau to conquer the imperial capital of Indiluku. Kugenda declared himself emperor, enacted many social, political, and economic reforms, and established the Zadwabi Empire. Kugenda was the first ruler of the yeLekubo Dynasty that ruled until the Tsibonga Crisis of the 9th century AD. The succeeding yeBondo Dynasty looked sought to expand their influence across the sea, and established trade with states in Yoju, Namju, and Jungju.

In 1621, the Zadwabi Empire entered a period of isolationism in response to increased pressure for exclusive trade with Sinjunese states. This resulted in the Doma War, in which Viet forces seized three major cities in the northern parts of the empire and gained exclusive access to Zadwabi trade. By 1840, many Sinjunese states had used to force trade with the Zadwabi, and held indirect power over the empire through. The untimely death of Mambokadzi Anenyasha in 1864 sparked the Mashona Rebellion, a massive civil war that saw wanton destruction of foreign embassies, mass executions of foreigners, and the deaths of over 20 million Matobwe people. By the end of the war in 1872, the Republic of Matobo had been established and the Sinjunese grip had been weakened. Matobo fought a series of wars against foreign imperials, whose colonial operations had already been withering through the late 19th century, and by 1920 most foreign powers had been expelled from the country. Matobo joined the Eulhae War as a means of expanding its own influence and expelling foreign nations from other parts of southern Miju.

Today, Matobo is a regional power with a strong economy and infrastructure. It is one of the founding members of the Pan-Miju Conference and a member of the Congress of Nations. Matobo maintains a policy of intervention regarding the well-being of other Mijunese nations, which has earned it a reputation of being the "Miju police." Matobo is renowned for its beaches and is a major tourist destination.

Etymology
The word Matobo is derived from 7th century, literally meaning "bald-headed ones." The word, originally used to refer to an arid range of mountains in the greater Lu'Wavzo Mountains, was increasingly used to describe people from the western portions of the Zadwabi Empire. As the yeBondo Dynasty began to supersede the yeLekubo Dynasty and the empire underwent cultural shift, the name became a de facto term for the country.

Prehistory
The northern regions of Matobo and the surrounding area are at the forefront of paleontology. The oldest hominid to date was found in the North Likwende region in 1991. The most well known hominid discovery, the Cheguta Man, was discovered in the Cheguta valley region in 1975. It is one of the most complete and best reserved examples of early hominids, and is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago.

Matobo is also considered one of the earliest sites of the emergence of anatomically modern humans,. The oldest of these fossil finds, the Arar remains, were discovered in the Lower Arar region and date back to around 300,000 years ago. Additionally, skeletons of were found in the upper Kupenya River valley. Dated to approximately 160,000 years ago, they may represent a distinct subspecies of Homo sapiens, or the immediate ancestors to anatomically modern humans.

In 2016, archaeologists discovered a 30,000 year old Middle Stone Age rock shelter in the Lu'Wavzo Mountains. This dwelling is the earliest case of humans dwelling at high altitude ever discovered. Thousands of animal bones, hundreds of stone tools, and ancient fireplaces were discovered.

Evidence of some of the earliest stone-tipped projectile weapons were discovered in the East Likwende region in 2011 and date to around 279,000 years ago. They are believed to be the tips of spears or javelins.

Ancient Matobo
Evidence for domestication of food crops and animals, construction of permanent structures, and storage of agricultural surplus is dated to around 7,000 BCE to a series of sites near modern day Rukuru. These sites gradually formed into the Sahezi River Civilization, the first urban culture in southern Miju, which flourished from around 2500-1800 BCE. Centered around large cities situated on the Sahezi River, such as Isidhlodhlo, Madzimudzangara, and Pindura-Mhuka, the civilization engaged in far-reaching trade and tool production. These civilizations transitioned into iron age cultures in the period spanning 2000-500 BCE. This period saw several waves of migration from the Likwende Plateau by nomads. A transition into sedentary life is indicated by the large number of megalithic monuments from this period, as well as traces of irrigation and agriculture.

By the 4th century BCE, the small states of the Sahezi River and the Likwende Plateau had been consolidated into thirteen major kingdoms. By the 3rd century, the kingdom of Indikulu had annexed the surrounding states and emerged as the Indikulu Empire, led by Emperor Hondo I.

Geography
Matobo is the largest country in Miju and the fifth largest country in the world; its total area is 3,757,318. Most of Matobo's expansion occurred in the 16th century during the reign of Mambo Gondai yeBondo VI, at a time when competing duchies in northern Matobo began to band together in rebellion against the state. Gondai mustered an army, conquered the rebellious kingdoms, and incorporated them into the empire proper.

Matobo makes up the majority of the South Miju region, and is bordered to the north by Tsongtiko, to the south by the Southern Ocean, and to the east by the X Sea. It shares a maritime boundary with Ambemaribu. Matobo's territory also includes Nduri Island.

Over one third of Matobo is located on the Likwende Plateau, which spans the center of the country and measures mostly between 1000 and 15000 meters in elevation. Despite its size, only 27% of the nation's population lives on the plateau, and those who do mostly live in cities near the Kupenya River. By contrast, most of Matobo's population lives in densely-populated urban areas on the coasts of the Leskuswe Bay and Southern Ocean. The western portion of Matobo is made up of the Lu'Wavzo Mountains and Selukwe Desert, and is scarcely populated.

Matobo's highest point is Mt. Mbalobala in the Lu'Wavzo Mountains, with an altitude of 5,148 meters. The Lu'Wavzo range is famous for its deposits of gold, silver, and iron.

Climate
Matobo generally has a subtropical climate, especially along the southern coast. These coastal regions experience a wet season between October and March and a dry season between April and September. Cyclones are common during the wet season. The central part of the country on the Likwende Plateau has a semi-arid to arid climate, experiencing much less rainfall due to being in the rain shadow of the Lu'Wavzo Mountains.

