Gavujuju
Gavujuju | |
|---|---|
Megalopolis | |
 Bagabiada, the most populous city centre in Gavujuju | |
| Nickname(s): Bay of Lights megalopolis, Gavu | |
 An expansive map of Gavujuju in Dezevau | |
| States | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 75,000 km2 (29,000 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 43,592,836 |
| • Density | 580/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Time zone | DST |
Gavujuju, or the Bay of Lights megalopolis, is a megalopolis located in central-southern Dezevau. It has a population of around 40 million, making it by far the most populous urban-based region in Dezevau, and one of the most populous in the world. Its definition is contested, but cities and areas which may be part of Gavujuju include Bazadavo, Bagabiada, Naimhejia, Mhiduzai, Gongavangadao, Dhijivodhi, Mangime and the built-up areas around Bugunho Lake. The region includes the capital of Dezevau, and around a quarter to a third of its population and economic activity depending on the definition, while being less than a twentieth of its area. All of Gavujuju has only Ziba as a state language, bar Bazadavo which has Dezevauni Sign Language, and (when included) Mangime, which has Pali-Pelangi.
The region was first identified as a potential megalopolis in the 1990s, with the emergence of global urbanist studies, but the name Gavujuju (meaning "lower cities" in Ziba) gained currency with its appellation in government planning and organisational documents in the 21st century; the government of Dezevau has taken the concept of the region into account to an extent in its demographic, economic, infrastructural and cultural programmes. Some, since the identification of the megalopolis, have argued that Gavujuju is in fact some other morphological urbanity, such as an agglomeration or conurbation. The idea of the Doboadane megalopolis, distant in the northeast of the country and much smaller, is sometimes counterpoised with Gavujuju.
Definition
The core of the Gavujuju region is the cities of Bazadavo, Bagabiada and Naimhejia, with over 15 million inhabitants between them alone; these are the three largest cities in Dezevau, including the capital, in an area around a hundredth of the country's size. However, Gavujuju is commonly defined as more expansive than this, with the entire state of Bazadavo, urbanities around Bugunho Lake, minor cities in the states of Bagabiada and Naimhejia and Mhiduzai being most commonly also included, bringing the population to over 25 million at a few percent of the national size. This grouping is termed Babanaigu, for the first syllables of the cities or states included, and is recognised as a conurbation or metropolitan area by some authorities and studies.
Dhijivodhi and Viododhe are also often included, with which the population rises to around 35 million; generally, it is not contended that these cities ever form a conurbation. Mangime is the most commonly excluded, but is increasingly accepted; it has been said that government policy seeks to integrate it with the region to help stem Pelangi regionalism and separatism, though these phenomena are in any case strongest further east of the city of Mangime itself, in the non-urban areas of the state of Mangime.
Constituents
| Constituent | State | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Bagabiada | Bagabiada | 6,845,014 |
| Mhaugebodhou | Bagabiada | 584,331 |
| State of Bagabiada miscellaneous | Bagabiada | 2,134,736 |
| Bazadavo | Bazadavo | 3,905,633 |
| Diabinge | Bazadavo | 125,334 |
| Rest of state of Bazadavo | Bazadavo | 974,666 |
| Mangime | Mangime | 2,398,465 |
| State of Mangime miscellaneous | Mangime | 1,200,331 |
| Dhijivodhi | Dhijivodhi | 2,784,515 |
| State of Dhijivodhi miscellaneous | Dhijivodhi | 2,669,982 |
| Mhiduzai | Mhiduzai | 2,899,378 |
| Ngimhigobogo | Mhiduzai | 883,965 |
| State of Mhiduzai miscellaneous | Mhiduzai | 1,109,221 |
| Naimhejia | Naimhejia | 6,014,493 |
| Gavunhuagojuno | Naimhejia | 1,243,501 |
| State of Naimhejia miscellaneous | Naimhejia | 1,563,772 |
| State of Vadidodhe miscellaneous | Vadidodhe | 845,298 |
| Viododhe | Gongavangadao | 2,306,222 |
| Gonauvinau | Gongavangadao | 1,115,566 |
| State of Gongavangadao miscellaneous | Gongavangadao | 1,988,413 |
| Total | 43,592,836 |
Natural geography
As reflected in its name, Gavujuju is primarily located on the low-lying lands around the Bay of Lights, downstream of the major river systems of Dezevau which drain towards the south. It is roughly bounded by mountains in Mangime to the east, highlands to the west (much of them part of the Buiganhingi Craton), and inland areas of more gently rising elevation to the north.
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Its riverine geography is significant to its morphology; historically, rivers were very significant to the city-states of the Dezevauni region, not only as sources of water but as conduits for transport, whether for the purposes of migration, war or trade. Gavujuju sits at the intersection of the Bugunho and Buiganhingi river systems, whose basins contain the overwhelming majority of the Dezevauni population, economy and landmass. This intersection occurs both through canals and on the Bay of Lights; Gavujuju is coastal. It is notably proximate to the Bay of Lights reef, which is biologically significant; its runoff and pollution affect this coral reef system. Reclamation has altered the coastline in some urban areas, additionally.
The area in which Gavujuju is located is characterised by a tropical climate, which in the past was fairly uniformly rainforest, before the advent of agriculture and subsequent artificial deforestation. Biodiversity, rainfall and temperature are high. The climate does not tend to vary much, and cyclones almost never hit, owing to proximity to the equator.
Loss of green space, agricultural land and forest has been a major concern in the emergence of Gavujuju; most of the urban areas which comprise it are dense and restricted in size, and there is concern that sprawl might be enabled or encouraged.
