Votharheim

Votharheim (sometimes written Vodarheim, in Votharian: Voðarheim / ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ), officially known as the Sovereign Confederacy of the Democratic Republics of Votharheim (Votharian: Fullvalda sambandsríki lýðræðislýðveldanna Voðarheim / ᚠᚢᛚᛚᚢᚨᛚᛞᚨ ᛊᚨᛗᛒᚨᚾᛞᛊᚱᛁᚲᛁ ᛚᛁᚦᚱᛇᚦᛁᛊᛚᛁᚦᚢᛖᛚᛞᚨᚾᚾᚨ ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ is a country located in the Northeast part of Hatar. It has only one land border with X, but has maritime border with Saesland to the South and the Union State in the East. Votharheim is mainly comprised of islands situated between the Ezaconic Ocean, the Tavaric Ocean and the Valkon sea. Its capital is Alþýðubær, but the largest city is Grenivyk with almost 3 million inhabitants. The population is denser in the South due to the harsh polar climate of the North.

According to medieval sagas, the first kingdoms in Votharheim dates from the first century, but archeologists think that organised societies in the area can be traced back at least up to the second century BCE. Votharian tribes came from the central Hatarian plain and probably share ancestors with the Sundish people. The Votharian kingdoms slowly united during the Middle Ages until the creation of the United Kingdoms of Votharheim in 1389, which lasted until the revolution of 1806. During the 19th century, the country was an Empire which was in turn dissolved after the revolution of 1902. In 1912, the Union of Votharian Socialist Councils, a communist dictatorship, was established and lasted until 1985. The Votharian Confederacy was created in 1987 with the intent of uniting all the states of the former Votharian Union.

Votharheim has a mixed economy, a heritage of the socialist organisation. The states intervene in the economy in order to protect domestic companies as well as working rights, in a system known as the Votharian Model. It is defined by an elaborate social safety net, defence of the workers' rights, overall ease of doing business and cooperation between employers, trade unions and the government. This system works at the cost of relatively high taxes burden upon the companies and citizens but allows Voltharheim to guarantee high standards of living despite not having a very high GDP.

Etymology
The name Votharheim (Votharian: Voðarheim / ᚢᛟᚦᚨᚱᚺᛖᛁᛗ) comes from the old religion. In the tradition, there is different worlds and Votharheim is the one of mankind. During the 9th century, explorers and raiders started to discover the world around them and stated to use Votharheim to describe their homeland as a geographical area. The use of the name to describe a political entity started in 1389 at the creation of the United Kingdoms.