Aquarion is located right at the outer edge of Colonial space, somewhat unusual considering its status as the Seventh Colony of Kobol, founded by Poseidon of the Waves. The planet has the highest proportion of water to land of any of the Twelve Colonies (5:4), with almost continental-sized polar ice caps. Salinity is low, requiring most sea-going vessels to be constructed with extra buoyancy chambers. Planetary axial tilt is extreme, providing for large variations of temperature with the seasons in the temperate zones. Average planetary temperatures are lower than the Colonial average.

 

Aquarion's history began in the unrecorded past, and little is known about its initial stages of Colonisation. We believe that the people of Aquarion led a fusion terrestrial and maritime lifestyle; they slept in their homes on the land at night, but the sea became their major source of sustenance and economic earnings. Delicacies from Aquarion seas became a prized status symbol on Caprica. However, Aquarion's status as a backwater Colony with little potential or contribution changed remarkably with the advent of tylium reactors. Surveys of the surface of Aquarion yielded remarkably large and concentrated deposits of tylium. Explorations of continental shelves, and sea beds revealed similarly promising resources waiting to be exploited. The discovery of rich tylium deposits sparked a "tylium rush" as entrepreneurs, pioneers and miners flooded towards the Colony in an attempt to stake out their riches. Aquarion's population doubled within thirty years.

 

To cope with the rising population pressures, the Aquarion Government constructed a number of orbital habitats utilising technology purchased from Caprica with tylium export revenues. Tylium export revenues also provided the Aquarion Government with a near limitless supply of cubits; the planetary capital of Trikon was converted from a aggrandised hamlet to a true Colonial capital in less than thirty years. Wishing to build upon its role as the energy provider of the Colonies, Aquarion also constructed massive deuterium harvesting stations in its tempestuous seas, capitalising on the other fuel necessary for the tylium reactors to function.

 

As a direct consequence of its tylium mining and deuterium harvesting operations, Aquarion soon fielded the largest merchant marine fleet, larger than even Tauron's massive fleet of transport ships. Added to the substantial population living in its orbital habitats, Aquarion had by far the largest proportion of its population in space at any given time. As a direct consequence of this statistic, stellar navigation and piloting services became the second export industry. When the Colonies ratified the Articles of Colonisation, many Aquarians joined the fledgling Colonial Navy Viper squadrons. In fact, some Battlestar squadrons were made up entirely of Aquarians.

 

Aquarians tend to be quiet and unemotional people. They listen more than they talk and tend to have remarkably stable personalities. They are very independent people, although they do form tight bonds to people they know, particularly those serving in the armed forces. Aquarians tend to have a witty sense of humour, although they tend to be drier and more sarcastic than Capricans. They are a pragmatic people, a consequence of those working in the tylium mines and the dangers of space, but also fair and dependable. However, due to their closed-mouth nature, they can come across as reticent and stubborn, and they can often be too blunt (often scandalising Capricans).