Sakhalin

Sakhalin was an island nation north of Japan and east of Russia in the Pacific Ocean. It declared independence on December 31, 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the exodus of many ethnic Russians to mainland Russia. Sakhalin, having split from the authoritarian, communist regime of the Soviet Union, adopted a democratic, libertarian view of government, in which it kept until the events leading up to the Storm.

Sakhalin was considered a free country to most, having a constitutional government, inspired by countries such as the United States and Canada. Relatively ethnically diverse, the country consisted of mostly indigenous peoples such as the Ainu, Oroks, and Nivkhs, but housed many others, such as Russians, Ukrainians, and the Japanese, among others.

Sakhalin had a relatively large economy, and among the best of the Earth's island nations. The unemployment rate was always very low, and many local corporations were active. In 2000, 85% of the nation was agricultural, lowering to around 70% in 2030. The largest and most populated city was Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, which contained around 40% of the nation's population in 1991, and 20% in 2040.

Independence
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Sakhalin was quick to split from the country of Russia and declare independence. Russia, a republic until the Storm occurred, peacefully allowed this declaration and it was finalized and made official on December 31, 1991.

Demographics
Sakhalin was primarily composed of the native Ainu, Oroks, and Nivkhs before Russia took control of the island in 1875. After 1875, Russians began migrating to the island and driving much of the native people out, to places like northern Japan. However, in 1991, the majority of the Russians living there emigrated back to Russia where it was no longer under authoritarian control. This allowed for the native population to thrive once again. In 2000, 85% of the inhabited regions were under agriculture, while the remaining 15% was either urban or mountainous suburban. However, the majority of Sakhalin's population resided in this 15% of land.

In 2020, Sakhalin's ethnic population was as follows:


 * Ainu: 64.2%
 * Russians: 19.5%
 * Oroks and Nivkhs: 10.1%
 * Japanese: 5.5%
 * .7% other

The Ainu, Orok, Nivkh, Japanese, and Korean population grew at a high rate from the 2000s, while the population of Russians declined. In 2020, 96% of the Russian population inhabited the urban city of Okha, the second-most populated city of Sakhalin. The city of Okha's ethnic population only consisted of 16% native peoples, and 20% Japanese or Koreans, the remaining 63% of Russian ancestry, and 1% of Ukrainian.

Culture
They like fish.