Warsiene Islands

The Warsiene Islands (officially the United Commonwealth of the Warsiene Islands) is the 11th state of Carolina and the only state to be created from a former territory, having received statehood on April 11, 1963. The Warsiene Islands are often considered the southernmost state in Carolina and are often considered to be the only Carolinian state in the Caribbean. The Warsiene Islands are also the only state of Carolina not located on continental North America. The capital, Nij Heide is often considered the business capital of the Caribbean. The Warsiene Islands are a part of the Eastern Time Zone and recognize daylight savings time.

The state covers the entire Warsiene Islands archipelago and officially covers all islands west of the South Floridian island of Key West. There are more than 35 islands inside of the state, however the main islands are Hilliege Thomas and Hilliege Joseph. Hilliege Joseph is the largest island and also the most populated island, with Nij Heide located on the northern side.

The culture of the Warsiene Islands is a mix of both Carolinian, Freigan, and Caribbean cultures (particularly the Cuban culture). Until the 1960's the culture of the Warsiene Islands highly resembled Florida and the rest of Carolina. However extensive immigration from Cuba and other Caribbean Countries such as the Dominican Republic has brought large amounts of Spanish and Caribbean influence to the islands. The Warsiene Islands also have a strong tourist presence which has changed the culture over the last 50 years.

The Warsiene Islands is the 2nd least populated state, with only Qualla having a lower population. The state also is the 2nd smallest in land area, with Qualla being the smallest. However, the Warsiene Islands have the highest population density of any Carolinian state. Hilliege Joseph is the most populated with a density rate of 1310 people per square mile.

Geography
In total there are around 35 islands in the state, along with 701 cays. The island of Englasmanplatt is the closest island to the state of South Florida at Key West, while Nij Texel is the closest to Cuba. The Warsiene Islands are primarily low-lying islands that have an elevation between 20 and 50 feet above sea level. The highest elevation is Cunera Hill which sits at approximate 216 feet above sea level.

The Florida Keys are considered a geographic continuation of the Warsiene Islands, however are generally regarded as separate island chains as Englasmanplatt and Key West are separated by a distance of roughly 27 miles.

Climate
The entirety of the Warsiene Islands falls under the tropical savannah climate or Aw according to Köppen climate classification. The low latitude, warm tropical Gulf Stream, and low elevation give the Bahamas a warm and winterless climate. The island chain very rarely has reported a freeze or frost, with the last reported being in 1987. In the winter, low temperatures sometimes can fall below 50 °F when a severe cold outbreak pushes south from the North American mainland. However in general there is only a 15°F change between the winter and summer temperatures in the Warsiene Islands. As with most tropical climates, seasonal rainfall follows the sun, and summer is the wettest season. The Warsiene Islands are often sunny and dry for long periods of time, and average more than 3,000 hours or 340 days of sunlight annually.

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes pose a major problem for the Warsiene Islands and impact the chain fairly often. Because of it's location in the Gulf of Mexico, the chain has often been hit by tropical storms moving northwest between Cuba and South Florida. The most notable hurricane to hit the Warsiene Islands, was Hurricane Katrina in 2005.