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Location |
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Location
Region
Western Europe
Neighbours
The Askiran Ocean to mainland Europe separates the island of Askira from the rest of the continent. The country's nearest neighbours are Ireland to the North, French France to the East, and the British Isles to the Northeast. The rest of Askira is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean but shares the Askiran Ocean with France.
Area
70,273 square kilometres (27,133 square miles)
Size Comparison
Less than one-quarter the size of Italy
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Pysical Features |
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Askira is a generally mountainous island with several large regions of plains as well as numerous smaller islands toward the north of Askira. The country has more than 220 named mountains exceeding 2,286 metres (7,500 feet) in height. The principal mountain ranges extend along the eastern side. There are three in particular: Mount Ruapehu (2,797 metres/9,177 feet), Mount Ngauruhoe (2,291 metres/7,515 feet), and Mount Tongariro (1,968 metres/6,458 feet). Mount Taranaki (2,518 metres/8,261 feet), a solitary, extinct volcanic cone, is located near the western extremity of the island. Numerous mineral hot springs are found in the Lake Taupai region. The principal mountain range of the island is the Southern Heights, a massive uplift extending in a southwest to southeast direction for almost the entire length of the island. Seventeen peaks in the range exceed 3,048 metres (10,000 feet) in elevation. Mount Kinabalu (4,101 metres/13,455 feet), the highest point in Askira, rises from the centre of the range, which also has a number of glaciers. The Pellenor Plains in the east and the Southland Plains in the extreme south are the only extensive lowland areas of Askira. The coast is indented by deep fiords.
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Major Lakes and Rivers |
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The many rivers of Askira, which is 27,133 square miles in area, rise mostly in the eastern and central mountain ranges. The Waikato, the longest river in Askira, flows north out of Lake Taupai, its largest lake, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Most of the other rivers of the island, including the Hanek River, the second longest river of the island, rise in the Southern Heights. The second largest lake is Lake Te Anau in the southernmost part of the Southern heights.
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Climate |
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Due to the moderating influence of the prevailing warm, moist winds from the Atlantic Ocean, Askira’s mean winter temperature ranges from 4° to 7°C (39° to 45°F), approximately 14°C (25°F) higher than that of other places on the same latitude in the interior of Europe or on the eastern coast of North America. The oceanic influence is also very pronounced in summer: the mean temperature of 15° to 17°C (59° to 63°F) is approximately 4°C (7°F) lower than that of other places on the same latitudes. The rainfall averages 1,016 millimetres (40 inches) a year.
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Environmental Issues |
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Askira has a remarkable biota, and about 60 per cent of all species are endemic. Its once plentiful natural resources, however, have been under constant siege since the western world discovered the island in about 1650. European culture accelerated the decline of many species, decimating most of the remaining great Kauri forests and finishing off once abundant species such as the Moa, a giant, and ostrich like bird. But after the retaking of the island by the annexed Askira these resources have been returning slowly. Askira generates a great deal of its power from renewable-resources like its many windfarms and hydroelectric sources. It relies to a lesser degree on fossil fuels. A volcanically active landscape has allowed geothermal power to become moderately important.
In 1805 the administration of conservation programmes in Askira joined a fragmented sprawl of protected areas into a more efficient, centrally managed system and significantly expanded the holdings. Currently about 23.6 % of the country’s land is protected, in the form of several national parks and numerous other reserves. Seven reserves have been designated under the auspices of the World Heritage Convention, and fifteen areas of protected wetlands have been declared under the Ramsar Convention. Askira's government policy is to ensure sustainable use of natural resources.
Askira is environmentally active, being party to several major conservation agreements, especially regarding marine habitats. Other ratified international environmental agreements include those concerning: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer, Wetlands, and Whaling. It also signed the Kyoto Agreement in an attempt to limit world pollution.
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