Mina al-Majid

Mina al-Majid Rahelian: بلدية اتحاد ميناء الماجد Ab-Baladiat al'Itihad Mina al'Majid Pasdani: شهرری اتحاد ماجد Šahrdâri-ye Ettehad-ye Majed
Union Municipality and special economic zone
Union Municipality of Mina al-Majid
Flag Seal
Nickname:  "The Gateway"
Country	Zorasan
Founded	1349
Founded by	Unknown
Government
• Type	Union Municipality
• Body	Municipal Central Committee
• Governor	Hussein Al-Qasimi (NRF)
• City Administrator	Naim al-Riyadhi
• General-Secretary of the Union Municipal Assembly	Khalifah Hamadi
Area
• Union Municipality and special economic zone	1,320 km2 (510 sq mi)
Elevation	11 m (36 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Urban	3,222,793
• Metro	4,103,600
Time zone	UTC+0:00 (Zorasan Standard Time (ZST))
ISO 3166 code	ZO-MM
GRP (nominal)	€121 billion
GRP per capita	€29,590
HDI (2020)	0.809

Mina al-Majid, officially called the Union Municipality of Mina al-Majid (Rahelian: بلدية اتحاد ميناء الماجد; Ab-Baladiat al'Itihad Mina al'Majid; Pasdani: شهرری اتحاد ماجد; Šahrdâri-ye Ettehad-ye Majed) is the most economically and technically developed city in Zorasan, and its first specifically constructed Special Economic and Industrial Zone. Mina al-Majid is located on the northern shores of the Riyadha Peninsula, bound to the west, east and south by the Riyadhi Union Republic and the Gulf of Parishar to the north. With a population of 4.1 million, it is Zorasan's eighth most populous city.

Founded in the 14th century as a small fishing village under the name of Beit Massoud, it would remain an obscure coastal backwater until the mid-19th century, when its bay was chosen to serve as a coaling station and Entrepôt for Soravia and its trade interests in the wider Gorsanid Empire. It would steadily grow into a relatively prosperous mid-sized trading hub before coming under Etrurian jurisdiction in 1893. Under Etrurian rule, the city's importance would decline against that of Ghalliah to the south, which would become a major hub for Etrurian and Euclean traders. In 1946, the city well within the newly formed Emirate of Riyadha and in 1953, it became a major city within the Zubaydi Rahelian Federation. During the decade and early years of the 1960s, the city witnessed the development of its first petrochemical industries, establishing itself as the secondary export hub alongside Khadal in neigbouring Irvadistan. The city would be targeted during the First Rahelian War, with at least ten airstrikes on the city and its oil industry, the city during the war also served as the base for the Red Officers Movement, who would go on to overthrow the Zubaydi federal monarchy in 1968. Under the United Rahelian People's Republic, the city's fortune would decline as the socialist regime focused on expanding Khadal and Ghallilah, this would result in a steady decline in population. The city was captured with little resistance by Union of Zorasan forces in early 1978 during the Second Rahelian War, the Union's victory and subsequent unification of the United Rahelian People's Republic with the rest of Zorasan would lead to the city's transformation.

In 1988, the city alongside Bandar-e Sattari, Ashkezar, Khadal and Chaboksar were declared to become special economic zones as part of the New Generation Cities project. The NGC, launched in 1990 dramatically reformed the city's administrative and economic systems, now boasting markedly liberalised trade and investment laws, Mina al-Majid, alongside the other cities saw consistently high economic growth and were hubs for urban innovations and renewal. Aided by high energy prices, the Zorasani central government invested considerable funds into fostering Mina al-Majid into becoming a centre for finance, digital services and high-quality manufacturing. In thirty years, the city's economy and population boomed and has since emerged as a hub for technology, international trade, and finance, particularly insurance and Irfanic finance. Since the late 2000s, the Municipal Government has worked to establish the city as a centre for luxury, tourism and the creative services. It is the home to the Mina al-Majid Stock Exchange, one of the largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalisation and the largest in Zorasan. In terms of GRP per capita, it is the wealthiest city in Zorasan and hosts the largest number of millionaires and billionaires in the country, overtaking Zahedan in 2011. Owing to the city's success, it also operates one of the strictest rules on internal migration in Zorasan and is regularly regarded as an elite city.

