Hwan

The Hwan State (Hwanese: 寨山國 Hwa Na Kukka) commonly known simply as Hwan (Hwanese: 寨山 Hwa Na) is a small landlocked country located in East Asia border China to the North, and Korea to the South. The characters that make up the Hwanese name of the country mean "Walled Mountain" which refers to the extensive ancient wall which surrounds the mountanious country. The capital and largest population centre is Nangwu, and the country has a small tightly knit population of just over 1 million people.

A particularly isolated state, Hwan has existed for many centuries remaining staunchly independent since its time as a vassal or tributary state for various Chinese and Korean dynasties between the 14th and 19th centuries. Hwan has been surrounded by a Great Wall for many centuries, which was a major factor for its isolation in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it has suffered from very little globalisation, and retains it ancient cultural aesthetics, mythology and traditions which continue to influence modern society and culture, with very minimal global influence from states other than its direct neighbours, Korea and China. Policies by the government to radically preserve the nations culture and environment have led to it being ranked as one of the happiest countries of the world. Hwan's social structure and societ is one based upon a community of equals, with none placed above the other unlike other structures. The Hwa Kwoku defines good morals and is widely adopted as the state ideology. Those who are seen as doing something 'bad' in the eyes of society, will move down in the social structure which has led many to compare Hwanese society to a Meritocracy, placing those who have earned and shown 'good morals' at the top of the social structure. Clans and multiple families still live together in traditionally equal built housing known as Kulou's usually built in a circular fashion all homes facing inwards, which continue the idea that of the community of equals.

While Hwan is not considered to be a particularly technologically advanced state, with the introduction of the internet and television as late as the end of the 1980's, it's relationship with Korea has resulted in the mass import of modern technologies into the Hwanese market. The Hwanese economy is considered to be mixed, with influences of Socialist economics, sharing out of goods among the community through barter and trades, whilst it also has a thriving free market. The ability to provide state healthcare on a small scale in Hwan has been operating since the 1970's, however undeveloped regions of the country and its mountainous terrain make large scale infrastructure projects difficult. Despite this, Hwanese people enjoy a relatively high standard of living, comparable with those in Mongolia.