Magna Divide: History, Consequences, and Effects

This will attempt to describe the historical and current consequences and effects of the Magna Divide on New Amria.

The Magna Divide is a very large mountain range that divides New Amria into a western section and an eastern section. While it doesn't contain very tall mountains with none reaching above 2,500 meters, it is still a very rugged mountain that has created some "interesting" side-effects on the lands of New Amria before and after its founding.

Before Founding (BF):
thousands of years ago, humans first moved to the lands of what would become New Amria from the eastern side. They then encountered the Magna Divide (Great Divide) which for many hundreds of years prevented human migration to the western side of future New Amria. However, with the development of more advanced seafaring and better sailing, the western side of the Magna Divide was finally settled. However, contact between both sides was sparse and each side went on its own way when developing culturally and socially. For a brief time, the eastern side was isolated from the rest of the [redacted] continent due to a small but growing desert from changes in climate. However, when contact was reestablished with the rest of humanity, the civilizations that it meets were not friendly. the eastern side was conquered over centuries by various kingdoms and empires. By this point, on the western side of the Magna Divide, the people there flourish due to the fertile land fed by the Longusque River and many others. At the time, the western side was fully isolated from contact with the rest of the world and proper contact wouldn't be reestablished until the Age of Discovery. After the western part of New Amria was rediscovered, it was fought over by the British, French, Dutch, and Spanish as all tried to expand their colonial empire. At least that was what all New Amrians had in common, having their homes taken over and being conquered.

After Founding (AF):
Even after New Amria was united, the Magna Divide continued to be a big problem for the new government, almost leading to a split in the nation multiple times. Due to how relatively isolated the westerner side and eastern side were to teach others, keeping order on both sides was a massive logistical problem. The only way to reach one another was by seas as the flight hadn't been invented yet and road and tunnel constructions were still underway and wouldn't be completed until decades later. Even when they were completed, due to how isolated each side was from one another, the eastern side and western side of New Amria are almost like different countries with their own culture and such. However, over the decades and century, with help from few key individuals and excellent diplomacy, the country has become more united than ever.

Economical Effects of the Magna Divide:
The Magna Divide is a part of the bustling tourism industry in New Amria due to its immense scale and natural beauty. The Magna Divide is a hotspot for mountaineers training their skill in preparation for more extreme adventures and there are also large ski resorts in the more snow-packed areas of the mountain range. speaking of the snow, the snowmelt feeds the many rivers that run across the whole of New Amria leading to fertile lands and a large agricultural sector in the economy.

There is also great mineral wealth under and in the mountains of the Magna Divide. Due to the, now dormant, volcanos that created the Great Divide and the shifting tectonics, much mineral wealth had been brought up to the surface layer of the earth. This has been exploited and New Amria is a great exporter of rare minerals such as tungsten and other heavy metals. However, overexploitation of these resources has had some terrible environmental consequences but laws are being passed that should allow mining but with less damage to the environment.

While the Magna Divide has caused great and painful consequences and experiences it has also brought much wealth to New Amria and is one of the most important parts of the nation.