Kien-k'ang
Kien-k′ang
建康 | |
|---|---|
County | |
| Shinasthana transcription(s) | |
| • Revised Garrett | kjalh-k′lang |
| • Garrett | kjanh-k′lang |
 Gate of 'ei-krjiangs Temple | |
| Country | Themiclesia |
| Region | Inner Region |
| Founded | time immemorial |
| Capital of Tsjins | 265 |
| Seat | County Hall |
| Communes | List
|
| Government | |
| • Body | Municipality of Kien-k'ang |
| • Mayor | Sally Chang (Conservative Party) |
| • Secretary | Larry Pu |
| • Marshal | Lt. Mark Ryam |
| • Chief Alderman | Terry Mei |
| Area | |
| • County | 112.22 km2 (43.33 sq mi) |
| • Land | 97.72 km2 (37.73 sq mi) |
| • Water | 14.5 km2 (5.6 sq mi) |
| • Rural | 29.58 km2 (11.42 sq mi) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • County | 2,251,120 |
| • Density | 20,000/km2 (52,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | SMT+4 |
| Postal code | 1019 |
| Website | http://iiwiki.us/wiki/Kien-k'ang |
Kien-k'ang (建康, kjals-k'lang) is the capital city of Themiclesia, located in the west the country and on the east banks of the river Kaung (江, krong), about 150 km from its discharge into the Halu'an Sea (大海, dais-hme’). While metropolitan Kien-k'ang is much larger than the city-proper, covering as much as a third of the Inner Region (內史, nups-srje’), the city itself is defined by the extent of its walls and administratively a country (縣, gwians) of the Inner Region. The city borders, to its south, Koang-ning (江寧, krong-niang) and Myo-ho (蕪湖, mja-ga), it southeast, Tan-yang (丹楊, tan-lang), its east, Yo-ho (於湖, ’ja-ga), and its north Rjit-yang (溧陽, rjit-lang); it is also opposite Kaung-dzjing (江乘, krong-djing) and Kou-ziung (句容, ko-ljung) on west bank of the Kaung. The city-proper has a population of 2.22 million, with as much as 5 million in the wider metropolitan area. Kien-k'ang is governed by an elected mayor and city council, which are its executive and legislative respectively. The city-proper is divided into 24 communes with an appointed alderman in each. At its heart is the Citadel, which holds several palaces, the residence of the monarchy.
The history of Kien-k'ang is intensively researched, and its prehistory is still shrouded in some mystery. Before settlement, the city was inhabited by possibly-migratory indigenous groups that survived without agriculture. Various cultural relics have been unearthed recently. The eraliest settlements attributed to the Meng ethnic group date to the 5th c. BCE, showing bronze foundries and domiciles. By the beginning of the common era, the city was the hinterland of the Sje-mra clan, which founded the first unified dynasty of Themiclesia in 265 and governed it from Kien-k'ang. With relatively brief interruptions, it has remained the capital city of all dynasties ruling Themiclesia as recognized by the traditional canon. During the early dynasties, the city was composed of the modern-day Citadel without outer walls; later, inhabited areas were fenced and gradually fortified into the modern wall that defines the city's limits. Menghean concepts, traditional or imagined, have been essential in determining the city's layout according to its political status, containing several palaces at its heart.
Today the city remains the seat of the central government and the largest city in Themiclesia by population and economic product, in the metropolitan area. It hosts a considerable number of corporate and institutional headquarters and cultural and historical attractions. Commerce is present in every commune but particularly concentrated in a number of business districts. The city's per capita share of GDP is $51,250 (2017, nominal), slightly higher than the national average; however, due to fluctuations in prices and wage levels, living expenses are also considerably higher than in other cities. The city faces issues with pollution, high real estate costs, landlord absenteeism, and abandoned properties. The general area is serviced by the National Railway, with conventional and high-speed service, the Kien-k'ang Metro, the Inner Region Regional Railway, an airport in Kaung-dzjing County connected by railway, and others, which compose part of the city's renowned public transport system. The city possesses adequate primary and secondary schools, with a growing list of tertiary institutions, and it is also home to the Academia Shinasthana, Themiclesia's foremost state-sponsored research council.