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▸the earth kingdom
the earth kingdom is one of the world's four nations. spanning an entire continent as well as several subsidiary islands, it is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. the kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a king or queen.
the people of the earth kingdom are proud and strong and adhere to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world. earthbenders use their abilities for defense and industry and fiercely defended their cities against fire nation attacks during the war. it also has a large economy based on agriculture and limited industry, though it is not as economically powerful as the fire nation, which benefits from advanced technology.
the earth kingdom is characterized by significant ethnic and cultural diversity, a consequence of the country's vast territorial expanse. as a result, it suffers from high levels of local autonomy and ethnic conflict, both of which began accelerating as the central government grew weak. despite this division, the people's recognition of the earth kingdom as a single political entity is largely strengthened through the communal belief in a shared history and identity.
▸geography
the geography of the earth kingdom varies tremendously due to its immense size. the northwestern areas are mountainous and covered in dense coniferous forests with the only known settlement in the area being a merchant town, while the western coast harbors a warmer climate and many deciduous forests.
the inland west is also home to several swamps and the arid great divide, while the center of the kingdom is comprised of the enormous si wong desert. the southwestern coast is covered with lush forests – however, a rain shadow leaves the kolau mountains and areas to the southwest as arid mountain ranges with sparse grasslands – the only major settlement in the area being omashu.
the southern coast is a lush area filled with rivers and forested areas, populated by wealthy towns like gaoling; north, over the mountains, the land turns to sparsely populated plains which once again meld into the si wong desert. the only known settlement in the northeast is ba sing se.
▸culture
due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many earth kingdom citizens. from the enforced culture of ba sing se, to the initially isolationist inhabitants of kyoshi island, and the sandbender tribes who share few customs with other earth kingdom people, the culture of the earth kingdom is far less defined than those of the other nations, a result of its immense size and diversity. the size and diversity of the country also led to the development of different dialects. by the time of avatar kyoshi, the northern and southern dialects were so distinctively different from one another that they could nearly be considered to be separate languages.
earth kingdom architecture varies by province. like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. the majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in ba sing se. the earth kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets.
much of the earth kingdom's population traditionally lives in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as chin village and gaoling, are found more infrequently. despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the earth kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as omashu and ba sing se.
even though many parts of the earth kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the earth kingdom has a long history of migration. many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest have been a common occurrence. in addition, the earth kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of fire nation and water tribe descent. such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; most of the time, they integrated peacefully into the native society.
the earth Kingdom has one of the poorest reputations for acceptance of same-sex relationships out of the world's nations; despite having been the home to powerful and influential citizens such as avatar kyoshi, who was known to have engaged in relationships with both men and women. the kingdom struggles to accept same-sex relationships in everyday life and has historically been militaristically repressive toward people who engage in relationships with people of the same gender.
each of the four nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. the earth kingdom's dominant season is spring, the time when several living things on earth are reborn. to an effect, more earthbenders are born during the spring than any other season and their powers are at their strongest during the springtime.
▸military
since the earth kingdom is geographically the largest of the four nations, it possesses a large variety of combat organizations and personnel.
like the fire nation, the earth kingdom armies consist of benders and normal foot soldiers. soldiers, both benders and nonbenders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons such as hammers, axes, and sickles.
the cavalry consists of ostrich horses, which can vertically climb short distances and run at high speeds. these, along with eel hounds, are also used as transports.
earthbenders use stones shaped like the earth kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles. these person-sized round coins are invaluable weapons to the earthbenders. the coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall, or stacked to make an impromptu lookout tower. skilled earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the coins.
the council of five is a group of five high-ranking Earth Kingdom generals. it is the council of five who designs and implement any war plans, which includes the best means of protecting the capital city. in addition to this, the council also controls the king's guards, an elite force of guards who protect the king. the council of five has been together for as long as there has been a king of ba sing se, and it has always worked hand in hand with the earth king to ensure the city's well-being.
the dai li are the cultural enforcers (and secret police) of ba sing se, created by avatar kyoshi after a peasant rebellion in ba sing se. in addition to distinct uniforms, they are notable for sporting rock gloves and shoes, which can be used to great effect as weapons through earthbending.
the kyoshi warriors are an all-female group of fighters on kyoshi island. their fighting style and clothing mimic those of their founder, avatar kyoshi, although the most current fighters do not implement any of the bending arts in their physical movements. clad in ornate, green armor and kabuki-like makeup, designed to intimidate opponents, kyoshi island warriors use metal fans as their main weapons. it was later revealed the warriors also utilize katanas and wrist shields. holding the fans like extensions of their own arms, they aim to turn the strength of their opponents against them, a principle also hinged upon in waterbending. the female warriors do not take kindly to training outsiders, let alone men, in these unique methods. traditionally, only women are trained as kyoshi warriors.
▸earthbending
earthbending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the geokinetic ability to manipulate earth and rock in all their various forms, prevalent in the earth kingdom.
earth is the element of substance, while the people of the earth kingdom are diverse, strong, and enduring. following the lion turtles' decision to relinquish their role as protectors of mankind, oma and shu were the first earthbenders to learn this art from the badgermoles.
the key to earthbending is utilizing neutral jing, which involves waiting and listening for the right moment to strike and, when that moment comes, acting decisively. in other words, earthbenders generally endure their enemies' attacks until the right opportunity to counterattack reveals itself.