Government and Politics
Matobo is a with a  govered under the Constitution of Matobo--the country's supreme legal document. The constitution, ratified in 1951, was based on Sinjunese political systems, and established Matobo as a "sovereign, democratic republic." Matobo's form of government, traditionally described as "semi-federal" with a weak center and strong states, has become increasingly unitary since the 1980s as a result of social, economic, and social changes.

Suffrage is granted to all citizens age eighteen and over. Prior to voting reforms in 2003, the voting age was fourteen--the traditional age of adulthood in Matobo. Citizens under the age of eighteen may vote if they pass the voting acquisition exam, which is based off the Jeongmian exam.

The President of Matobo is both and. The president is elected for four-year terms indirectly by an electoral college comprising members of national and state legislatures. The president may serve no more than three consecutive terms. The president holds the power to veto a bill, and vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of the Nhepfenyuro. The president has the power to prorogue the Nhepfenyuro, but this power has been exercised only once in 1973. The Vice-President of Matobo is appointed by the president and is largely a figurehead, though they may take the role of president if the serving president is rendered incapacitated.

Legistlative power is vested in the Nhepfenyuro. The lower house, the Dzikisa, contains 545 seats, 543 of which are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The remaining two seats are appointed by the president from the Sinjunese-Matobwe community if he decides they are not adequately represented. The upper house, the Okumusoro, contains 245 seats which are elected by popular vote every four years, but only those who have passed a high-level civil service exam may run.

The judiciary system of Matobo comprises of the supreme court, thirty high courts, and a large number of trial courts. The supreme court has original jurisdiction over cases involving fundamental rights and has jurisdiction over the high courts. It has the power to both strike federal subject laws which contravene the constitution, and invalidate any government action it deems unconstitutional.

Local governments are semi-autonomous and their powers are granted by the national government. Matobo contains eight recognized national political parties and over fifty regional parties. Of these, the Liberal Party, the Labor Party, the Conservative Party, and the National People's Party hold 539 seats of the Nhepfenyuro.

Foreign Relations
Matobo is a regional power in Miju, a nuclear power, and an emerging global power. It is a member of the Congress of Nations and is a founding member of the Pan-Miju Conference.

Matobo holds a policy of regarding other states in southern Miju. Given Matobo's relative wealth and prosperity in comparison to other nations in the region, Matobo has often sought to aid neighboring nations and combat foreign influence. This has historically led to Matobo coming into conflict with non-Mijunese nations.

The existence of a Hokanese-backed socialist state in Ambemaribu has been a major issue in Matobwe foreign policy. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Matobo and Hokan engaged in a series of proxy wars to establish ideological dominance in southern Miju, with Ambemaribu being the center of tension. Since the 1990s, relations between the two nations have warmed.

Administrative Divisions


According to the Constitution, Matobo comprises seventy federal subjects. When the Constitution was ratified, there were eighty-two subjects recognized, but some of them were incorporated into other subjects later. All subjects have equal representation--two delegates each--in the Kanzuru. There are four types of federal subjects, and they differ in the amount of autonomy they enjoy.


 * 59 Mudunhu: most common type of subject, with locally elected governor and legislature.
 * 5 Nzvimbo: nominally autonomous, with their own constitutions, heads of state, and parliaments. Nzvimbo are allowed to establish their own official language alongside Matobwe, but they are represented by the federal government in international affairs. Nzvimbo traditionally have been home to specific ethnic minorities.
 * 4 Dunhu: major cities and their surrounding areas that function as separate regions.
 * 2 Ndima: functionally similar to Nzvimbo. Historically, Ndima have served as home to major religious minorities in Matobo. These consist of the Islamic Republic of Pamhenderekedzo and the Jewish State of MuJudha.

Cuisine
Matobwe cuisine varies heavily by region. Given the diverse range of soil types, climate, culture, and ethnic groups, regional cuisines vary drastically from one another, using locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruit. Matobwe have been influenced by the nation's major religions, in particular Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They have also been influenced by Sinjunese rule, particularly Viet, Jeongmian, and Tosānchinese cuisines and customs.



The foundation of a typical Matobwe meal is a cooked or lentils,, and roasted or stewed meat. The most common cereals are, , and , but rice is also popular. These are typically spiced with, , , or. Common meats include goat or beef. Meals are typically eaten among families and friends; a large pot of meat is often served in the center of the table, with bowls of cereals, yogurt, and spices served around it. More elaborate meals will included bowls of chopped and roasted vegetables, often including pumpkin, beans, cauliflower, and sweet potato. Meals are usually served with thin bread, which is broken and wrapped around pieces of the pieces of meal before consumption.



Despite Matobo's long coastline and robust fishing industry, shellfish doesn't feature in many regional Matobwe cuisines. This is largely due to the Jewish and Christian influences in the country that forbids its consumption. In regions where seafood is consumed, it is often smoked. Smoked fish served with mashed sweet potatoes or lentils is a common fast food item.

A notable feature of Matobwe food is the number of distinct cuisines, which are typically found in the savannas in the northern part of the country. The scarcity of livestock in this region led to them becoming something of a status symbol and form of currency, and many people in these areas are uncomfortable with the thought of eating meat today. In these regions, is a staple food.

During the last three centuries, Sinjunese presence in Miju influenced the cuisine of Matobo. Although rice had been introduced via trade much earlier, it was during Sinjunese occupation that many rice-based dishes were introduced. Popular Sinjunese dishes reflect the colonial history of the nation, such as yamilssam. These dishes are often popular in their own right, though regional variations using Matobwe spices are also popular.