Terres Australes | Alternative World Thread by Substantial_Habit

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    Substantial_Habit_94

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    Welcome to "Terres Australes: Kerguelen", the Official Thread of my personal alternate history project.

    First of all, what the hell is Kerguelen, and what is the premise behind "Terres Australes: Kerguelen"? Our Point of Divergence (PoD) is 1772, the year when the Kerguelen archipelago was discovered by the French navigator Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec. However, in this timeline, the Kerguelen archipelago is not the little island we know, but rather the entire Kerguelen plateau, a vast expanse of land above sea level in the Southern Indian Ocean.

    "Terres Australes: Kerguelen" explores the impact that this geographical alteration has on the course of global events. The transformation of Kerguelen into a habitable territory becomes a catalyst for political, economic, and cultural shifts that reshape the trajectory of nations and societies. The alternate timeline delves into the birth of the Republic of Kerguelen, tracing its journey from colonial exploitation to sovereign nationhood.

    The primary objective of this thread is to function as a storage space for me to share updates regarding the Kerguelen universe, which will include elements such as wikiboxes, articles, and maps between others. This thread invites fellow enthusiasts of alternate history to engage in discussions, debates, and creative speculations about Kerguelen's history, culture, politics, and societal evolution. Together, let's explore the untapped potential of an altered world where Kerguelen emerges as a central player on the global stage!

    Disclaimers⚠️:
    1) This is not meant to be a shared world thread. This timeline is my own, and I'll have the ultimate say in all creative decisions for the series. However, as I mentioned earlier, I'm open to suggestions and contributions from all of you to collectively shape this world. Your input is highly valued!

    2) Do not deliberately post information that can be contradictory or misleading with the canon posted by me. All canon posts will be Threadmarked. Any posts not tagged with a Threadmark are considered not canon.

    3) I'd like to mention the incredible Hail, Britannia and These Fair Shores threads for the inspiration and motivation they have given me to begin this project. Thanks a lot to their respective creators!​
     
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    • Gabingston

    Gabingston

    Why is English an official language when it never mentions Kerguelen being a British colony in the Wikipedia page? On another note, I'd love to see a Koppen climate map of TTL's Kerguelen.
     
    Substantial_Habit_94

    Substantial_Habit_94

    Gabingston said:
    Why is English an official language when it never mentions Kerguelen being a British colony in the Wikipedia page? On another note, I'd love to see a Koppen climate map of TTL's Kerguelen.
    Click to expand...
    English gained an official status in the 90's in Kerguelen, not because it was a British colony, but after the huge numbers of English speaking immigrants that arrived in the country during the 20th century. There is even a political party that aims to represent the English speaking minority of Kerguelen. I will publish more of this in the following days, along with the climate map!
     
    Gabingston

    Gabingston

    Substantial_Habit_94 said:
    English gained an official status in the 90's in Kerguelen, not because it was a British colony, but after the huge numbers of English speaking immigrants that arrived in the country during the 20th century. There is even a political party that aims to represent the English speaking minority of Kerguelen. I will publish more of this in the following days, along with the climate map!
    Click to expand...
    Why would Anglophones immigrate to French Kerguelen rather than a British colony or the U.S.?
     

    naraht

    You've got Kerguelen as part of Africa in terms of Country telephone number. The question is whether it is better grouped with Egypt and South Africa or with the rest of Africa in terms in the 1960s/1970s The prefix +28 is available, but the only countries to get +2X are Egypt and South Africa, where everyone else gets +2XX. I haven't got a clue why +28 isn't used. None of the +28X three digit codes are used at all. +29X is wierd. It is basically the leftovers on the planet +290 is St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha , +291 is Eritrea (which is relatively recently independent) +297 is Aruba, +298 is the Faroe Islands and +299 is Greenland.

    Of course the other option is for it to have the Country code that it is actually *assigned*, but doesn't use: +262, which it shares with Reunion, Mayotte as well as the rest of Terres australes et antarctiques françaises
     
    Auyawi Nivwo

    Auyawi Nivwo

    What sort of climate and biology do you envision Kerguelen having? I'd imagine Sud-Antarctique would have that similar to the Antarctic Peninsula. Also I notice that it's a permanent member of the G20- what sort of resources have you given them to exploit in mines? Was there gold at some point on the Côte-d'Or?
    Sidenote- I love that a major town is called Mawson. Was he an important figure in its history, or did he just stop over at some point. Pretty cool concept!
     
