Ostdyyk

Ostdyyk
City and district
City of Ostdyyk Sted âb Ostdyyk (Azmaran) Stade op Ostdyk (Borish)
From top left, clockwise: a panorama of the city, houses in the Aldsted area, a canal near the harbour, the town square and an aerial view of Ostdyyk and Westdyke.
Etymology: From "eastern dyke"
Country	Azmara
Province	Sompland
Fief	Doowersbank
Government
• Body	Ostdyyk City Council
• Mayor (2020-2024)	Liisa Jenriksdohter (Liveable Ostdyyk)
Area
• Total	54 km2 (21 sq mi)
Population
• Total	51,001
• Density	940/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Demonym	Ostdyyker
Town code	5-OD

Ostdyyk (Azmaran pronunciation: ['ostˌdyːk]; Borish: Ostdyk), sometimes referred to in Estmerish as Ostdyke or Eastdyke, is an Azmaran city on the eastern bank of the Dover river across from the Borish city of Westdyke, with which it forms a continuous urban area of around 130,000 residents.

The conurbation first emerged in the 9th century as a single settlement called Dyyk, with records indicating it was located largely on the eastern side of the river albeit with significant suburbs on the western side. These two halves would become administratively severed from each other as a result of the Congress of Cislania in 1721 which standardised the newly-independent Azmaran Confederation's border along the river, resulting in the two cities developing largely independently as Westdyke remained in the Confederation and ultimately became part of Estmere.

During the Industrial Revolution Ostdyyk would grow in significance due to its riverside location, with a shipbuilding industry growing in the city and would alongside Heuthenberg become one of the country's key ports for export before being overtaken by Ostby-an-de-mer after the draining of the East Sompland Marches. Since the decline of its riverport, however, the city has seen increased tourism due to its historic centre and unique situation across the river from Westdyke, especially after the establishment of free movement between Azmara and newly-independent Borland in 1941 which has also enabled the growth of services in the city.

Administratively the city is part of the fief of Doowersbank in the province of Sompland and is the province's fourth-largest settlement after Saltsdyyk, Nysted and Ostby-an-de-mer and one of its four independent cities alongside the three aforementioned cities.

Politics

Like other independent cities in Azmara, Ostdyyk is run by both a directly-elected Mayor and a directly-elected City Council consisting of 35 members. Localists have played a significant role in municipal politics, with the Liveable Ostdyyk party, a centrist localist party focused on improved public services and environmentalism, having led the city government since 2012.

In the 2017 and 2020 national elections, the largest party in the city was the Workers' Party, who have traditionally dominated the state of Sompland. It is commonly noted, however, that Ostdyyk has less affinity for the party than the other three main cities in the province, with the city's national results historically being a three-way race between the Worker's Party, The Radicals and Gold Flame.