Norenstal

Norenstal
State and capital city of Delkora
Country	Delkora
Founded	1312 CE
Government
• Type	State government
• Mayor	Berit Thrane (C)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,656,402
Website	www.norenstal.del

Norenstal is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Delkora, as well as one of the country's constituent states. With an urban population of over 8.6 million as of the 2020 Federal Census, it is also one of the largest cities in Eracura. The city is a major trade hub within the Common Sphere and an important political, cultural, and financial center.

Geography

An enclave of the state of Cybria, Norenstal stands on the Trydenvar River, which runs through the city from the northeast to the east. The urban center of the city is characterized by relatively flat land, while the northern parts of the metropolitan area gradually rise in elevation the farther one gets from the city center. The city has a primarily temperate climate characterized by mild winters and cool summers. Because of the presence of the Trydenvar and variations in elevation throughout the metropolitan area, much of the city is designated as a floodplain, which has necessitated the development of an extensive system of levees and embankments to mitigate the effects of flooding.

A distinction is often made between Norenstal proper, which encompasses only the municipal boundaries of the city, and the Norenstal Metropolitan Area, which includes not just the city proper, but also surrounding suburbs and towns that are culturally associated with the city. Areas within Norenstal proper are often described with reference to various historical districts.

Old Norenstal is located at the heart of the city and is known for its historic buildings, many of which date back to the 18th Century. Hyengaard Palace, which houses the Federal Parliament, is located on the west bank of the Trydenvar, with the Federal Constitutional Court located directly across the river from it. Three blocks south of Hyengaard Palace is the Chancellery Building, which houses the office of the chancellor and hosts meetings of the Cabinet. The Elvensar Parliamentary Office Complex is located down the street adjacent to Vydenhelm Square. Because of its highly-visible location next to the office complex and within view of the Chancellery, Vydenhelm Square is commonly utilized for public demonstrations and protests. Valdenharm Palace, the home of the Delkoran royal family, is located a mile north of Hyengaard Palace on the bank of the Trydenvar. City hall, which houses the Norenstal Assembly and the office of the mayor, is located several blocks to the west of the royal palace.

The Downtown District encompasses the parts of the city center outside of Old Norenstal and is home to a number of government offices, including the headquarters of most federal ministries, as well as the headquarters of a number of major Delkoran companies. It has the highest population density in the country.

The city's northside is home to some of the city's most affluent districts, including University Hills, which hosts the University of Norenstal, the Eastbank Market District, consisting of popular shopping malls and high end restaurants, and Avrenorn Park, one of the country's wealthiest neighborhoods. The city's southside, in contrast, has long had a more working class character and, due to racist zoning laws and de-facto segregation in the late 19th and early 20th Century, has a number of minority-majority neighborhoods.

Economy

Norenstal has a large and diverse economy that is heavily dominated by services. Its share of national GDP amounts to 9.5%, and it has the third highest GDP per capita of the Delkoran states.

Policing and crime

Routine policing in Norenstal is handled by the Norenstal Police, a civilian agency with around 23,500 uniformed officers. Although crime rates in the city have been declining in recent years, parts of the city, especially on the southside, have notably higher violent crime rates than the rest of the country. A total of 96 homicides were reported in the city in 2018, including 15 firearm-related homicides, making it the second deadliest city in the country in terms of gun violence per capita after Gothendral. Robberies and petty theft are the most commonly reported crimes in the city, followed by assault.

Government and politics

Norenstal is governed by a directly-elected legislature called the Norenstal Assembly that consists of 125 members elected using party-list proportional representation with open lists. Norenstal's head of government holds the title "mayor", although this position is functionally equivalent to the position of first minister used in other states. Like the other first ministers, they are appointed by and responsible to, the state parliament.

The Constitutional Court of Norenstal is the highest judicial authority in the state, responsible for interpreting the state's constitution.

List of mayors

• Arne Vilhelmsen (A): 1908-1920
• Stig Hjorth (K): 1920-1924
• Frank Hartmann (A): 1924-1940
• Bjarne Simonsen (K): 1940-1948
• Ivar Søndergaard (A): 1952-1960
• Finn Truelsen (A): 1960-1964
• Jette Bruun (C): 1964-1980
• Nadja Lötvall (A): 1980-1988
• Lennart Eskildsen (L): 1988-1996
• Kurt Søndergaard (A): 1996-2004
• Benny Gregersen (A): 2004-2008
• Nilay Tahir (L): 2008-2016
• Eva Søndergaard (A): 2016-2020
• Berit Thrane (C): 2020-present