Welcome to the Earth Kingdom...
The Earth Kingdom is one of the world's four major nations. It is a confederate monarchy led by the Earth Queen A massive continent taking up most of the planet's eastern hemisphere, the Earth Kingdom is roughly analogous to Eurasia in our world. The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud, strong, and adhere to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the three other nations of the world. The Earthbenders use their abilities for defense and industry and have fiercely defended their cities against attacks by the Fire Nation.
The Earth Kingdom is the largest country in the Avatar World in both population figures and land area. Thus, it is an ethnically diverse country, with wide variance in customs between different provinces and tribes. It also has a large economy based on agriculture and limited industry, though it is not as powerful as the technologically advanced Fire Nation. Unlike the Air Nomads and Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom has not suffered a heavy loss of life or any sort of extinction in civilization or its Earthbenders during the War.
The Earth Kingdom long withstood encroachments on their borders in the Fire Nation's century-long imperialist war. Other than the Avatar, the Earth Kingdom was the only real obstacle between the Fire Nation and complete world domination, as the Water Tribes only demonstrated the ability to defend their own lands, the poles. Though the Water Tribes aided the Earth Kingdom in the War, the conflict progressed poorly and took a heavy toll on them as the years passed. This continued until the Coup of Ba Sing Se, when the Fire Nation princess, Azula, took control of the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se. By the following summer, it was occupied by thinly spread Fire Nation forces which were plagued by rebellions, warranting the decision to burn the Earth Kingdom upon the arrival of Sozin's Comet.
The Earth Kingdom is the largest country in the Avatar World in both population figures and land area. Thus, it is an ethnically diverse country, with wide variance in customs between different provinces and tribes. It also has a large economy based on agriculture and limited industry, though it is not as powerful as the technologically advanced Fire Nation. Unlike the Air Nomads and Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom has not suffered a heavy loss of life or any sort of extinction in civilization or its Earthbenders during the War.
The Earth Kingdom long withstood encroachments on their borders in the Fire Nation's century-long imperialist war. Other than the Avatar, the Earth Kingdom was the only real obstacle between the Fire Nation and complete world domination, as the Water Tribes only demonstrated the ability to defend their own lands, the poles. Though the Water Tribes aided the Earth Kingdom in the War, the conflict progressed poorly and took a heavy toll on them as the years passed. This continued until the Coup of Ba Sing Se, when the Fire Nation princess, Azula, took control of the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se. By the following summer, it was occupied by thinly spread Fire Nation forces which were plagued by rebellions, warranting the decision to burn the Earth Kingdom upon the arrival of Sozin's Comet.
Appearance
Citizens of the Earth Kingdom tend to have black or brown hair, green, brown, or gray eyes, and are often tanned, though the complexions of the nobility are often much lighter.
Fashions in the Earth Kingdom vary greatly; in the West and South, men typically wear their hair in a topknot, ornamented with various holders and pins, and often have beards and/or mustaches. Women wear their hair down or piled on top of their head. In Ba Sing Se, women usually wear their long hair wrapped around a support, ornamented with tassels or flowers; men usually don a queue. Omashu citizens typically wear tunics over a long robe or pants, with their hair hidden by a small turban or hat. Farmers and other laborers typically wear conical straw hats secured to the head by string.
Members of the army wear green and beige uniforms that may have yellow-gold touches to them. Traditional colors worn throughout the kingdom range from vibrant greens and yellows to more muted beiges and browns, though outfits of other colors can be seen, especially in Ba Sing Se. Their clothing and architecture seem to reflect Chinese and Korean influences.
Fashions in the Earth Kingdom vary greatly; in the West and South, men typically wear their hair in a topknot, ornamented with various holders and pins, and often have beards and/or mustaches. Women wear their hair down or piled on top of their head. In Ba Sing Se, women usually wear their long hair wrapped around a support, ornamented with tassels or flowers; men usually don a queue. Omashu citizens typically wear tunics over a long robe or pants, with their hair hidden by a small turban or hat. Farmers and other laborers typically wear conical straw hats secured to the head by string.
Members of the army wear green and beige uniforms that may have yellow-gold touches to them. Traditional colors worn throughout the kingdom range from vibrant greens and yellows to more muted beiges and browns, though outfits of other colors can be seen, especially in Ba Sing Se. Their clothing and architecture seem to reflect Chinese and Korean influences.
Geography
The geography of the Earth Kingdom varies tremendously due to its immense size. The northwestern areas are covered in dense coniferous forests, while the western coast is home to 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 areas southwest of the Kolau Mountains arid mountain ranges with sparse grasslands - the only major settlement in the area being Omashu which was taken over by the Fire Nation and renamed New Ozai. 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 northeast is mostly uninhabited beyond Ba Sing Se, consisting primarily of arid mountains and coniferous forests.
Natural Resources
Though at first glance they would appear to be the most simple of substances, rock and stone turn out to be the Earth Kingdom's greatest natural resources, and as such are widely used and manipulated to many ends, from tools to entire metropolis. While the Earth Kingdom as a whole does not make use of fossil fuels nearly as much as the industrialized Fire Nation, coal is mined in certain villages for fuel. The timber of their forests also serve as fuel along with being lumbered for building.
Architecture, farming, carpentry, hunting, and mining are among many significant Earth Kingdom industries. Its citizens have managed to develop an advanced trade and commerce system so that almost all may benefit. From the complex sewage and postal system of Omashu, to the Ba Sing Se metro transit stations, and various inventions and their inventors, such as the Mechanist, all serve as demonstration of the Earth Kingdom's surprisingly sophisticated society.
An abundance of fresh vegetables grows in the rich fertile soil, and fruit and nut trees are plentiful. Animals thrive in the lush forest and farmlands, providing beef and poultry to add to the fruits and vegetables
Read more: http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Earth_Kingdom#ixzz1lHq4XhUP
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Share Alike
Architecture, farming, carpentry, hunting, and mining are among many significant Earth Kingdom industries. Its citizens have managed to develop an advanced trade and commerce system so that almost all may benefit. From the complex sewage and postal system of Omashu, to the Ba Sing Se metro transit stations, and various inventions and their inventors, such as the Mechanist, all serve as demonstration of the Earth Kingdom's surprisingly sophisticated society.
An abundance of fresh vegetables grows in the rich fertile soil, and fruit and nut trees are plentiful. Animals thrive in the lush forest and farmlands, providing beef and poultry to add to the fruits and vegetables
Read more: http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Earth_Kingdom#ixzz1lHq4XhUP
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Share Alike