A Climate of Ice and Fire

[Sir Kieran]

Hello!

My WIP features a land that stretches 1500 miles at its longest points. I imagine that, if you compare this world to Earth, this continent would sit in the southern hemisphere. Cold climates towards the bottom, warmer in the north. In the center of the continent, there is a mountain range known to be hostile, icy, and frigid, death to anyone who enters. 181 miles to the north, there is a country made up almost entirely of arid desert land.

I just wanted to know, is this likely or remotely realistic? If I need to supplement any more information, I'd be happy to!

 

[ink.]

I just wanted to know, is this likely or remotely realistic?

No... but, this is fantasy writing; I wouldn't get too hung up on that! Considering people can get away with having floating mountains and such, I would have no trouble believing that there was a country made of entirely sandy desert and tundra.

What I would consider more important is how you plan to have your characters survive realistically in such an inhospitable world, resources like food and water will be at a premium and so have more influence on the story.

 

[Penpilot]

If you look at Egypt, one of the most populous countries in the world, covering an area of 390 000 sq miles, the bulk of the population lives along the Nile river, covering only 15 000 square miles, where the only arable land is found.

In inhospitable lands, people will live in places where they have easier access to the necessities of life, so as long as you give them places where they have access to fresh water, land to farm, etc. I don't see any reason why a country couldn't exist in such an environment.

 

[thedarknessrising]

Well, Game of Thrones features a land that can be plunged into a ten year long winter. I don't see why what you have planned wouldn't work. But like ink said, the characters need to survive in a realistic manner.