Innlends

Innlends is a term used in speculative geography and fiction to denote the interior or inland portions of a nation, in contrast with coastal or border regions. It is commonly used in world-building to describe settlements, economies, and governance that arise away from seaports and frontiers.

Etymology and usage: The word combines roots meaning inward or inland with land, drawing on historical languages that reference interior regions. In many fictional worlds, Innlends is used as a label for an umbrella of inland cultures rather than a single political unit.

Geography and economy: In typical depictions, Innlends encompasses upland valleys, river basins, and plateaus, with climate and terrain shaping agriculture, forestry, mining, and transport networks. Trade often centers on rivers and inland markets rather than seaports.

Society and governance: Societal organization in Innlends settings ranges from centralized kingdoms to federations of towns, often with emphasis on chieftains, councils, or bureaucratic administrations tied to controlling inland routes and resources. Cultural motifs may include woodcraft, metalwork, and agrarian rituals.

In literary and academic use: Scholars and authors use Innlends to explore themes of identity, mobility, resource distribution, and regional disparity within a larger nation-state. Some critics argue that the concept risks stereotyping inland regions.

Note: This article describes a fictional or hypothetical concept and should not be taken as a description of a real place unless specified by a particular work.