Physical Environment: North Torbia
This page is a section of North Torbia.
North Torbia is a small country located in an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. It borders its primary regional opponent, namely South Torbia, which is the only country with land access to the nation. The country’s terrain consists primary of heavily-forested mountains and low valleys used for agricultural pursuits. Both vegetation and climate are tropical in nature. Multiple natural hazards exist, resulting from the country’s geology, weather, native wildlife, and human activity.
Contents
Table of Physical Environment Data
| Measure | Data | Remarks |
| Land Area (sq miles) | 21,517 | Includes inland water |
| Land Border (miles) | 112 | Shared with South Torbia |
| Coastline (miles) | 1,193 | |
| Highest Elevation (ft) | 9,524 | Mount Pulag |
| Lowest Elevation (ft) | 0 | Sea Level |
| Arable (cultivated) Land (%) | 26 | Primarily Cagayan Valley |
| Permanent Crops (%) | 4 | |
| Permanent Pasture (%) | <1 | 6% grasslands that could be used for pastoral purposes |
| Irrigated Land (%) | <1 | |
| Forested Land (%) | 52 | Conifers (7), rainforest (16), scrub (29) |
| Urban Areas (%) | 2 |
Terrain
North Torbia lies in southeastern Asia and consists of the northern half of Luzon Island, six additional islands, and several islets. The country is part of a larger archipelago bounded by the Philippine Sea—part of the western Pacific Ocean—to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south. The country shares its only land boundary with South Torbia to the south, and maritime borders with the same.
The islands are mountainous in nature, with interspersed valleys on the main island. The part of Luzon Island owned by North Torbia consists primarily of rugged volcanic mountains. The large, flat Cagayan Valley occupies much of the eastern half of the island. Running north to south, it is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides—the Sierra Madre to the east, the Cordillera to the west, and the Caraballo to the south. A few other small valleys lie scattered on the main island. The small islands and associated islets are all located north of Luzon Island. One island lies just off the northeastern tip of the main island, while the other five—known as the Babuyan Islands—form a ring in the South China Sea. Caves—both above ground and under water—are common in the archipelago.
Bodies of Water
As an island nation, North Torbia is surrounded by bodies of water on all but one side. The South China Sea lies to its north and west, and the Philippine Sea to its east. The Balintang Channel separates North Torbia from its northern neighbor, and the country shares Lingayen Gulf with South Torbia. North Torbian Luzon possesses many rivers, which flow from the mountains and lead to the coast—either directly or via Cagayan Valley. The most important of these is the Cagayan River, which flows from the Caraballo Mountains in the south to the northern coast, and the Magat and Chico Rivers—two of its tributaries. Other major rivers include the Abra and Agno. Due to the mountainous terrain, most rivers are navigable only by shallow-drafted vessels, and then only once they reach a valley. The country boasts a few small bays, but has no natural lakes. The few lakes that exist were formed by damming rivers for hydroelectric power generation.
Mobility Classification
Movement in North Torbia is difficult due to the mountainous island nature of the country. Water or air transport methods are required to access the island and, once on land, mountain ranges and river gorges naturally canalize movement. Heavy rains, flooding, and mud/landslides can seriously hamper troop movement during the rainy seasons. The presence of forests in the higher mountains increases difficulties and provides cover for enemy forces and smugglers, while multiple rivers and streams challenge mechanized and motorized movement in the valleys. Air operation impediments include mountain ranges, forests, steep valleys and gorges, clouds/fog/haze, aircraft icing, and cyclonic storms.
Natural Hazards
North Torbia is subject to many types of natural disasters, including droughts, earthquakes, flash floods, land and mudslides, tropical cyclones, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. Mountainous areas and those cleared of vegetation are most prone to land and mudslides, while the coastal areas are more likely to be affected by tsunamis and storm surges. The country has dormant volcanoes in western and far northeast Luzon and active volcanoes in/around the Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Claro, Camiguin de Babuyanes, and Didicas). Several active faults are located in the mountains and run north-south; these can trigger landslides as well as causing direct damage to North Torbia’s infrastructure. A major earthquake centered near the North Torbia-South Torbia border in 1990 killed over 1,500 people in the two countries. Occasional droughts hit the country, including one in 1990 that limited the country’s capacity to produce hydroelectric power. Cyclonic storms hit regularly, with an average of nearly four storms a year reaching typhoon category. One of these, Super Typhoon Haima, reached 140 mph winds and caused considerable damage in October 2016. The country is also concerned about deforestation and possible rising sea levels due to climate change. Dangerous animals in the country include centipedes, crocodiles, jellyfish, scorpions, sharks, snakes, spiders, and disease-carrying insects.
