Terres Australes | Alternative World Thread by Substantial_Habit
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So where would Kerguelen have been in the legalization of Same Sex Marriage, somewhere between Australia and France?
(A bit of OTL politics. As of this date, I *think* the farthest south place in the world without Marriage Equality is Lesotho and the farthest south place where most of the population is of European descent that doesn't have Marriage is Paraguay (I *think* Bolivia is the only nation if South America which is majority Native blood) . In Oceania, the farthest south place is the Cook Islands.
I believe this question has come up before, but indeed, Kerguelen legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. After much debate, a law allowing for same-sex marriage was ratified by the National Assembly. Rather than a direct popular referendum, the law was approved through a vote in the National Assembly. Nevertheless, private polling companies and surveyors conducted street-level surveys to see the public sentiment, revealing that overall between 60-65% of the population expressed support.
By the way, I have a lot of questions for this timeline:
1. Would racial tensions exist considering unlike other ex-European settler colonies, it had no indigenous populations to speak of? Would it would be something more like OTL United Kingdom or Ireland?
2. What would the culture of Kerguelen look like and how they distinguish themselves from the French, Walloon Belgians, and Quebecois Canadians? How different is their Kerguelen French?
3. Would Kerguelen keep a small military like OTL New Zealand?
4. I wonder how Kerguelen fares in sports.
1. Would racial tensions exist considering unlike other ex-European settler colonies, it had no indigenous populations to speak of? Would it would be something more like OTL United Kingdom or Ireland?
2. What would the culture of Kerguelen look like and how they distinguish themselves from the French, Walloon Belgians, and Quebecois Canadians? How different is their Kerguelen French?
3. Would Kerguelen keep a small military like OTL New Zealand?
4. I wonder how Kerguelen fares in sports.
I guess some of the islands in the Arctic Archipelago. The largest uninhabited island today is Devon Island, after all. Other than that, and ignoring very sparsely inhabited areas (Sahara, the Outback, Siberia...) my best guess would be the the Falklands, they're the largest island close to the Antarctic.
It did happen! While Kerguelen wasn't directly involved in major battles or military operations, the island served as a valuable outpost and refueling station for Allied forces. As a French colony, Kerguelen was subject to the conscription policies of the French government during World War II. However, due to its remote location and limited population, the number of conscripts was relatively low compared to mainland France (between 15-20k, grouped in the "Regiment Austral")
Port-aux-Français functioned as a naval base for Allied ships transiting the southern Indian Ocean. It provided a safe harbor and refueling point for naval vessels, enabling them to extend their range and maintain operational readiness in the region. Additionally, the control of shipping routes and monitoring the movements of Axis naval vessels were coordinated from here.
Following the fall of France to Nazi Germany in 1940, the Vichy government assumed control of the French overseas territories, including Kerguelen. However, Kerguelen's governor declared allegiance to the Free French Forces led by General Charles de Gaulle, actively opposing the Vichy regime. With the support of local officials and the small garrison stationed on the island, Kerguelen came under the control of the Free French Forces, becoming one of the few French territories to remain loyal to Charles de Gaulle.
Race isn't much of a topic of discussion in Kerguelen since around 94% of the population is white.
Culturally speaking, Kerguelen shares many similarities with other french speaking places, especially France and Quebec. The French language, cuisine, and certain cultural norms are integral to the Kerguelean way of life. However, the archipelago's unique geography and location have significantly influenced the self-perception of its citizens, resulting in a strong sense of island identity. Kerguelen stands out as a multicultural nation due to its history of immigration. While the majority of the population is of French descent, the presence of English, Irish, and Dutch influences is significant. This multiculturalism is celebrated and contributes to the rich tapestry of Kerguelean culture.
Kerguelen French is the variety of French spoken in the country. Some differences from European French include the presence of loanwords from other languages, particularly English. Kerguelen French has developed its own specific terminology related to the islands' environment, geography, and wildlife. Kerguelen French speakers have crafted a set of words and expressions to describe their distinctive surroundings. And lastly, slight variations in vowel sounds, consonant pronunciation, and intonation patterns are also present. Despite these differences, Kerguelen French remains largely the same to European French.
I'm actually working on a military post now! Kerguelen's army is relatively small, yes. It currently has around 15k active military.
You're ahead of me! This was going to be my next topic, hahaha
! Some of the most popular sports in Kerguelen are rugby (the most popular by far), football/soccer, winter sports (like skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and figure skating), cycling, water sports (particularly sailing, rowing, and surf), hiking and orienteering, rock climbing, tennis, etc.They have tried, but sadly not yet. Kerguelen fail bids include the Couvreux-Vaudagne 1994 and 1998 bids for the Winter Olympics; and the Port-aux-Français 1988, 2004, and 2012 bids for the Summer ones. The Couvreux-Vaudagne candidacy for the Winter Olympics was presented again for the 2030 Winter Olympics, we might have some more luck this time! ⛷️🏂❄️
My dear friends, Terres Australes: Kerguelen is expanding! Some of you have requested a world map, and even though the borders and countries are still left to be drawn, I have completed the addition of the landmasses that make this TTL special (Base map is from Drex). As you know, I have a a thing for raising underwater landmasses to the surface. As you'll observe on the map, new landmasses have emerged in the Southern Indian and Southern Atlantic Oceans. Expect wikiboxes and maps from these new countries soon!
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Would some of those new landmasses not have potentially opened the door to seafaring peoples arriving in Kerguelen before Europeans (like the Malagasy?)
How about Zealandia and some islands along the Atlantic such as Escadia?My dear friends, Terres Australes: Kerguelen is expanding! Some of you have requested a world map, and even though the borders and countries are still left to be drawn, I have completed the addition of the landmasses that make this TTL special (Base map is from Drex). As you know, I have a a thing for raising underwater landmasses to the surface. As you'll observe on the map, new landmasses have emerged in the Southern Indian and Southern Atlantic Oceans, and although "Terres Australes" primarily focuses on the southern hemisphere, I've also introduced a new landmass in the North Atlantic, situated between the British Isles and Iceland. Expect wikiboxes and maps from these new countries soon!
Man that map is old. Here's a more recent and improved map, however I seem to have taken a lower baseline for risen lands (see Kerguelen), and Zealandia is a bit off at its southern end. Take whatever landmasses you need.
Realistically raising all that land would also raise sea levels as all the displaced water would need somewhere to go. Adding all those islands would also probably change history to the point where the present becomes vastly different from OTL.
Just from simple math: The Kerguelen Plateau, minus the OTL lands above water has an area of 1,219,014 Km2. The average depth of the plateau ranges from ~450 m in the northern third to ~1800 m in the southern two thirds. Hence, the total volume of water displaced is 1,645,668.9 Km3. If we distribute that over the surface of the oceans accounting for the loss of the Kerguelen Plateau, we get the sea level would rise by 4.57 meters. That's quite a lot, it wipes out a good chunk of Bangladesh and China.
However, as the forum this is in should state, this is ASB. It's magic, it only has to obey logic to the extent the OP wants, so let's just say all that extra water is trapped in the mantle where it wouldn't make much of a difference. As for changes in history, well, that's what the OP should play with.
I'm still going with the uninhabited Kerguelen Idea, the other places would definitely have native populations tho.
There would probably be a thousand more places to create but for now I've gone with those, maybe in the future i can add more!
It's alright, it is just for reference, but thanks a lot! Your Kerguelen there looks HOT btw, also the broken ridge!Man that map is old. Here's a more recent and improved map, however I seem to have taken a lower baseline for risen lands (see Kerguelen), and Zealandia is a bit off at its southern end. Take whatever landmasses you need.
Absolutely! that much new landmass would rise sea levels considerably, but lets pretend all that displaced water has just disappear for the sake of simplicity and worldbuilding