Etymology

According to Gorsanid records, Mina al-Majid was originally named Beit Massoud (بيت مسعود; lit. House of Massoud), the name would remain in use until 1798, when it was renamed to Beit al-Kanz (بيت الكنز; Lit. House of Treasure) by decree of the local Gorsanid governor, who wished to celebrate the town's success as a producer of pearls and bountiful catches of fish. Beit al-Kanz would remain the name under Soravian rule, but would change in 1893, when Etrurian colonial authorities renamed to Porta Nord (Northern Gate), in reference to its role as a entrepot and transit hub for goods entering and leaving Etrurian Rahelia. The name also links to the Etrurian twinning of the city with modern day Soltanabad, which they had renamed as Porta Centurione (Centurion Gate), this in turn related to its role as a defence along the Zorasani-Shangean border. Following the collapse of the Etrurian colonial empire in 1946 and the independence of the Emirate of Riyadha it was renamed to Mina al-Riyadha (مينا الرياضة, lit. Port Riyadha) in 1948. This name would again, remain in use until 1989, when in celebration of the city being earmarked for the New Generation Cities plan, it was renamed again by popular referendum vote to Mina al-Majid (مينا المجيد, lit. Noble Port).

Government

Main article: Municipal Central Committee of Mina al-Majid

Further information: City Administration of Mina al-Majid and Municipal Assembly of Mina al-Majid

Mina al-Majid is a Union Municipality, meaning its authorities possess similar powers and autonomy to that of a Union Republic, though retaining control over typical city-governance. As a Union Municipality, its system of government is also identical to that of the Union Republics, which in turn mirror the one-party state nationally. The Municipal government is comprised of five distinct bodies, the Municipal Central Committee - the executive branch, the Municipal Assembly- the legislative branch, the City Administration - focusing on city services and urban management and the Municipal Judicial Authority.

The Union Governor is the head of the executive branch of the Municipality and concurrently serves as the First Secretary of the Municipality's branch of the National Renovation Front and Chairman of the Municipal Central Committee. The Union Governor is elected by the Municipal Assembly (of which he/she must be a sitting member) for a five year term renewable once. As the highest ranking office holder, the Union Governor is tasked with overseeing all departments, agencies and services, including the city administration. The Municipal Central Committee has direct control over the Union Municipality's education, law enforcement, economic policy and healthcare. The Union Governor upon election appoints the City Administrator, who is tasked with overseeing the City Administration, which is dedicated to managing the affairs of Mina al-Majid within its metropolitan boundaries, this ranges from refuse collection, water, gas and electricity utilities and transportation. The City Administrator must be confirmed by vote of the Municipal Assembly before taking office. The incumbent Union Governor and City Administrator are Hussein al-Qasimi and Naim al-Riyadhi respectively, who have served since 2022.

Union Governor Hussein Al-Qasimi

City Administrator Naim al-Riyadhi

The Municipal Central Committee, mirroring the state-level Union Republic Central Committees and the Central Committee of State nationally, doubles as both the highest-level decision making body for the Municipality and for the region's branch of the National Renovation Front. It is chaired by the Union Governor, with the City Administrator serving as the Deputy Chair and is comprised of the heads of municipal and city level bodies, and heads of internal NRF departments. Half of the Central Committee's members are elected by the Municipal Assembly, with the remaining half appointed by the Union Governor and confirmed by majority vote in the Assembly.

Entirely subordinate to the MCC is the City Administration of Mina al-Majid, this body is wholly focused on the managing of city services and development. Notably, the CA is dependent on funding from the MCC which controls the operating budget for government in the Municipality and has limited power or influence on economic policy, but has full control over urban planning, transportation, refuse collection and utilities.

In 2011, all municipal, city and federal agencies moved their operations into the lower floors of the Burj al-Insijam. It is the tallest building in the world.

The Municipal Assembly is the legislative branch of the government, and is comprised of 120 members. These members are drawn from the local-level NRF Districts, who are charged with electing six representatives from their ranks every six-years, with no term limits. This mirrors the national system, in which official members of the National Renovation Front elect representatives, not the general populace through elections, this leaves the NRF in total control over all areas of government within the Municipality. The Municipal Assembly is tasked with overseeing the workings of the city and municipal administrations, debate policy and strategy and can propose legislation to be accepted or rejected by the MCC. The Mina al-Majid Assembly is unique in that its individual committees hold "Open Events", in which members of the public can voice grievances or discuss local matters which can and have effected legislation and policy.

Lastly the Municipal Judicial Authority is the judicial branch of government within the region. The Municipality operates a court-system identical to the federal system, with three distinct circuits. The first, the Union Court System is divided into three, the Popular Court hears civil claims, the Municipal Court hears claims originating from police complaints and the State Court which is the supreme court of the Municipality and hears disputes on law. The second circuit is the Esafkar Court, which is responsible for matters between Irfani and lastly the State Security Tribunal, which is a federal court that deals with matters relating to political crimes and security.

Relationship with Zorasani central government

Governor Hussein al-Qasimi with State President Rahim Ali Haftar in 2023.

