Country

What natural borders separate the nation from its neighbors?

How effective are they?

What are the most significant mountains, valleys, or plains?

What roles do they play?

What are the major cities in this country?

What unique character or specialty does each city have?

Which regions are most heavily populated, and why have they developed there?

Conversely, which parts of the country are hardest to govern or control due to geography?

What remote or uninhabited areas exist?

What keeps people away?

How does the terrain inform the country's policy-making?

For instance, does it impact methods of transportation, communication, military strategies, etc?

How does the terrain shape regional identities within the nation?

How do mountains, coasts, or deserts create distinct cultures? How do people describe themselves by region?

In what ways would outsiders describe or stereotype the country's landscape?

How does the country’s own self-image differ from outside views?

What is the general climate like?

How does it vary across regions?

How are the seasons defined?

Write a local's journal noting seasonal changes.

What weather patterns or cycles are seen throughout the year?

Think monsoons, droughts, frequent storms, etc.?

How does weather dictate daily life?

For instance, does it impact travel, warfare, migration, farming, rituals, etc.?

What superstitions or religious beliefs connect to the weather?

How do these beliefs affect everyday decisions?

How do travelers from other regions perceive and adapt to the climate here?

How do merchants or pilgrims prepare before arriving?

What ecosystems define the country?

Think forests, deserts, tundra, reefs, etc.?

Which natural resources sustain the economy?

When are they scarce, and what are the consequences?

Which animals are most iconic or culturally significant in this country?

What is the food chain like, e.g. apex predators, keystone species, scavengers, etc.?

What types of plants grow here?

Are there crops unique to the country that support civilizations?

How do flora and fauna interact with society?

Think cuisine, medicine, trade goods, etc. How do seasonal changes impact availability?

How fragile is the balance of nature in this country?

Could one invasive species or climate shift collapse it?

What origin myths or founding stories define the nation’s identity?

How do regional versions of the myth differ?

Which historical events are widely known as turning points in the country's timeline?

Think dynasties or rulers that have risen and fallen, wars that carved the nation's current borders, revolutions that reshaped society, etc.

Which figures are national heroes?

Which are vilified?

How do different regions interpret the nation's history differently?

And how do citizens learn about their history?

Which "golden ages" or high points exist in the country's history?

And which “dark ages” or collapses nearly destroyed the country?

What is the current state of peace or conflict?

Are there ongoing wars or tensions?

How do foreigners remember or misremember the nation’s past?

Why?

What are the major ethnic, cultural, or social groups within the country?

How do they interact?

Which languages are spoken?

And what role do dialects play?

What are the primary social classes?

How rigid or flexible is social mobility?

What are common occupations?

And how do people typically make a living?

What values or virtues are seen as most admirable?

And which insults, gestures, or breaches of etiquette most offend?

What counts as entertainment and art?

How do music, theater, or games reveal cultural values?

What sows division in this country?

Conversely, what unifies?

How do people see themselves in relation to their country?

What national identity, pride, or divisions exist?

What form of government rules the country?

How does it approach crime, justice, and punishment? Is there a formal constitution, set of laws, or is it all custom and precedent?

What political factions compete for power?

Has the balance of power shifted in recent centuries? Who holds it now?

How does the country's political landscape affect the common people?

Show a street-level perspective of a major political event.

What is this country's role in the overall politics of the continent?

How do other countries perceive it? How do alliances or rivalries define foreign policy?

How strong is its position internationally?

Think allies, enemies, etc.?

What are the major industries in this country?

E.g., agriculture, mining, manufacturing, etc.?

What is the currency?

Describe the look and feel of the nation’s coins or notes.

Which are its major imports and exports?

How does trade shape relations with neighboring nations?