Five great nations (Earth-2213)

The five great nations are the five largest countries on the shinobi world. They are led by their respective Grand Secretariat, whose political position vary from governors to monarchs. The nations are distributed through three of Earth's five known continents; the Land of Fire in the centre, the Land of Lightning in the Northeast, the Land of Earth in the Northwest, the Land of Water in the East, and the Land of Wind in the Southeast. Each of the nations is culturally unique and are named after their element of association with bending techniques.

Nations
The even distribution of the countries preserves the balance in the planet, and the mere increasing or decreasing of strength from one nation can disrupt the balance. Numerous factors determine the strength and development of the nations, including the political balance, economics, social order, and spirituality. Two of the greatest threats in recent history were the First and Second Hundred Year wars, where the nations fought for power and influence, leading to millions of deaths across the five great nations, although smaller nations ammounted the most losses.

The five great nations are home to powerful villages, those being the hidden villages of Konohagakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure. They are the only ones to possess a Kage as their village heads.

While the five nations are equal in military and economic power, the Land of Fire, the biggest benefactor and stratetic winner of the Second Great Shinobi War, is considered to be the most powerful and influential among them. Thus, Konoha's infraestucture, military, and education, such as the Seireitei Shinobi Academy of Bending, are considered to be the best of them all and the one the other bigger and smaller nations seek to achieve. Indeed, Konoha is seen as the pinnacle of the developed world, from culture, to security, and society.

After the end of the Second Great Shinobi War in 16 BG, the five great nations, alongside the samurai of the Land of Iron, allied together to form the United Republic of Nations, an intergovernmental organization tasked to secure cooperation between the countries and ensure no other long-term conflict would take place. While holding official great power, the United Republic proved innefective duo to widespread corruption and bureucracy.