Geology and Geography of Acondia

Acondia lies over a plume of hot volcanic material upwelling from great depths under the East Pacific Ridge near the intersection of the Pacific plate, the Nasca plate, and the Antarctic plate. Acondia is an integral part of the global mid-oceanic ridge system. The island nation is one of the few places on earth where you can see an active spreading ridge above sea level with the two plates moving apart about 1/2-inches per year. Being a hot spot above a mantle plume, Acondia has grown by rifting and crust accretion through volcanism along the axial rift zone, the volcanic zones, which in terms of the plate tectonic framework marks the boundary between the Pacific and Antarctic plates. Accordingly the western part of Acondia, west of the volcanic zones, belongs to the Pacific plate and the eastern part to the Antarctic plate.

Acondia is Geologically young. The oldest bedrock dates at about 3.1 million years. Acondia is built almost exclusively of volcanic rocks, predominantly basalts. Silicates and intermediate rocks constitute about 10% of the island, while sedimentary deposits account for another 10%.

Origin of the name Acondia:

The name "Acondia" is believed to have originated from the Polinesian phrase: "aka-o-ná-ti-á". (aka = anchor, o = celebrate, ná = here, ti = bend down and climb over, á = expression of joy) Another possibility frequently cited, is "El Kondora", the Spanish name for Acondia-based pirates during the 1600s an early 1700s.

Geographic Regions of Acondia:

EAST: The Eastern Mountians are the most volcanically active part of Acondia. They consist of two parallel ranges of mountains divided by a volcanic rift valley.

The eastern-most mountain range, The Kapua-Maunga mountians (Kapua means Misty or Foggy), stretch between the volcanic rift zone and abruptly end in cliffs at the Pacific ocean. These volcanic cliffs extend the entire length of the island, making all approaches by sea along the eastern coast impossible. Hot Springs and underwater volcanic activity cause frequent, thick fog to blanket the eastern coast of Acondia. This dense fog hampered early Spanish explorers, causing them to wreck their vessals on the rocky east coast or miss Acondia altogether.

West of the volcanic rift valley lie the Ahi-Maunga mountians (Ahi means Fire). The early Polineasian inhabitants of Acondia gave this mountain range it's name because from the perspective from their western settlments, these mountains were frequently illuminated by the occasional volcanic activity in the central rift zone.

The volcanic rift zone is a great valley containing numerious fissures marking the boundry between the Pacific plate and the Antarctic plate. The geography of the rift valley is always changing as fissures erupt and and are quickly covered with layers of volcanic bassalt and new fissures appear. The rift valley is spreading at the rate of about 1/2-inches per year. As the valley grows wider, new volcanic material is added to the surrounding mountain ranges.

SOUTH: The major feature of southern Acondia is the vast Belmar Bay. Belmar Bay was formed by the intersection of the Challenger fracture zone with the mid-Pacific ridge in south-eastern Acondia. As deep volcanic procesesses lifted the fracture zone above sea level, a huge penninsula was formed south of the bay, and steep highlands were raised north of the bay. The sediments contained in the highlands possess vast fresh water holding capacity. This causes numerious fresh water streams and waterfalls along the southern edge of the highlands down into Belmar Bay. Southern penninsula name = pakía (seal) river?

WEST: Western highlands & the northeastern plains, castle island? river?

NORTH: Northeastern plains and the sandy islands.

CENTRAL: