Port Fitzhubert
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Port Fitzhubert
reHuni | |
|---|---|
City | |
 | |
| Nickname(s): Port Fitz, The City | |
| Motto(s): Runyararo uye kurongeka (Rwizi) Peace and honour | |
| Country | File:RwizikuruFlag.PNG Rwizikuru |
| Province | Manathea |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Munaki Nhiwatiw |
| Population (2011) | |
| • City | 2,859,687 |
| • Rank | 1st in Rwizikuru |
| • Urban | 2,859,687 |
| • Metro | 5,353,606 |
| Time zone | UTC+3:45 (Rwizikuran Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3:45 (not observed) |
Port Fitzhubert is the largest city of Rwizikuru, situated on the estuary of the Rwizikuru River where it empties into the Maccan Sea of the Vehemens Ocean. With a population of around three million within its city limits, and over five million in its metropolitan area which spans the provinces of Manathea and South Balisaland.
Originally a small fishing village known as Guta reHuni, the modern city was established in 1863 by Charles Fitzhubert on the western bank of the Rwizikuru River to serve as the capital of the fledgling Estmerish colony of Riziland. Its status as capital during colonial times, in addition to its location on the estuary of the Rwizikuru River meant that Port Fitzhubert was able to grow dramatically, until by the turn of the twentieth century, it was the largest city in Riziland. Port Fitzhubert would go on to serve as the capital of Rwizikuru from its independence from Estmere in 1946, until the capital was officially moved to Guta raMambo in 1978, although all government offices only moved their headquarters to Guta raMambo by the early 1980s.
However, its size and location has meant that to this day, Port Fitzhubert remains the primary economic and cultural centre of the country, with Port Fitzhubert being a centre for Freemen, Mirite, Rwizi, and varungu culture. This cosmopolitan character has further been strengthened by the migration of many peoples, including Balisa into the city.
Etymology
The name of Port Fitzhubert derives from Charles Fitzhubert, the first Estmerish official to claim present-day Rwizikuru for Estmere, doing so in 1863. He named it after himself, and envisioned it becoming a major center for Estmerish activities in Bahia.
In the 1960s, the government of Vudzijena Nhema suggested restoring its precolonial name, reHuni, which derives from Rwizi word for wood, as a shortening of Guta reHuni, or town of wood, as opposed to Guta reMabwe (present-day Chekumabvazuva) across the Rwizikuru River. While this never occurred, as the National Salvation Council took power in the aftermath of the 1964 coup, the National Salvation Council permitted both reHuni and Port Fitzhubert to be used side-by-side for official government purposes.
History
Pre-colonial era
Prior to the colonial era, the site of what is now Port Fitzhubert was a fishing village known as reHuni. While it was populated, with the earliest known habitation dating to around 600 BCE, it was not continuously inhabited, with the site being abandoned in 300 BCE, and resettled around 400 CE.
It was not considered to be the seat of power, with the Rwizi Empire, which existed from the 1100s CE to around the mid-1600s CE being based near present-day Munzwa. After the collapse of the Rwizi Empire after a series of wars against the Wopoto Empire, Rehuni fell under the jurisdiction of Guta reMabwe on the site of neighboring Chekumbvazuva, where it was ruled by the Mubako dynasty.
Colonial era
In 1863, Charles Fitzhubert and 250 soldiers established a fort in present-day Port Fitzhubert. This led to conflicts with the Mubako, who had governed the area around Chekumbvazuva and present-day Port Fitzhubert. However, with the help of gunboat diplomacy, by 1865, he was able to defeat native soldiers, and establish a settlement in Port Fitzhubert.
Fitzhubert organized the city along Estmerish lines, instituting a grid with nine avenues going north to south, going west from the main harbor on the Rwizikuru River, and twelve streets, going from the beaches northward, and centered on a central square, where he envisioned government buildings would be located along the edges, while the square was to serve as both an open market and as a recreational space for the white population who would reside in Port Fitzhubert.
By 1871, the settlement had a population of 9,506 people, with 1,657 Eucleans and 682 Freemen residing in the city. That year, Port Fitzhubert was granted city status, allowing it to establish a city council. While suffrage was restricted to white men, with Bahians not being eligible to vote, such developments were seen as beneficial to the Estmerish colonizers, as it seemed that it could become the Estmerish equivalent of Sainte-Germaine.
