Greater Rhone
Greater Rhone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country |  Ibica |
| State |  West Monroe |
| Principal cities | |
| Highest elevation | 131 m (430 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Urban | 6,746,109 (1st) |
| • MSA | 7,122,240 (2nd) |
| as of 2020 | |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $438 Billion |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+10 (CDT) |
Greater Rhone is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in Ibica, encompassing seven counties along the Gulf Coast in West Monroe. With a population of 9,823,462 in 2020, Greater Rhone is the most populous in West Monroe.
The approximately 10,000-square-mile (26,000 km2) region centers on King County, the second-most populous county in the country, which contains the city of Rhone—the largest economic and cultural center of the Southwest—with a population of almost 3.5 million. Greater Rhone also serves as a major anchor and economic hub for the Gulf Coast. Its Port of Rhone is the xth largest port in Ibica.
Geography
The metropolitan area is located in the Gulf Coastal Plains biome, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland. Much of the urbanized area was built on forested land, marshes, swamp, or prairie, remnants of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Additionally, the metropolitan region is crossed by a number of creeks and bayous, which provide essential drainage during rainfall events Greater Rhone's flat topography, susceptibility to high-intensity rainfall events, high level of impervious surface, and inadequately-sized natural drainage channels make it particularly susceptible to catastrophic flooding events.
Climate
Greater Rhone has a humid subtropical climate typical of Southern Ibica. It is rainy most of the year. Prevailing winds come from the south and southwest during most of the year, which bring heat and moisture from the nearby Gulf of Angola.
Protected Areas
Waterways
Metropolitan communities
Counties
As defined by the Ibican Census Bureau, the metropolitan area of Greater Rhone encompasses seven counties in Southwest West Monroe. They are listed below:
Cities
Four principal communities are designated within the Greater Rhone metropolitan area. They are listed below:
- Allison
- Amity
- Anderson
- Austwell
- Arizona
- Belton
- Big Spring
- Brownwood
- Cambridge
- Carlton
- Castor
- Champion
- Cisco
- Cleveland
- Denton
- Elkheart
- Feltzburg
- Gatlinburg
- Glass
- Goland Park
- Gordan
- Haven
- Holtz
- Independence
- Kingsland
- Kinnley
- Lenninburg
- Lexington
- Lynwood
- Marlow
- May
- Mercury
- Medina
- Menard
- Midland
- Miles
- Millhome
- Nina
- Norwood
- Orlando
- Parma
- Port Wells
- Rhone
- Seabrook
- South Rhone
- St. Lawrence
- Talpa
Unincorporated Communities
Economy
The Rhone area's gross metropolitan product (GMP) in 2020 was $438.8 billion. Mining, which in the area is almost entirely oil and gas exploration and production, accounted for 11% of Greater Rhones's GAP—down from 21% as recently as 1985. The reduced role of oil and gas in Rhone's GAP reflects the rapid growth of other sectors—such as engineering services, health services, retail, and manufacturing.
The area's economic activity is centered in the city of Rhone, the county seat of King County. Rhone is second to Elizabeth City in Fortune 500 headquarters. The city has attempted to build a banking industry, but the companies originally started in Rhone have since merged with other companies nationwide. Banking, however, is still vital to the metropolitan region.
The Port of Rhone, the Port of Port Wells, and the Port of Gatlinburg are all major seaports located in the Greater Rhone area. The area is also one of the leading centers of the energy industry, particularly petroleum processing, and many companies have large operations in this region. The metropolitan area also comprises the largest petrochemical manufacturing area in the world, including for synthetic rubber, insecticides, and fertilizers. The area is also the world's leading center for building oilfield equipment. Greater Rhone is also a major center of biomedical research, aeronautics, and high technology.
Much of the metro area's success as a petrochemical complex is enabled by its natural harbors in Travis Bay and Garner Bay. Because of these economic trades, many residents have moved to the Rhone area from other states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Unlike most places, where high fuel prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Rhone, as many are employed in the energy industry.
Nearby Kingsland is home to the Rhone Medical Center—the largest medical center in the world. Champion is home to one of only two national biocontainment laboratories in Ibica.
