Hahaha in EQ I always wondered...where exactly do they mine their Lapis Lazuli? Which one of the FFXI nations is supposed to be Afganistan?? Seeing as how real Lapis Lazuli only comes from Afganistan and a few other areas around it. But hey it's all a game, and it be mighty hard to create world without gems like rubies, diamonds, emeralds, lapis lazuli, etc. I guess under the right geological conditions they could easily have natural lapis like us.
I believe North Gustaberg would be Afganistan, maybe mined from Palbourogh. You see, Bastok is clearly Russia, San d'Oria is Englund, Jueno is America, Windurst is probably Japan... Palbourough/N.Gusta has the right climite and geographical proximity to the 'oppressed worker' nation, and wow, Bastok is trying to invade Palbourough and doing a crappy job of it...
I would have to agree that windurst is Japan, now all i need to see is a character looking like Sailor Moon or Pikachu running around in the game to really believe that it is Japan for sure!!!