Mineral resources are scarce in Gavujuju, but uplift from the tectonic collision of terranes with the Coian continent have resulted in exposed deposits of stone, which have a long history of being quarried.
Governance
The territory of Gavujuju covers parts or the whole of up to eight states of Dezevau, each having their own governments and administrations. The federal government is heavily involved in the governance of the region as a whole, and facilitates engagement between the various political entities making up Gavujuju in order to create greater interconnection and cooperation. The Infrastructure Commissions of the eight states which fall within the largest definition of Gavujuju participate in the Committee for Gavujuju Infrastructure, and the eight state councils have issued support for the principle of the maintenance of a coherent Gavujuju urban unit, though interpretations of this vary.
Some opposition to the Gavujuju project exists, much of it from Localists, opposing greater management and integration of local units. On the other hand, some have pointed to the existence and coherence of Gavujuju as evidence that the federal system in Dezevau is becoming outdated, and should delegate state-level powers more locally or give them to the federal government. Like many megalopolises around the world, its transcending of historical divisions and borders poses a challenge to national and subnational political structures.
Infrastructure
Gavujuju has significant interconnection of infrastructure in capacities such as rail, road, water, internet and electricity. This enables greater economy of scale, but also redundancy and resilience. The physical characteristics of Gavujuju in many ways reflect that of a conurbation in recent times, even where there are more or less separate urban areas. These characteristics are promoted by government policy, at the federal, state and lower levels.
Rail
Gavujuju has a tight-knit network of high speed rail connecting the largest city centres. Increasingly, this is the backbone of the infrastructure providing for the movement of people in the region, with an estimated half a billion annual rides taking place on high speed rails between, to or from a station in Gavujuju. There is also a dense network of commuter or interurban rail; historically, Dezevau had only limited commuter rail, and its cities did not generally suburbanise nearly as much as many around the world did, esepcially in the Eastern world; in Gavujuju, the commuter and interurban rail systems have been merged, especially as formerly arterial interurban lines' roles are now being taken over by high speed rail. mass rapid transit, primarily in the form of subways, is present in the dense city centres within Gavujuju, but largely is not regionally integrated, owing to the high intensity it requires and services. Additionally, a dense freight network exists.
Road
The city centres in Gavujuju generally have ring roads constructed around them, with these roads being used largely for interurban travel and freight; strong regulation has so far prevented urban sprawl reaching out to ring roads as has occurred in other countries around the world. A robust network of highways links these ring roads, and in some areas congestion pricing or other methods are used to discourage the use of road vehicles, both for freight and passenger purposes, except where strictly necessary. Many of these large roads have features such as wildlife bridges and tunnels in attempts to prevent habitat fragmentation. The roads are also often elevated owing to developments on the ground or land prone to flooding.
Water
At the national level, water supply and sanitation tend to be handled at the level of the river basin; Gavujuju is located primarily on the lower reaches of the Bugunho and Buiganhingi river systems. However, under the auspices of the Committee for Gavujuju Infrastructure, there is substantial integration across Gavujuju in the management of water and sewerage; apart from the region's socioeconomic interconnection, the two river systems are connected laterally by canals and other channels, and both run off into the relatively enclosed Bay of Lights, much of which Gavujuju is situated on the shores of.
Water is supplied for urban usage in Gavujuju primarily by taking it from rivers, or from direct collection. Dezevau has very high rainfall, and owing to the Buiganhingi's sourcing from Lake Bakhtegan, rivers of considerably consistent as well as high flow. In the past, catchment was hampered by developments in proposed catchment areas, however, flow management has alleviated part of the need for catchments. Access to improved water has been almost universal since the turn of the millennium, in accordance with the Dezevauni government's development programmes and goals. There are environmental concerns regarding runoff and consumption close to urban areas, however, the release of treated water back into rivers generally ensures that they remain at ecologically sustainable levels. It should be noted that a very large proportion of water, even in the vicinity of Gavujuju, is not used in an urban context, but for irrigation, with water management in that field having its own characteristics.
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Education
Primary and secondary education are universally provided for free across Dezevau, with outcomes relatively even across the country outside of a persistent lag in ethnically Pelangi regions. Tertiary institutions are, however, fairly concentrated in Gavujuju within Dezevau; while government policy promotes universities and like institutions across the country, creating relative numerical equity, tertiary institutions in Gavujuju tend to be more prominent and illustrious by most measures. This is in part owing to historical reasons, but also reflects a concentration of human capital and industries requiring high levels of expertise and education in the region; Gavujuju has a significant quaternary sector. Many international and domestic students move to Gavujuju to study, and government policies have reflected a concern for elevating tertiary education in regions outside of Gavujuju, as well as a recognition of the region's academic and technological prowess.
Recreation
Biking paths and walking trails crisscross Gavujuju, often going through parks or agricultural areas. The density of these areas is substantial enough that it is possible to get from one city centre to another using them, though this is not a major method of transportation in itself. Additionally, there are many canals and other historical sites; canals, in particular, have been the main conduits for transport of freight and passengers since antiquity in the region, only falling out of usage in the 20th century through motor vehicles, airplanes, railways and deep draft shipping. These canals and their surrounds have been converted in many cases to parks or trails, and are typically open to recreational boating. Their use for transportation is fairly minor, though a growing subculture exists of those who live in boathouses.
Economy
The economy of Gavujuju is diversified and advanced, based on intensive agriculture (often using the modified geguonhi system), light, heavy and high-tech manufacturing, and a wide variety of services, including tourism, logistics, retail, health and the arts. The largest proportion of research and other quaternary sector activities also occur in Dezevau in Gavujuju. The region is wealthier and more productive than other parts of Dezevau, though the inequity is to a lesser extent than is characteristic of most capital regions of countries.