Context: Administral divisions of GfiewistanGfiewistan is divided into 15 states, which in turn are divided into counties, and below that municipalities. State capitals always form their own county, and might or might not have further subdivisions. In some states, several counties can form a union below state level (e. g. Tlulmerd) which takes over some functions carried out by county councils in other states. In cities, several functions of municipal governments in less urban regions are taken over by the city government. So the hierarchy at a glance is as follows: Nation - State - (County union) - County/City - Municipality/town/city borough. Hatariew/xat:ɐɹɪəʍ/ (Etym.: from the capital city ‘Hatariew’)GeographyThe northeasternmost state of Hatariew is outside of urban areas for the most part composed in roughly equal amounts of farmland used above all for orchards or corn fields and mixed forestland with broadleaf and needleleaf trees. In the two southernmost counties evergreen needleleaf trees dominate the forests and broadleaf trees are rare.Two major rivers flow through or past the state: The Lewr (name from ‘wolf’ in a substrate language), flowing through the two biggest settlements and next to various smaller villages, and the Ersaj (/ɛɹʂajə/, name from a substrate language), economically one of the most important rivers of Gfiewistan, making up the entire eastern border and flowing past the capital through South Jute into the Saru Sea. The land surrounding both makes up the Eastern Basin, a very flat and low- laying region taking up slightly less than half of the state. Other parts of the state being somewhat higher in elevation, with the exception of a small range of large hills in the southeast. The capitalHatariew is also the most populous and most urbanized state, harboring roughly a third of the population of the entire country (627,025), with a large majority, 528,023, living in the identically named state capital (which doubles as the national capital), the most populous town both in the state as well as nationwide.The etymology of its name is unclear, according to one popular theory it was originally a compound of ‘hak’ (remembering or honoring of a memory), ‘tan’ (land) + ‘riew’ (town, larger settlement). The city is the commercial and cultural center of the country, with banks, insurances and import- export trade businesses being the most important economic sectors in which most people are employed. It has been the capital since 1852, when the republic was established. Previously, the capital had been Slakkariew (/ʂlak:ɐɹɪəʍ/ ‘slakka’, pike or luce, + ‘riew’, city), located in the south in the state of Bjuwag at the lake carrying the same name as the city. Demographics of the state outside the capitalMost of the remainder of the population of the states lives in towns located at the two railways going from the city of Hatariew to either Slakkariew and Dillariewis (/dɪɭ.ɭaɹɪəʍɪʂ/, 53,002 people, etym.: after a mountain grass endemic to the region and ‘riewis’, meaning little town) in the southeast or Weishriew (/ʍɘɪʂhəɹɪəʍ/, 67,000 people, name from Old Gfiewish ‘weish’, an exonym, and ‘riew’), the capital of Kauslat (/kɐɯʂɭat/), in the south.Tsowerdig (/tʂoʍəɹdɪg/, 7926 people, from ‘tso’ half and ‘werdig’ day, referring to how Hatariew was once only half a day away from this town), Mesotal (/mɛʂoʈaɭ/, 5,078 people, etym.: ‘mesta’ buckwheat + ‘otel’ garden, field), Kjusgretafubnuur (/kjɯʂ.gɹɛ.ʈaʷɯβ.nɯʷɯɹ/, 7,235 people, literally “Greater Northern Road”), are stops on the former. Xitwjed (/xɪtʍʝəd/, 5,657 people, name from the nearby river Xitwjed), Filnuur (/fɪɭnɯʷɯɹ/, 5,324 people, etym.: ‘fil’ separation + ‘nuur’ way, road), and the second biggest town of the state, Wjedhoskust (/ʍʝɛdhoʂkɯʂt/, 29,542 people from ‘wjed’ river + ‘hoskust’ harbor) laying at the shore of the river Lewr are situated at the latter railyway line. Saltel (/ʂɐɭtəɭ/, 6,890 people, from ‘ sal’ meeting’ + ‘tel’ place) is the only bigger town not located on either of them, instead being a short distance away from the eastern national highway (ENH). Economy of the state outside the capitalIndustry, particularly food processing and machine construction, remains a major employer here, but lately the services sector (trade, healthcare, transportation) has grown to be important as well and is set to take over in the coming years.Other smaller towns and in villages in the countryside are home to only four percent of the population each, with most working in the agricultural sector. Logging is less important as a branch, as most of the state’s forests are under protection. InfrastructureAside from connections to the other cities of the country the railway as part of the Northern Ystelian Railway also connects Hatariew to the neighboring countries of Mermelia and South Jute. A ferry connection to Weishriew via the river Ersaj exists as well, which is also used for cargo transport, though less than in previous centuries. The main international airport of Gfiewistan is also located in Hatariew. |
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