Martian Highlands

The Highlands are a geographic region of Mars, covering most of the Southern hemisphere and a part of the Northern hemisphere around the Tharsis bulge. The Highlands are, for the most part, defined by the parts of Martian surface that are above 0 meters of Topographic Datum (Zero Datum), although steep and sudden elevation drop-offs are sometimes used to mark clear geographical boundaries between the Highlands and Lowlands.
The Martian Highlands are at an elevation where atmospheric pressure is inhospitable to Synthetically Adapted Human Beings and Baseline Humans alike. Rebreathers and pressure suits are needed at these altitudes. Very few settlements exist in the highlands, and those that do are small and self contained. One notable example is military bases established at strategically important locations overlooking lowland regions or other key terrain. These bases use self-contained artificial atmospheres to allow personnel to live and breathe without regard for the ambient atmospheric pressure. Automated facilities and infrastructure can also be established in the Highlands if they do not require regular human oversight or upkeep.
Politically, Highlands rarely fall within the boundaries of any of Mars' nations unless specific resource claims are made. They are generally lawless and unsupervised with the exception of interconnecting trade routes. Martian nomads occasionally migrate along the Highlands if they have the resources to overcome the atmospheric limitations for the duration of their journey.

Type

Highlands

Location under

Mars