    Substantial_Habit_94

    Substantial_Habit_94

    Gabingston said:
    Why would Anglophones immigrate to French Kerguelen rather than a British colony or the U.S.?
    Click to expand...
    Take into account that British presence on Kerguelen, despite not being a British colony, comes from quite some time. British sailors and whalers arrived in Kerguelen shortly after its discovery, and many established there when the first permanent settlement was founded in 1806. The 20th century "boom" occured during the 30's and 40's, after the Great depression and WWII. Most people probably believed they would find better opportunities in Kerguelen than anywhere else at this time. Kerguelen discovered abundant reserves of gold, iron, and oil, which attracted many British and Irish citizens -along with other European groups- who chose to relocate to the archipelago due to promising employment prospects. Also, Kerguelen was a settlement colony, the only French one if you don't count Algeria by this time, so the government facilitated the movement of people between Europe and the island.

    naraht said:
    You've got Kerguelen as part of Africa in terms of Country telephone number. The question is whether it is better grouped with Egypt and South Africa or with the rest of Africa in terms in the 1960s/1970s The prefix +28 is available, but the only countries to get +2X are Egypt and South Africa, where everyone else gets +2XX. I haven't got a clue why +28 isn't used. None of the +28X three digit codes are used at all. +29X is wierd. It is basically the leftovers on the planet +290 is St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha , +291 is Eritrea (which is relatively recently independent) +297 is Aruba, +298 is the Faroe Islands and +299 is Greenland.

    Of course the other option is for it to have the Country code that it is actually *assigned*, but doesn't use: +262, which it shares with Reunion, Mayotte as well as the rest of Terres australes et antarctiques françaises
    Click to expand...
    To be honest, I chose the country's telephone number somewhat randomly. Initially, I was unsure whether to categorize it with the African or Oceania numbers, given that Kerguelen doesn't strictly belong to either of these regions. However, I found the African grouping to be a more logical choice due to proximity and historical factors. +292 was the only available option; using +262 would have been somewhat awkward as it would require sharing the code with other French territories. An alternative approach could involve assigning +262 exclusively to Kerguelen and making corresponding changes to telephone codes in Reunion, Mayotte, and the other regions.

    average_flamingo said:
    What sort of climate and biology do you envision Kerguelen having? I'd imagine Sud-Antarctique would have that similar to the Antarctic Peninsula. Also I notice that it's a permanent member of the G20- what sort of resources have you given them to exploit in mines? Was there gold at some point on the Côte-d'Or?
    Sidenote- I love that a major town is called Mawson. Was he an important figure in its history, or did he just stop over at some point. Pretty cool concept!
    Click to expand...
    In broad terms, the northern regions of Kerguelen exhibits an oceanic climate (Cfb and Cfc), the central and eastern portions feature a subpolar climate (Dfc), and the far south and central highlands, exhibit tundra (ET) and ice cap (EF). Interestingly, Port Alfred is part of the "Antarctic gateway cities," serving as a crucial transit point for both cargo and personnel bound for Antarctica.

    In terms of natural resources, Kerguelen made substantial discoveries of oil and gas in the 1980s. Additionally, since the second half of the 19th century, the country has been a prominent exporter of minerals, including gold, iron, and coal, along with wood and animal products. Notably, the 1860s witnessed a significant event known as the "Kerguelen Gold Rush," which attracted individuals from across the globe to the region.

    The city of Mawson was named after Australian geologists and explorer Douglas Mawson. He was the first man to trek to the South Magnetic Pole. In this TTL he was quite fond of Kerguelen. He helped rise founding for the creation of the "Société géologique de Kerguelen" and contributed a great deal to the understanding of the island's geological processes.
     

    naraht

    Substantial_Habit_94 said:
    climatekerguelen.png
    Click to expand...
    Honestly, Kerguelen feels like what you would get if you rotated the British Isles around the Edinburgh. (and yes, it is probably the same latitude as Britain, but without the Gulf Stream. )I'm not sure of Oceanic currents, but don't know if anything would particularly sweep warm water south.
    Also, given what the British did to New Zealand and Spain did with Argentina, where are the sheep raising areas.
    Though given *that*, how much did the import of European Animals mess up the Natural Fauna/Flora of Kerguelen. (I presume that Kerguelen was a Marsupial and or Monotreme animal area.)
     
    Substantial_Habit_94

    Substantial_Habit_94

    naraht said:
    Honestly, Kerguelen feels like what you would get if you rotated the British Isles around the Edinburgh. (and yes, it is probably the same latitude as Britain, but without the Gulf Stream. )I'm not sure of Oceanic currents, but don't know if anything would particularly sweep warm water south.
    Also, given what the British did to New Zealand and Spain did with Argentina, where are the sheep raising areas.
    Though given *that*, how much did the import of European Animals mess up the Natural Fauna/Flora of Kerguelen. (I presume that Kerguelen was a Marsupial and or Monotreme animal area.)
    Click to expand...
    Yep, Kerguelen receives a continuous influx of warm currents in the north thanks to the Agulhas return current (aka the southern Indian ocean Gulf Stream) and the Indian ocean gyre, which make temperatures milder in the winter, similar to those in Britain, New Zealand or southern Scandinavia.

    Sheep and cattle raising are indeed a huge part of Kerguelen's economy, I'll try to give more info about this and the country's biodiversity soon.
     
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    Auyawi Nivwo

    Auyawi Nivwo

    Kerguelen is much warmer than I thought.
    Were the Crozet Islands changed in any way? They don't seem like they'd be particularly of interest for settlement, save being something akin to the Hebrides. What do you imagine les Îles Conrad being like?
    It's a real shame this Kerguelen doesn't exist like this, would be absolutely amazing to visit.
     
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