Subterranean Environment
The islands are full of caves, both above and below sea level. In addition to the multitude of naturally-occurring caves, mining on the islands has produced networks of tunnels. Many of these were abandoned as the metals were exhausted, and are now used by occasionally by smugglers for storing illegal contraband. The North Torbian military also creates and uses tennels for its own purposes, though it publically proclaims that these are “mines.” The higher-level tunnels and caves are frequently used as emergency shelters by local residents during and after larger cyclonic storms, and extremely poor people have been known to take up residence permanently.
Vegetation
Around 52% of North Torbia is forested, primarily consisting of rain forest in the upper elevations of the mountains. Common trees include coniferous pines at the very highest elevations, while broadleaf trees such as balau, meranti, and narra are found at the remaining elevations; other plant species found in montane forests—such as bamboo, ferns, orchids, and climbing palms (rattan)—are also present. Deforestation by both the government and the general populace is a continuing problem. Due to the country’s climate, trees keep their leaves year round. Great portions of lowland valleys are devoted to agriculture. Those that are not are covered by tropical savannahs, mixed grasslands, scrub trees, and a few remaining forests. Small mangrove swamps can be found on the coastline.
Agriculture
Agriculture takes place primarily in the lowland valleys, with most of the land dedicated to annual crops. Permanent crops include abaca, banana, cashew, citrus fruit, coconut, coffee, lemon, maguey, mango, oil palm, pineapple, papaya, other fruits, and rubber, while annual crops are cabbage, cassava, corn, cotton, eggplant, garlic, onion, peanut, sweet potato, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, and vegetables. The country’s main crops are rice, corn, pineapple, other fruits, and sugarcane. Agricultural exports are non-existent, and the country imports flour, grains, soybeans, and other foodstuffs.
Rice is primarily grown on the slopes of the Cordillera Mountains, which have been terraced over the centuries to accommodate this practice. Some areas are irrigated in order to ensure good harvests—especially for rice—and counteract the occasional droughts experienced in the country. Slash-and-burn agriculture is widely used, at the expense of North Torbia’s remaining forestland. In the few cases where this method been replaced with using commercial seeds, improper application of chemical fertilizers and insecticides has contaminated both soil and water.
Livestock & Wildlife
North Torbians have some livestock, especially in regions with poorer soils, where cultivation is more difficult. Common domesticated animals include goats, pigs, and poultry. Cattle and water buffalo are also present, but are not as prevelant. The country also possesses multiple types of wildlife, including badger, bat, civet cat, crocodile, deer, lemur, leopard, manatee, mongoose, monkey, porcupine, scaly anteater, squirrel, tree shrew, and wild boar. Poaching for food is a continuing problem in North Torbia and, while a handful of national parks exist, they are not sufficient to protect the country’s wildlife populations from decimation and potential extinction.
Climate and Weather
North Torbia experiences three different climate types that can be broken into two categories: a tropical wet climate, where rain falls year-round, and a tropical wet and dry climate—also called a monsoonal climate—with distinct wet and dry seasons. The first type, Type I, is experienced on North Torbian Luzon from the western coast to the backbone of the Cordillera Mountains. A wet and dry climate, it has a dry season that runs from October–April and a rainy season from May–September.
Type III is experienced in the central part of North Torbian Luzon, to include the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Mountains, the Cagayan Valley, the Caraballo Mountains, and the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Also a wet and dry climate, it has a short dry season from February–April and rainfall during the rest of the year, which is somewhat heavier during July–September.
Type II is found on the Babuyan Islands, the eastern coast of North Torbian Luzon to the backbone of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and the very northern tip of Luzon that lies just east of the Cordillera Mountains. A wet climate, it has no true dry season, with the least wet months being from February–April. Winds follow a distinctive northeast, east, southwest cycle (NE monsoon, easterlies, SW monsoon) that corresponds to—and causes—the country’s seasons. The coolest part of the year falls during the northeast monsoon, while the warmest temperatures occur during the easterlies. Relative humidity is high year-round, though relatively lower inland, at higher elevations, and during the evenings.