During the decade, as Fitzhubert's town plan neared completion, shantytowns started arising, which were predominantly inhabited by native Bahians. This led to a divide between the city centre, which was predominantly wealthy and was inhabited by the varungu, Freemen, and Mirites, and the outskirts, which were poor and predominantly Bahian.
Over the next three decades, Port Fitzhubert's population and status continued to grow, as harbours, factories, and Euclean-style institutions were established, with a precursor to the University of Rwizikuru, King's College being established in 1889. By 1901, Port Fitzhubert had 178,450 people residing within its borders, of which 5,254 were white, 6,195 were Freemen, 7,659 were Mirite, and the remainder were of Bahian descent, of which most were of Rwizi origin.
This economic growth continued until 1915, when Estmere fell victim to the Great Collapse. As jobs decreased, and the number of people unemployed grew, tensions grew until by 1921, riots broke out over the perception that the Freemen, white, and Mirite populations were benefiting from the crisis at the expense of the native Bahian population.
During the first three years of the Great War, as it was situated on the western bank of the Rwizikuru River, it became very vulnerable to Gaullican attack, as the eastern bank had been occupied and integrated into Baséland. Thus, the city was the site of efforts by Gaullicans to seize control of the city, with several battles taking place throughout the war, until after Estmere fell to Gaullica in 1929. This led to the colonial governor surrendering to the Gaullican forces, and to Port Fitzhubert's subsequent occupation for the remainder of the Great War.
Following the conclusion of the war, Port Fitzhubert would begin to recover, particularly after Riziland was granted limited self-government by Estmere in 1937, with Port Fitzhubert become the host to the Riziland Legislative Council. With much of Baséland (present-day Garambura) and all of Yekumavirira (present-day Inkiko, Mabifia) becoming Estmerish-administered mandates in the post-war period, Port Fitzhubert would become the primary political centre of the three polities, as there was an expectation in Estmere that they would be united into a single state.
However, Port Fitzhubert would also become a centre for the Rwizikuran independence movement, with both the Rwizikuran National Movement and the Movement for the Advancement of Bahians in Riziland being headquartered within the city, both of whom representing the left and the right wings of the anti-colonial movement, respectively. Generally, the more affluent Bahians, including Mirites, supported the Movement for the Advancement of Bahians in Riziland, whereas the poorer classes, particularly among the Rwizi, supported the Rwizikuran National Movement.
After nearly ten years of self-government within the Estmerish Empire, Rwizikuru gained full independence in 1946, and Port Fitzhubert was to remain the capital of Rwizikuru.
Republic
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In the years following independence, Port Fitzhubert became embroiled in a rivalry with Sainte-Germaine (present-day Mambiza, Garambura) and Port Vaugeois (present-day Port Tsalar, Mabifia), as the three cities sought to become the main economic centers of Rwizikuru. While Port Fitzhubert had a strong advantage in the fact that it was the capital of Rwizikuru, Sainte-Germaine in the 1940s and 1950s had been a traditional economic centre and was a former capital of Baséland, while Port Vaugeois was a fast growing city.
Thus, Port Fitzhubert's population continued to grow, particularly due to polices by the first President of Rwizikuru, Zophar Bohannon, who in a time when many newly-independent states in Bahia went socialist, remained a close ally of the eastern powers, particularly Estmere, which given the instability in present-day Yemet and Maucha meant that Port Fitzhubert was able to grow in stature. In 1947, the University of Rwizikuru was established, giving Rwizikuru its first university.
By the early 1950s, Port Fitzhubert had become both a major economic centre of central Rwizikuru, and the primary administrative centre of the country. This was further helped by the development of the Mugwagwa which connected Port Fitzhubert with Port Vaugeois and Port Graham in the west, and with Sainte-Germaine in the east, which also provided a physical link over the Rwizikuru River.
However, following the election of Vudzijena Nhema of the Rwizikuran National Movement in 1954, Nhema's administration would begin implementing socialist economic policies. While at first, it did not affect the local economy, Port Fitzhubert's economic growth slowed, even as population growth increased, as businesses found themselves having to deal with greater regulations, particularly those run by Mirites and Freemen, of which they suffered the brunt of the nativisation policies of Nhema's government.
After the government passed legislation to permit the expropriation of "vacant land" owned by expatriates in 1960, followed by heavy restrictions on foreign enterprises the following year, Port Fitzhubert's economy would enter freefall, as many foreign businesses pulled out of Rwizikuru, while Nhema's decision to run for a third term in 1962 helping spur many businesses to leave the country.
