Klatch (country)

Klatch
Established
Motto
Neighbours	turnwise: Hersheba, Ymitury; widdershins: Tsort, rimwards: Syrrit,and unidentified Howondalandian sub-desert, plains and jungle princedoms, tribes and uncharted territories. The Klatchian Empire once extended as far widdershins as Klatchistan.
Geographical Features	Deserts. The river Al'Dente. The occasional oasis. A coast on the Circle Sea with principal ports at El-Kinte and Gebra.
Population
Size
Capital	Al-Khali
Type of government	Ruled by a Seriph, last known: Creosote, from the palace The Rhoxie
Notable Citizens	Seriph Creosote, Princes Cadram and Khufurah, 71-hour Ahmed
Imports	Sto Cabbages
Exports	Klatchian Coffee, figs, tobacco
National Anthem
Books	Sourcery, Jingo, The Compleat Discworld Atlas

The Seriphate of Klatch is a country on the Circle Sea. It is also the name of the continent upon which the country is located. The capital city is Al-Khali, and it is ruled by a Seriph. The last named Seriph was Creosote. There is a reference in Maskerade to it having been ruled by a Queen Ezeriel some two hundred years ago.

The country is a large and powerful nation. Despite the claims of certain Morporkians, it is a scientifically advanced nation, responsible for mathematics and astronomy among other inventions.

The country is primarily desert, and popular modes of transport include camels and magic carpets. It has its own Watch of sorts, led by 71-hour Ahmed. Klatch is an economic rival to Ankh-Morpork. Despite this, many Klatchians have emigrated to Ankh-Morpork, bringing aspects of their culture with them. Two that have really caught on include the god Offler and curry.

The Seriphate is an empire with many outlying regions to pacify, but does not encompass the entire Klatchian continent, there being other notable countries including Omnia, Tsort, Ephebe, and Djelibeybi. Klatch the country is militaristically and economically powerful like Tsort and Ephebe, but although all three countries are on the Klatchian coast of the Circle Sea, only Klatch is considered the traditional enemy of the most powerful state across the Circle Sea, Ankh-Morpork.

Principal cities: Al-Khali, Gebra, El-Kinte

Major appearances in Sourcery and Jingo. A fuller description and much additional information is in The Compleat Discworld Atlas.

Annotation

In The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, he whimsically notes that the letter "K" in the tongue of the Cerathians, a small commercial nation inhabiting the peninsula of Smero, was called Klatch, which means "destroyed". It is inconceivable¹ that TP was unaware of this when he chose it as the name of a desert area and country.

¹ Well, maybe conceivable: see discussion.