Welcome to the Nation Registration Guide! This thread will guide you through the process of claiming a new nation. If you’re new here, we recommend you follow our step-by-step guide for new roleplayers, if you aren’t doing so already.
If you have questions or need help at any point, don’t hesitate to open a ticket in the map-discussion channel on our Discord. We’ll be happy to help you through the nation creation process.
The Map
The current political map of Urth can be found here. Any white space on the map is free for the taking (unless someone else claimed it before you and the map hasn’t been updated yet).
Our map has existed for over twenty years and has been iterated on constantly since its inception. If you’d like to know more about the map’s history, we’ll soon have a whole page on our website dedicated to it.
Things to Keep in Mind
Here are some things you should keep in mind when picking a spot for your nation.
Size
New claims are limited to a size of 1,000,000 km² (about 157,000 pixels). On the political map, every pixel is equivalent to roughly 6.34126 km² (approximately 2.45 mi²). Cartographers can tell you how large your nation is once you present a preliminary map. If you want to do it yourself, a converter and the methodology are available here.
Topography
Borders will often be defined by topography (mountains, rivers, etc.). It will most probably affect your history.
We have a topographical map available here.
Please note that this map is outdated. A new version is currently being developed. Speak to a cartographer if you have any questions.
Climate
For example, if you want lemons to be widely cultivated in your nation, you’ll want to pick an area where they can actually grow.
We have a climate map available here. It is colored according to the Köppen climate classification.
Please note that this map is outdated. A new version is currently being developed. Speak to a cartographer if you have any questions.
Other Roleplayers
When claiming an area, be mindful of future claimants. You shouldn’t be hogging up the whole coastline and preventing others from accessing the ocean (unless you’ve mutually agreed to do so). If you do want your claim to be larger, we’re more likely to approve it if it is taking up more inland areas.
While you prepare your claim, you should also try to familiarize yourself with your neighbors (if you have any). You can ask around on Discord to figure out who owns what. They can tell you about the history of their nations and of the local area. You’ll generally want to work with those people to develop your own history.
Rules
Always follow the roleplay rules and guidelines. The section titled “Nations” is of particular relevance here.
Make sure your claim does not include any copyrighted material or direct references to media, even if in the public domain. Your nation cannot be the “Land of Oz” and you cannot name a city “Hobbiton”. You should also avoid taking names from real places (we discourage this, but it’s not forbidden, provided the place is not well-known).
Making Your Claim
To make your nation claim, create a new thread (topic) in the Nation Creation Starts Here category using the template (below the dropdowns, copy and paste it). Make sure to carefully read the template explanation before posting, and refer to the example claim if need be.
Template Explanation (Read Me)
Flag: Your nation’s flag.
Nation Name (long): Your nation’s full legal name.
Nation Name (short): Your nation’s day-to-day name.
Population: How many people live in your nation, and when this data is from.
Total GDP: The gross domestic product of your nation. You can get an idea of the relative wealth of your nation by comparing it to this list of real nations. In some cases, you may prefer to determine the population and the GDP per capita first, and then derive the GDP from those (GDP = Population * GDP per capita). Your GDP and GDP per capita should be indicated in SHD (Standard Hawking Dollar) which is equivalent to the real life US Dollar.
GDP per Capita: The gross domestic product of your nation divided by its population (GDP per capita = GDP / Population). You can compare it to this list of real nations.
Currency: The name (and symbol) of the currency used in your nation. The standard code (e.g. SHD) will be automatically derived from your two-letter nation code and the first letter of your currency name, so do not list it here.
Demonym: Word that identifies the inhabitants of this country.
Language(s): The language(s) spoken in your country. We do not use their real life names in Urth RP. Some languages on Urth are the same as an Earth language but under a different names, and others are conlangs (constructed languages). You can ask around to see what languages exists already, or add a new one.
Species: What species live in your nation? Feel free to include percentages (or not). The species on Urth are listed here. If you wish to add a new species to Urth, you’ll have to submit a proposal that the community will vote on, so start with some that already exist.
Capital: The name of your capital city (the city which is the seat of your national government).
Largest City: The most populous city in your nation. It can be the same as your capital.
Government Type: The political system used in your nation. Be as detailed as possible (e.g. "Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy or Unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic under and authoritarian dictatorship, instead of just “republic” or “dictatorship”). You can check the “government” section in the infobox of real nations on Wikipedia to get an idea of possible descriptors.
Leader(s): The name of your leader(s) and their title(s).
Legislature: The name of the legislative body (and the different “houses” if your nation has a multi-tiered legislature).
Two-Letter Code: The two-letter code that represents your nation. It must be unique, so consult the Carto Study and use CTRL+F across all pages to make sure no one else is using it. Your currency code and TLD will also be derived from it.
Three-Letter Code: The three-letter code that represents your nation. It must also be unique (follow the same instructions as above).
Motto (optional): A sentence or phrase expressing your nation’s beliefs or purpose.
National Anthem (optional): The name of your national anthem.
National Animal(s) (optional): The national animal which represents your nation. Some nations have several animals from multiple categories (such as having a national fish and a national bird).
National Plant (optional): The national plant (flower, tree, crop, etc.) which represents your nation.
Historical Summary: This will be the longest section of your claim. Provide an overview of your nation’s history. Make sure to develop this with your neighbors as well.
Example Claim
Flag: [Paste flag here]
Nation Name (long): The Federation of Axdel
Nation Name (short): AxdelPopulation: 126,489,250 (2022 estimate)
Total GDP: 4.184T SHD
GDP per Capita: 33,085 SHD
Currency: Kirib (♅)Demonym: Axdelian
Language: Axdelian, Staynish (regional)
Species: Majority cava
Religion: Kozam (majority)Capital: Andel
Largest City: AndelGovernment Type: Federal semi-presidential republic
Leader(s): President Diego Corbinn, Federal Premier Marcos Aviolo
Legislature: National Assembly, composed of the Federal Council (upper house) and the Representative Council (lower house).Two-Letter Code: AX
Three-Letter Code: AXDMotto: “Land of Renaissance”
National Anthem: “Axdelia the Peaceful”
National Animal: Peregrine falcon
National Plant: Poet’s daffodil (Narcissus poeticus)Historical Summary: [Insert history here]
Use this template:
**Flag:**
**Nation Name (long):**
**Nation Name (short):**
**Population:**
**Total GDP:**
**GDP per Capita:**
**Currency:**
**Demonym:**
**Language:**
**Species:**
**Religion:**
**Capital:**
**Largest City:**
**Government Type:**
**Leader(s):**
**Legislature:**
**Two-Letter Code:**
**Three-Letter Code:**
**Motto:**
**National Anthem:**
**National Animal(s):**
**National Plant:**
**Historical Summary:**
Claim Approval
Once posted, your claim will be deliberated and voted on by the Cartography Department. You’ll receive a reply on your forum post with the results of that vote. If you have a ticket open, we might let you know there as well. We try to vote on claims when they’re posted, but it may take a few days. The New Roleplayers Guide has a few suggestions on what to do while you wait.
Once your claim is accepted, your nation will be added to the map during the next update. Congratulations!
If your claim is denied, we’ll let you know why so you can try again. This is significantly less likely to happen if you developed your claim with us.