The two coups d'etat in 1963 and 1964 worsened the situation, as it brought further instability into Port Fitzhubert. However, following the 1964 coup d'etat and the establishment of the National Salvation Council, led by Izibongo Ngonidzashe, Port Fitzhubert's fortunes initially recovered, as the National Salvation Council reversed Nhema's socialist policies and improved relations with Euclea.
Monarchy
In 1968, when Izibongo Ngonidzashe established the Rwizikuran monarchy, the Rwizikuran monarchy was initially based in Port Fitzhubert. While initially, Izibongo Ngonidzashe maintained friendly relations with Euclea, Euclean involvement in the Garamburan War for Independence led to Izibongo Ngonidzashe shutting Rwizikuru from the outside world in the war's aftermath.
With the loss of both Sainte-Germaine and Port Vaugeois, Port Fitzhubert was once again the undisputed economic and political centre of Rwizikuru. However, Izibongo Ngonidzashe's isolationist policies, which included a ban on foreign aid in 1971, and his decision in 1973 to expel all Mirites from Rwizikuru, as well as seize property from wealthy Freemen, varungu, and Irfani Rwizikurans, led to Port Fitzhubert's economic situation deteriorating further still. This was compounded by an influx of people into Port Fitzhubert, including Sotirians who lived in Yekumavirira, as well as those in the countryside wanting better lives.
As a result of Izibongo Ngonidzashe's fears that Port Fitzhubert would be vulnerable to attack, due to its position on the Mugwagwa, he would move the capital to a purpose-built capital city in 1978, Guta raMambo. Most ministries would remain in Port Fitzhubert until the early 1980s, when they would finally be moved to Guta raMambo, which included the Ministry of Defence, who in 1981 was the site of a coup attempt against the new monarch, Kupakwashe Ngonidzashe.
Following the failure of the pustch, Kupakwashe Ngonidzashe accelerated his reforms, which included economic liberalisation, rescinding Izibongo Ngonidzashe's isolationist policies, and allowing Mirites to return to Rwizikuru, allowing foreign investment and foreign aid to Rwizikuru, and enticing companies to operate in Rwizikuru. This led to high levels of investment in the city, particularly from Senrian businessmen, who saw a great opportunity to outsource many industries into Rwizikuru.
Contemporary era
Since the 1990s, the city of Port Fitzhubert has become a fast-growing city, with many immigrants from the rest of Rwizikuru moving to the Port Fitzhubert metropolitan area, which has come to include Chekumbvazuva, Vongai, and Mangwende, among countless other towns and cities. While the expansion has allowed it to become a major centre of trade and commerce within the country, it has put tremendous pressure on the city's infrastructure, as much of the city's infrastructure was developed either during colonial rule or under Zophar Bohannon's presidency.
Beginning in the 1990s, the national government began focusing on modernising Port Fitzhubert's infrastructure: in 1993, 85% of residents did not receive reliable electricity, and only 55% of residents in Port Fitzhubert proper were connected to sewage and wastewater facilities. In addition, road infrastructure was poor, particularly with regards to roads connecting Port Fitzhubert with Vongai and Mangwende, which were on the western bank of the Rwizikuru River.
After Munaki Nhiwatiw was elected in 2002, he embarked on a plan to modernise the city. In addition to committing to improve electricity and water treatment, Nhiwatiw sought to improve public transit, as at the time of his election, beyond a rudimentary bus system, most of the city's public transportation needs were served by minibuses or by mavhiri. Over the next eight years, Nhiwatiw established a bus rapid transit system in 2005, while several motorway links have been built to alleviate congestion on the city's roads, as well as improve links to Vongai and Mangwende. In addition, shantytowns were connected to sewage and wastewater facilities, which were upgraded to accommodate "a tenfold increase of the metropolitan area."
By 2013, 74% of residents received reliable electricity in Port Fitzhubert, while 85% of residents were connected to the city's sewage system. In addition, with Port Fitzhubert attracting foreigners, whether tourists, businessmen, or economic migrants from neighbouring Bahian countries, the city has become far more diverse, while the Port Fitzhubert metropolitan area continues to attract migrants from across Rwizikuru.
In recent plans, plans have been made by the national and municipal governments to demolish slums and build proper housing, although these moves have been controversial as many fear that they would lose their homes and not be able to afford new houses in Port Fitzhubert.
Geography
The city of Port Fitzhubert is situated on the western bank of the Rwizikuru River estuary, where it exits into the Maccan Sea. The city centre is situated around a natural harbour known as Petty Harbour, upon where the city centre of Port Fitzhubert is concentrated at.