The University of Rhone System's annual impact on the Rhone-area's economy equates to that of a major corporation: $1.1 billion in new funds attracted annually to the Rhone area, $3.13 billion in total economic benefit, and 24,000 local jobs generated. This is in addition to the 12,500 new graduates the UR System produces every year who enter the workforce in Rhone and throughout West Monroe. These degree-holders tend to stay in Rhone; after five years, 80.5% of graduates are still living and working in the region.
Sports
Major professional teams
| Club | Sport | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhone Cavaliers | Baseball | IBA | Southwest Health Park |
| Rhone Suns | Basketball | NBL | MonroeImperial Center |
| Rhone United FC | Men's soccer | ILS | Bank of Ibica Stadium |
Higher education
Six separate and distinct state universities are located within the Greater Rhone metropolitan area. The University of Rhone is a nationally recognized Tier One research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Rhone System. The second-largest university in West Monroe, the University of Rhone-Brownwood has over 38,000 students on its 667-acre campus in the northwestern suburb of Brownwood.
Four community college districts exist with campuses in and around Rhone. The Rhone Community College System serves most of Rhone. The northern parts of the metropolitan area are served by various campuses of the Imperial College System, while the southern portion of the city and Mason County are served by the Capital Community College System. Wilkinson County is also served by Allison College.
Politics
United States Congress
| Senators | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Class 1 | Royston Hoggard | Conservative | |
| Senate Class 2 | Diann Blakeslee | Conservative | |
| Representatives | Name | Party | |
| District 7 | Twyla Roydon | Progressive | |
| District 8 | Cloe Shirley | Progressive | |
| District 9 | Will Washington | Progressive | |
| District 10 | Corie Dennell | Conservative | |
| District 11 | George Newton | Progressive | |
| District 12 | Alfred Penny | Progressive | |
| District 13 | Jennie Mercer | Conservative | |
| District 14 | Lynda Hope | Progressive | |
| District 15 | Daren Sinclair | Progressive | |
| District 16 | Madalyn Harlan | Progressive | |
| District 17 | Julia Mayes | Progressive | |
| District 18 | Imogene Fletcher | Progressive | |
| District 19 | Trey Appleby | Progressive | |
| District 20 | Chris Beck | Progressive | |
| District 21 | Burton Glass | Progressive | |
| District 22 | Laila Randall | Conservative | |
| District 23 | Davie York | Conservative | |
| District 30 | Belle Isaacson | Conservative | |
| District 31 | Maybelle Linton | Conservative | |
| District 32 | Christiana Stildolph | Conservative | |
State Legislature
West Monroe Senate
West Monroe House of Representatives
Transportation
Highways
Rhone's freeway system includes 575.5 miles (926.2 km) of freeways and expressways in the 7-county metro area. The Greater Rhone area has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 410, forming a roughly 42-mile (70 km)-circumference loop mostly around the city proper. The rectangulary shaped Loop 610 is quartered into "North Loop", "South Loop", "West Loop", and "East Loop". Loop 15 forms the outer loop, at a diameter around 83 miles (134 km). Freeways also include Interstate 10, running northwest-southeast across the metro, and Interstate 30/SH 21 crossing northeast-southwest. Ibican Route 64/SH 35 also crosses the metro east-west. SH 11 also runs north-south through the metro.
The metro is also served by a network of tollroads, all operated by King County, even though two extend into Mason and Wilkinson counties.
Mass transit
The Rhone Metropolitan Transit Authority, or METRO, provides public transportation in the form of buses, light rail, and lift vans.
Following a successful referendum held locally in 2017, METRO is currently in the beginning design phases of a 10-year expansion plan to add five more sections to connect to the current rail system. An 18.3-mile (13.4-km) expansion has been approved to run the service from Downtown through the Rhone Medical Center (current terminus), ending at the University of Rhone-Champion.
Airports
Rhone's largest airport Rhone International Airport, is located in South Houston, along the border with the city of South Rhone.
Intercity rail
IbicanRail provides intercity rail service to Rhone, Orlando, and Lenninburg. The area is served by the South Coast Highspeed Line, as well as the South Coaster Mainline, Captiol Limited, and Interior Service Lines.
The Monroe, Rhone, & Southern Railroad also has multiple commuter rail lines serving both the Rhone and Willmington areas.
Rhone is also served by West Ibica Regional Rail's Vermont-Cuyoga-Capital and Panamor Regional lines.
Template:Largest Ibican Metros
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