The Holy Panpeninsular Union was formed in 2309, following the Second Peninsular War (named as such due to the territorial ambitions of the belligerents rather than any connection with the nineteenth century conflict). Created to "further the ambitions and goals of all the world's peninsular inhabitants, so long oppressed by those who did not live only on peninsulas. The basis of such a state was questioned from the beginning, with many political observers saying that basing a state on the geographical similarities of its territories was; "pure folly", "utterly unsustainable", "a geopolitical abomination", and "quite obviously compensating for something, if you know what I mean". Others questioned the strategic choice to abandon otherwise wealthy or populous areas due to them not being on peninsulas, while still others asked how the HPU's leadership planned to define a 'peninsula'. However,, by the end of the decade all dissenting voices were silenced after a wave of political terror aimed at rooting out and destroying "subversive elements sent to undermine Panpeninsular solidarity by the treacherous islanders, mainlanders and isthmusians".
This map represents the HPU's current borders, though some extreme irredentists claim the whole of Europe, claiming it "the world's greatest peninsula" or "the world's second greatest peninsula" (the latter phrase is only found in the Indian territories of the HPU).
As the territory encompasses thousands of ethnicities and faiths, there has long been questions as to what, exactly, the 'Holy' part of the the Holy Panpeninsular Union represents. This question became especially prevalent after a well known political philosopher called the HPU "probably not Holy, only kind of a Union, and not Panpeninsular since that's not really a word anyway". The philosopher was later found dead under suspicious circumstances, though the HPU leadership denies involvement in any foul play. As to the question of their 'Holiness", the HPU government has issued the official statement saying "Stop bothering us about this. the Union is just Holy, because we/god/your local religious authorities say so."
