Sunagakure no sato (aka. Village hidden in the Sand)

Country Background:
The Wind country is marked by deserts and dry mountain ranges. The Wind Country is one of the larger ninja countries in the Naruto world, though it only borders Rain, River and several unnamed countries. Its western most borders are currently unrevealed.

Sunagakure no Sato Background:
Hidden Sand is one of the most powerful ninja villages in the world. The village was founded approximately 60 years before the start of the series. In recent years the country Daimyo sought to reduce the power of the ninja village. This caused the Sand leadership to join Orochimaru in attacking Konoha. Sand was double-crossed and eventually signed a peace treaty with Konoha. Suna has had what could be called bad luck with its Kages, with the Third disappearing under mysterious circumstances, the Fourth being killed by Orochimaru and the Fifth falling in battle to Akatsuki member Deidara.

Village Leader:
The current leader of Hidden Sand is Gaara. The Jinchuuriki (demon vessel) for Sand, Gaara was a lonely angry young man until he was set on a new life path by Uzumaki Naruto. This changed pushed him to protect his village like never before as Fifth Kazekage. Gaara strove to protect his village and was elected by the village council fairly quickly after his father the Fourth Kazekage's death. Because he is the host of sand incarnation Shukaku, he has a large advantage against anyone who dares attack in his homeland.

Events of Note

Invasion of Konoha (Approximately 1 year into the series):
Fed up by their Daimyou's desire to disarm and weaken the power of their village, Sand plotted to assist Orochimaru in attacking Konoha. Following the orders of Yondaime Kazekage, they invaded Konoha during the third test of the Chuunin Exam. Many of their ninja died and they had to flee due to Orochimaru's injury and the arrival of the Sannin Jiraiya. Sand learned their Kazekage had been assassinated by Orochimaru, and that Orochimaru himself had masqueraded as their leader for many weeks to draw them into the battle. Sand was forced into absolute surrender to their former ally. The ties between the villages grew in the passing years though, with many Sand ninja going through Konoha's new training processes.

Akatsuki Attack (Approximately 4 years into the series):
Akatsuki targeted Gaara the Kazekage of Hidden Sand in an attempt to extract the one-tailed Shukaku demon from within him. Sasori's underling Yuura helped remove Sand's defenses and Akatsuki member Deidara entered the village. Flying on his clay bird, he battled Gaara above the village finally besting him. He and Sasori fled with Gaara and removed the Shukaku demon from within him, killing him in the process. Gaara would later be revived by the sacrifice of legendary Sand kunoichi Chiyo.

Wind People and Items of Note

Sasori:
A missing-nin from Hidden Sand, Sasori joined Akatsuki. Sasori was a puppet master who fled his village twenty years ago. During his time away he murdered Sandaime Kazekage and turned him into a puppet. Sasori was so obsessed with puppetry and immortality that he turned himself into a puppet as well. Sasori eventually returned to Hidden Sand with his partner Deidara, his contacts with the village allowed Deidara to enter the village and capture Gaara. Sasori eventually fell in battle to his grandmother Chiyo and Haruno Sakura.

Shukaku:
The Bijuu (Tailed Demon) of Sand, Shukaku has been housed in several ninja in the village's history. Approximately 12 years before the start of the series, the Fourth Kazekage directed Chiyo to implant the demon into his unborn son Gaara.

Chiyo:
One of the Legendary Siblings of Sand, Chiyo and her brother Ebizou served the village in previous ninja wars. Though she retired, she does come out of retirement to help her village fight her grandson Sasori.