Seasons
| Month | Type I | Type II | Type III | Temperature | Wind |
| January | dry | rain | lighter rain | coolest | NE monsoon |
| February | dry | light rain | dry | cool | NE monsoon |
| March | dry | light rain | dry | hot | easterlies |
| April | dry | light rain | dry | hottest | easterlies |
| May | rain | rain | lighter rain | hot | easterlies |
| June | rain | rain | lighter rain | hot | easterlies |
| July | heavy rain | rain | heavier rain | warm | SW monsoon |
| August | heavy rain | rain | heavier rain | warm | SW monsoon |
| September | rain | rain | heavier rain | warm | SW monsoon |
| October | dry | rain | lighter rain | warm | SW monsoon |
| November | dry | rain | lighter rain | cooler | NE monsoon |
| December | dry | rain | lighter rain | cool | NE monsoon |
Precipitation
Precipitation in North Torbia comes in the form of rain, with an annual average of 50–160 inches, depending on location. This usually takes the form of afternoon or evening showers, which are light and infrequent during the dry season and nearly daily during the rainy season. These daily amounts vary, with maximums ranging from a low of 8 inches in part of the Cagayan Valley to over 20 inches on the highest peaks of the Cordillera Mountains. During the dry season, monthly rainfall can drop to less than one inch in some areas, while as much as 40 inches can fall during the height of the rainy season. Dry and rainy seasons vary by local climate type (I, II, or III).
Temperature—Heat Index
North Torbia lies in a tropical zone, and the country’s temperatures reflect this. The average temperature difference between night and day is usually greater than the seasonal variation of either highs or lows for any specific location. The hottest month of the year is April, while the coolest is January. Altitude has the greatest effect on temperatures, with the inland valleys being warmest and the high mountains being coolest. Average monthly highs range from the low 70s to the mid-90s (degrees Farenheit) and monthly lows are not much cooler, usually dropping less than 20°. Record highs usually fall in the 90s, but have been known to exceed 100°F. When combined with North Torbia’s high relative humidity, the heat index can easily reach levels that could endanger US personnel.
Temperature—Wind Chill
Temperatures very rarely drop below 65°F at night, even in the coolest part of the year. The only exception would be in the mountains, where the weather can be cool enough to necessitate a light jacket at night. The highest mountain peaks can get cold at night; record lows in the Cordillera Mountains have reached the freezing mark.
Relative Humidity
Relative humidity is high throughout the year in North Torbia. Ranging from the low 70s to the mid-90s with an average of 77%, humidity is higher in the coastal and low-lying areas than inland or at higher elevations. Relative humidity is typically higher in the mornings and drops several percentage points by evening. When combined with the country’s high temperatures, it produces the type of hot, humid conditions stereotypically associated with tropical jungles.
Wind
North Torbia experiences an annual wind cycle that drives the country’s seasons. Trade winds from the northeast begin blowing in November. These winds, which are also known as the amihan or the northeast monsoon, blow through February and bring cool air to the country. They recede and are replaced with the silanganin, or “easterlies,” from March–June, which bring heat and increasing rainfall. The habagat (southwest monsoon) begins in July and runs through October. This wind brings cooler temperatures and higher humidity; precipitation in the country peaks and then recedes during this time.
Winds during the NE monsoon are usually light and variable, with the eastern coast experiencing stronger winds than the rest of the country. The SW monsoon pattern is similar, except that it is the western coast that receives stronger winds. Winds during the easterlies period are slightly less than during the two monsoons, and periods of calm are more frequent.
Tropical cyclones, which are rated from tropical depression (mildest; winds under 37 mph) to super typhoon (most severe; winds over 136 mph), are possible from June–December. North Torbia is especially susceptible to these storms, experiencing nearly four typhoon-level storms per year, on average. One of these, Super Typhoon Haima, reached 140 mph winds and caused considerable damage in October 2016.
Visibility
North Torbia experiences an average of 5–9 hours of sun daily, with more sunshine and correspondingly fewer clouds during the easterlies and the transition period from southwest to northeast monsoon. April is the least cloudy month. Haze, fog, and low ceilings are common, with the latter two occurring most often during December and August. Cloud cover is lightest on the leeward coast and the leeward sides of mountain ranges, and fog is usually restricted to the mountains and inland valleys. Blowing dust may occur on the leeward coastline. While clouds rarely exceed 8,000 ft during the northeast monsoon, they reach higher than that during the southwest monsoon. Sunshine is more common during the morning periods, while clouds are more frequently seen in the afternoon.
Summary
North Torbia’s terrain varies from high, rugged mountains to flat lowland plains; the former create an obstacle for regional communication and make transport difficult. Natural disasters such as typhoons and landslides will complicate missions. Troops must deal with extreme temperatures and humidity throughout the lowlands, and high altitudes in the mountains. Frequent rains will hamper operations and maneuverability, as will seasonal cloud cover.