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This section of the site covers information about the nation of Azania in 2300AD. Some info is presented here because it would be inappropriate to list in the National section of this site due to that section's format as an "official" website for Azania; for example, a discussion of Azania's Intelligence and Espionage capabilities would be inappropriate on an actual national website. Other issues covered here are actual roleplaying effects of the various aspects of Azania, presented as information for players and referees alike.

Much of the information about Azania presented here and in the National section of the website is pure conjecture, as the "canon" sources about Azania in 2300AD are sketchy at best ("canon" is a generic term used by the online 2300AD community to refer to official information from the original GDW sources). I have tried to make my vision of Azania as compatible as possible with the canon observations about and descriptions of Azania and her holdings from various GDW sources and others while making the nation more three-dimensional and vibrant. Because of this lack, I am working with somewhat of a blank canvas. From this point forward I will present all national information about Azania as if it were canon, with references to official canon sources applied where applicable.

Azania in 2300AD is in some ways a nation of contrasts. While Azania is a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and, as such, was one of the first nations in space, it has always been relegated to a lesser position in the international community. Azania was added to the ESA to exploit its mineral resources. Indeed one would imagine that the nations of Britain and France intended to manipulate Azania mostly for profit. However, Azania has also managed to forge itself into one of the most industrialized and productive nations in 2300AD, with extensive control over its region of Africa and several productive colonies and outposts. While Azania numbers among world leaders in production and exploration, it has never cast a long shadow over international and interstellar relations. This largely is due to Azania's concentration on Africa.

Azania is largely Africanist in its worldview, and Azanian officials often use the term "The Cradle of Humanity" to refer to Africa, especially Southern Africa. Azania controls most of her immediate neighbors via diplomacy, although Mozambique has long remained completely independent of Azanian influence. Other African nations often look to Azania for guidance, as Azania remains the most visible example of African success and independence. Azania, in turn, invests much of its wealth in other African countries, especially countries not under French dominance, improving the quality of life and furthering Africa's industrial and social development. The influence and assistance of Azania were largely responsible for Africa's successful rise from the Twilight War. Visit the Azanian Region page for a more thorough discussion of Azania's role in Africa.

Azania's commitment to interstellar colonization has run hot and cold over the years. The current administration of Azania is very "hot" on the issue, and the Workers' Party for Progress, the most interstellar-minded of the Azanian political parties, has been steadily gaining more power over the last 20 years. The current President of Azania, Lansing Intembe, is a member of the WPP and in his Inaugural speech laid out plans for increased Azanian presence in Space. Azania's interstellar holdings are rather more independent of the mother country than those of other nations, and this has caused some political struggles as the years have gone by. The colony of Tundukubwa on Tirane, in particular, has often called for independence from Azania, although the votes have only rarely been close in the Tundukubwan Colonial Parliament. Please see Azania in Space for more information.

Azania enjoys reasonably neutral or friendly relations with the rest of the Human nations. Relations with France have turned gradually colder over the years, however, and Azania seems unsure of how to relate to the reunited Germany. Azania was closer to Bavaria than any other ESA member save Japan prior to reunification, but backed away from this cooperation to avoid being drawn into the war with France (Azania, in fact, served as observer and enforcer of the Melbourne Accords during the War of German Reunification, being selected by France and Germany as a neutral party, along with Australia and the UAR, a situation which served to further cool Azanian relations with both parties). Azania's relationship with Japan has, therefore, become increasingly stronger, and many observers suspect that this may lead to increased Azanian participation in Japanese colonial efforts. As Japan has been concentrating more colonial efforts on the Chinese Arm to avoid French control, the near future amy find Azania following suit. While the ties of the ESA still are strong, Japan and Azania have been seeking ways to dilute French control of the ESA, either via recruitment of new ESA members or increasing the colonial presence of existing members. Azania has also attempted recent steps toward a stronger relationship with America, hoping to exploit new markets for its products.

Azania stands at the threshold of true power, but will need to invest heavily in some key areas to improve its situation. The sporadic colonization efforts of Azania in the past have ensured that the nation will be taken less seriously as a true Power unless it improves its commitment to growth. The relegation of Africa to the back rows of International Politics has created a long history of disregard by other nations, disregard which Azania will have to work to overcome.

"Organized chaos." This term has often been used to describe Azania and the habits of her citizens. Azania is well-known for her commitment to structure and regulation, yet these structures and regulations are often incomprehensible to outside observers. In basic description, Azania's governmental system sounds like a modified version of the American model, with a Federal government interacting with Tribal governments similar to States. In practice, nothing could be less like the American system, and Azanian Parliament is a raucous circus which somehow serves to get the job done, despite outside observers' confusion over the process. Azanian colonies are known for their apparent disorganization, but the organic growth of these colonies suits the Azanian personality, which never "forces" structure, but allows structure to follow its own natural path.

