Cardassia Prime

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Cardassia Prime
Cardassia Prime from high orbit
Affiliation:	Cardassians

Cardassia Prime (also known as "Cardassia") is the homeworld of the Cardassians in the fictional series Star Trek.

In Cardassia's early history, its inhabitants were a peaceful and spiritual people. In the days of the First Hebitian Civilization, the planet boasted a vast wealth of art and culture; the people were said to have elaborate burial vaults with unimaginable treasures. Unfortunately, Cardassia's lack of natural resources caused terrible famine, and the Hebitian civilization fell into decay. Its ruins were plundered by starving Cardassians who sought to sell whatever they could to provide for themselves, and a military dictatorship soon came to power.

The planet's climate is warmer than that preferred by several species – human and Bajoran characters, among others, make comments throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's run about Cardassians' preference for heat, while characters like Elim Garak complain about the uncomfortably cool temperatures preferred by non-Cardassians. Its landscape is often arid, though animal and plantlife are still dominant on the surface. At the time of its introduction to the Star Trek universe, Cardassia Prime's population is almost all Cardassian, although Jem'Hadar, Vorta, and Breen take up positions there when Cardassia joins The Dominion.

In the closing days of the Dominion War, the Dominion Founders order a "scorched earth" approach to the Cardassians and their homeworld for their betrayal during the final battle of the war, resulting in a death toll of 800 million.