Country & Culture Development Questions
Questions to get you thinking so you can better develop your countries and their cultures, whether they're fantastic fairytale kingdoms or futuristic space colonies.
- What biomes does it contain? What's its topography like?
- What are its most notable geological features or natural landmarks?
- Which resources are abundant? Which are scarce?
- What kinds of natural disasters are likely to occur? How often? How do the people deal with them?
- What kind of wild animals live there? What kind of wild plants?
- What kind of animals do the people keep as livestock? What about pets?
- What kinds of foods do most of the people eat? Where does their food come from?
- What are its most notable/famous man-made landmarks? How and why were they constructed?
- What are its holiest or most revered sites? What are their histories?
- What kinds of holidays do the people usually celebrate? How did these holidays originate?
- How are events such as weddings and funerals typically conducted?
- What kinds of musical instruments are played by its people? What does their music sound like?
- What forms of art do the people create? What does it look like?
- What are the most well-known folk stories? When and where did they originate?
- Who are the most famous historical and/or folkloric figures? Why?
- How and when do people typically receive their education?
- How important is education considered?
- At what age are people considered legal adults? Are there any rites of passage typically performed?
- What kind of games do the people play? What kinds of sports?
- What are the dominant culture's biggest taboos? Why?
- What are the dominant culture's most serious crimes? How are they punished?
- What are the dominant culture's most honorable achievements? How are they rewarded?
- What are the most prevalent attitudes toward sex? Marriage? Divorce?
- Which traits, actions, and attitudes do most of the people admire? Why?
- Which jobs or skills are considered the most prestigious or useful? Why?
- Which jobs or skills are considered the least prestigious or useful? Why?
- How are the sick and injured treated? How about the mentally ill? The physically disabled?
- What are the most common religious/cosmological beliefs? How did these originate and develop?
- If the people are religious, how many deities do they have? How are these deities properly honored?
- Which deities have come into popularity lately? Which have fallen out of favor?
- What are the biggest sources of controversy and division? Why?
- What kinds of minority groups live in it? How and why did they come to be there?
- How are the minority cultures different from the dominant culture? How have they influenced it?
- How does the dominant culture feel about these minority groups?
- How do the people feel about foreigners and outsiders?
- Who are its enemies? Why are they enemies?
- Which of their enemies are the most dangerous, and why?
- Who are its allies? Why are they allies?
- Which of their allies are the most helpful, and why?
- What was the last war it was involved in? What was the most impactful war it has been involved in?
- Who do the people trade with? What do they trade for?
- Which other countries have influenced it the most? How and why?
- What atrocities is it responsible for? Why were they committed?
- What good things has it done? Why?
- Which types of people are the most privileged? Which types of people are marginalized? How did it come to be this way?
- Which moments in its history are so embarrassing that they are rarely, if ever talked about anymore?
- Which moments in its history are the people most proud of? Why?
- Which non-natural disasters are the most likely to occur? How would the people deal with them?
- What do the people perceive to be the biggest threat or threats to peace and order? Why?
- How much corruption is in the government?
- What and how much can people say without fear of censure?
- Who controls most of the wealth and resources? How did it get to be this way?
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