Azanians themselves are hard-working and successful, but again they do not force success, rather cooperating and letting their success happen at its own pace. Azanian citizens benefit from a strong educational system and heavy re-investment in the Azanian economy by the Azanian government. Azanians also benefit from strong ties to their heritage, ties which have been abandoned by other African countries such as Mozambique. The average Azanian has greater knowledge and understanding of his or her ethnic and cultural roots than citizens of many other countries. Azanians remain cosmopolitan, however, and work well with citizens of other nations.

Azania is largely a Bantu state, and Bantu-speaking peoples such as the Xhosa and Zulu enjoy the most benefits of the Azanian system and ways of life. Ethnic minorities are shortchanged in many areas, although this is changing as time marches on. Prime Minister Tanik Verwoerd has been instrumental in this process in recent years, having shepherded many laws through Azanian Parliament designed to equalize the access of all Azanian citizens to the benefits of Azanian citizenship. Old habits die hard, however, and Azania will take yet more time to finally forget the brutal colonial past as well as the mass confusion and violence which shaped its development following the Twilight War.

In summary, while Azanians exhibit the length and breadth of Human traits and habits, they can commonly be described as relaxed and content to move at their own pace. Success, on the average, is sought but not pursued with single-minded devotion; Azanians allow things to proceed at their own pace, although they are willing to throw their all into a task which demands immediate attention. Their lives and systems seem disorganized to outsiders, but they perceive themselves as following natural rhythms and patterns, and they dislike being forced into rigid paths which are created for rigidity's own sake.

Azania has proven skillful and talented at promoting peaceful relations with a wide range of nations. Few Azanian interactions have been marked by rancor over the years, and this trend appears ready to continue. With a combination of open willingness to cooperate with other nations and a casual likability, Azanians have found homes throughout known space and often bring real value to any endeavor upon which they embark. The classic example of this is Azania's cooperation with Japan, a nation which could not be more unlike Azania in character and personality, yet a nation with which Azania has proven time and time again to be wholly compatible in development both on and off Earth.

Azania also can bring massive amounts of industry to bear on a problem or goal. Witness the manufacturing might of Azania and its effect on deep-space mining efforts designed to extract Tantalum or other valuable minerals from remote and inhospitable environments. The mining of Sol's asteroid belt would not nearly have been so successful without the innovation of Azanian engineers and the power of Azanian industry. Azania is not a nation of inventors, but she has turned out some of the finest engineers and applied scientists in all of known space.

Azanians' attitude toward success and development, waiting for progress to take its own pace, has hampered Azanian colonial efforts. Azania has only rarely promoted colonization actively, and while her reinvestment in Africa may be laudable, it has restricted Azania's financial, military, and industrial growth. With her resources, Azania should be one of the leading starfaring nations, yet these factors have placed her in the second rank of spacegoers.

In addition, Azania's military is compact and well-trained, but is no match in an extended fight with other major nations of Earth or the Kafers. Azania has, for far too long, relied on her ESA allies for much of her military strength. The Azanian government has traditionally traded manufacturing and labor strength, as well as resources such as Tantalum, in return for the Space Navies and military might of the ESA. As Humanity builds up for war with the Kafers, a war that may last generations, Azania is playing catch-up. Still relying heavily on German tanks and weaponry, the Azanian military is currently investigating the manufacture of small arms specifically-designed for Azania. The Azanian Space Defense Force, consisting largely of small escort frigates designed to protect commerce on the Chinese Arm and small numbers of system fighters designed for but not yet delivered to Kimanjano, was sorely humiliated by its inability to join in the defense against the Kafers during the recent invasion. While Azania did her part in protecting commerce (See Azania and the Kafer War), it became painfully obvious that her aging fleet strategy was overdue for some true changes.

Azania needs to plot a course for increased offworld development, greater military strength, and a stronger commitment to change in Africa. These improvements seem far more likely with the rise of the Workers' Party for Progress and the election of Lansing Intembe, who may well be a true visionary and one of the great African leaders of all time. Intembe will need to learn some rules of the International stage, and missteps are inevitable at the beginning, but with time and patience, he could lead Azania into the first rank of World Powers. The Azanian military is just now beginning to see the fruits of its explorations of Azanian-designed equipment, with the first Cheetah light hovertanks taking the field on Kimanjano against the Kafers and new Transvaal Arms Directive laser rifles finding their way into the hands of the Zulu Guards. The Venda-class and Mbutuo-class frigates are superior commerce escorts and fast raiders, but the next step to larger frigates and American-style missile cruisers must be taken, and soon, to avoid relegation to the rear lines of the Kafer War and the inevitable loss of prestige. Azania's reputation for peace, which has served her so well in the past, may prove a hindrance in the face of the Kafers unless she learns to balance her commitment to peace with the capacity to back it up with force.

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