Owing to the success of the New Generation Cities and Mina al-Majid in particular, the relationship between the Municipal government and federal government has often been tense and prone to bouts of tension. Of all the New Generation Cities, many inside and outside Zorasan classify Mina al-Majid as the most successful, though debate surrounds those most responsible, often divided between the central and municipal governments themselves. The success of Mina al-Majid has also led to numerous cases of its political leaders coming into fierce competition with other powerful figures with the Zorasani one-party state, where governors of Mina al-Majid become locked into power struggles with rivals upon the end of their two-terms, with natural expectation of elevation within national politics.

Other issues surrounding the relationship has been the requirement of Mina al-Majid to retain a more liberal socio-economic atmosphere compared to the rest of the country, for the sake of foreign direct investment and international trade needs. This situation remained low-key during the 1990-2005 period, known as the Saffron Era but became a consistently charged issue following The Turfan (2005-2008), when the Zorasani military and National Renovation Front right-wing factions conspired to restore and fortify ideologically hardline control over government. Under the Fifth (2005-2015) and Sixth (2015-2021) Leadership-Generations in particular, there were repeated clashes over Mina al-Majid's social policies and direction. This culminated in mid-2022 under the current Seventh Leadership-Generation, which orchestrated the removal of then Governor Faris al-Ababbar and City Administrator Abdullah Al Marri and secured the elevation of Al-Qasimi and Al-Riyadhi as their successors. This has served to ease tensions between Mina al-Majid and the Central Government since.

Demography

Main article: Demographics of Mina al-Majid

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1798	3,200	—
1830	12,540	+291.9%
1865	22,112	+76.3%
1890	22,885	+3.5%
1900	24,090	+5.3%
1910	26,700	+10.8%
1934	51,200	+91.8%
1948	53,189	+3.9%
1958	135,577	+154.9%
1965	133,993	−1.2%
1973	122,490	−8.6%
1983	294,884	+140.7%
1990	599,392	+103.3%
1995	1,194,300	+99.3%
2000	1,596,000	+33.6%
2005	2,110,583	+32.2%
2010	2,998,100	+42.1%
2015	3,500,402	+16.8%
2020	3,928,280	+12.2%
2022	4,103,600	+4.5%

According to the Zorasani central government's District Citizen Address Recording System, the population of the Union Municipality of Mina al-Majid as of 2022 was 4,103,600, an increase of 175,320 from 2020 - the urban population of the city itself was 3,222,793. As of 2022, Mina al-Majid is the eighth most populous city in the country and the second most populous of the New Generation Cities after Chaboksar. Mina al-Majid however, operates one of the strictest migration systems in the country (see below), which has consistently left the city as the lowest ranked in Zorasan for internal migration for thirty years. Owing to its global profile and role as a hub for foreign business and investment for Zorasan, Mina al-Majid has the largest populations of foreign residents and expatriates in the country, this has left the city with a noticeable and lauded "international and global feel" according to commentators. The city is also the most diverse in Zorasan in religion. Historically, Mina al-Majid ranked relatively low in terms of population, however, post Zorasani Unification and the launch of the New Generation Cities reforms saw the city's population grow exponentially from 1990 to 2020.

Due to the Zorasani central government's ban on ethnic-based censuses, it is difficult for researchers to breakdown the city's population by ethnicity and race, with the exception of the expatriate population. In 2022, it was estimated that 67% of the city's population are Rahelian, drawn predominately from Zorasani Rahelian regions such as Khazestan, Irvadistan, Riyadha and Latifard. 20% are further estimated to be Pardarian, drawn mostly from the Pardarian Union Republic, while 6-7% are from Zorasan's smaller ethnic minorities. The remaining 6-7% are the population are determined to be expatriates, which remain the only group to be officially identified by ethnicity. According to the 2022 DCARS report, 287,252 citizens are foreign expats - Shangeans make up 22% (63,195) of the expat population, followed by Soravians at 18% (51,705), Weranians 10% (28,725), Senrians at 10% (28,723), Estmerish at 8% (22,980), Etrurians at 7% (20,107), Gaullicans at 6% (17,235), Hennish at 5% (14,362), Chistovodians at 5%, Grande Asterian at 3% (8,617), Satucin at 2% (5,745) and small communities.

The median age in the emirate was about 27 years, slightly below the national average of 31. This ranks Mina al-Majid as the second youngest city in the country after Zahedan. In 2018, there were estimated to be 15.54 births and 1.99 deaths per 1,000 people.

Arabic is the national and official language of the United Arab Emirates. The Gulf dialect of Arabic is spoken natively by the Emirati people.[127] English is used as a second language. Other major languages spoken in Dubai due to immigration are Malayalam, Hindi-Urdu (or Hindustani), Gujarati, Persian, Sindhi, Tamil, Punjabi, Pashto, Bengali, Balochi, Tulu,[128] Kannada, Sinhala, Marathi, Telugu, Tagalog and Chinese, in addition to many other languages.[129]