Arkanar

Arkanar is the capital of Arkanar Kingdom on a fictional unnamed planet described in "Hard to Be a God" ("Трудно быть богом") by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. This planet is a part of the so-called Noon Universe and presents a world in a late feudalistic/Renaissance stage (opposite to e.g. early feudalism of Saula). As stated, the planet has never been officially named so it is usually referred to by the name of the city where the action of the book takes place. Arkanar (planet) was discovered in the EN-2097 solar system in 2134 AD.

Very little is known about the planet as a whole, since the book only describes the events that happened in Arkanar shortly before the so-called "Arkanar Massacre" (see below). The planet has nine continents.

The native sentient species of Arkanar (planet) are humans genetically identical to those from Earth. Their social system is a feudalistic one, although some countries (see below) have already entered the Renaissance and even early capitalistic stages. All countries mentioned in the book are parts of once great Estor Empire named after its capital and Estor is probably located somewhere in the desert climatic zone, since the Emperor's elite troops mentioned occasionally in the book are battle camels.

The events described in "Hard to Be a God" take place in the far northern province of the Empire, in Arkanar Kingdom (named also after its capital) or just Arkanar. Arkanar is located to the west of Soan Merchant Republic (Soan) and to the east of Irukan Duchy (Irukan). To the south of Arkanar is the Strait between the northern provinces of the Empire and its mainland. To the north there are the semi-independent Pampa Baronial Estate and, far behind the mountains of Red Northern Range, the lands of barbarians which are, of course, not a part of Empire.

A schematic map of the Lands Beyond the Strait (Запроливье):

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