The area in and around Port Fitzhubert is generally flat and low-lying, with the highest point being Signal Hill (Rwizi: Chikomo Signal), at a mere forty-three metres (142 feet) above sea level. The average elevation of Port Fitzhubert is around twenty metres (66 feet) above sea level, while the lowest point of Port Fitzhubert is at sea level.
Port Fitzhubert's low elevation has led to concerns from environmentalists that it will be flooded in the future, as global warming-induced sea level rise could leave many portions of the city uninhabitable. To counteract this, the Rwizikuran government has proposed constructing breakwaters to try and prevent storm surges from flooding key parts of the city.
Climate
Climatically, Port Fitzhubert has an equatorial climate, as is typical in the tropical regions of the Bahian subcontinent, due to both its low elevation and its location just south of sixth parallel north. Port Fitzhubert has a yearly average high of 29.5 °C (85.1 °F), and a yearly average low temperature of 21.2 °C (70.2 °F). On average, Port Fitzhubert receives around 2,700 mm of rain per year, with most of the rain falling between April and October, and it has a high average humidity.
Temperatures were, prior to 1985, recorded at Signal Hill Observatory, but since 1985 have been recorded at Zophar Bohannon International Airport.
| Climate data for Port Fitzhubert | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
33 (91) |
34 (93) |
36 (97) |
34 (93) |
34 (93) |
35 (95) |
34 (93) |
33 (91) |
32 (90) |
36 (97) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 27.7 (81.9) |
27.7 (81.9) |
28.1 (82.6) |
29.1 (84.4) |
30.3 (86.5) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.4 (86.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.5 (85.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 18.8 (65.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
20.3 (68.5) |
21.6 (70.9) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
21.2 (70.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
21.2 (70.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
18 (64) |
19 (66) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 108 (4.3) |
97 (3.8) |
108 (4.3) |
219 (8.6) |
364 (14.3) |
279 (11.0) |
293 (11.5) |
316 (12.4) |
256 (10.1) |
266 (10.5) |
244 (9.6) |
150 (5.9) |
2,700 (106.3) |
| Average rainy days | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 167 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 65 | 65 | 70 | 73 | 69 | 72 | 79 | 77 | 76 | 74 | 69 | 66 | 71 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 236 | 232 | 221 | 237 | 230 | 212 | 187 | 177 | 192 | 225 | 232 | 231 | 2,612 |
| Source: Royal Meteorological Service of Rwizikuru | |||||||||||||
Government
Like any city in Rwizikuru, it has an elected Mayor (Rwizi: meya) and an elected city council (kanzuru yeguta).
The city council comprises of twelve members, each representing one of the city's twelve wards, and are elected every four years by all inhabitants of Port Fitzhubert over the age of 21, as stipulated in the Civic Decree of 1965 issued by Izibongo Ngonidzashe. The mayor is also elected in the same elections that elect the rest of the city council.
The current mayor, Munaki Nhiwatiw was first elected in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
Administrative divisions
The city of Port Fitzhubert is officially divided into seven quarters (Rwizi: makota). These quarters are primarily used for statistical purposes, but are also used to organise waste collection.
The seven quarters are often grouped into inner quarters (Central, Riversdale, and Southside) and outer quarters (Chiratidzo, Gungwajena, Ivhudzvuku, and Marara), with the inner quarters established as a result of urban planning by the Estmerish, and outer quarters as a result of natural and unplanned urban expansion (as in the case of Marara and Chiratidzo), or were developed after independence (as in the case of Gungwajena and Ivhudzvuku).
| Map | quarter | Number | Population (2011) |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:PortFitzBorough.png | Central | 1 | 119,683 |
| Chiratidzo | 6 | 339,812 | |
| Gungwajena | 4 | 351,011 | |
| Ivhudzvuku | 7 | 719,114 | |
| Marara | 5 | 691,857 | |
| Riversdale | 3 | 219,633 | |
| Southside | 2 | 418,577 |
Population
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As of the 2011 census, Port Fitzhubert's population was at 2,859,687 people, while the population of Port Fitzhubert's metropolitan area was at 5,353,606 people, making Port Fitzhubert the largest city and metropolitan area in Rwizikuru.
Ethnically, Port Fitzhubert is the most diverse city in Rwizikuru, with the largest ethnic groups being the Rwizis, at 49.3% of the population, or 1,410,437 people, the Balisa at 15.7%, or 448,971 people, and the Makomo at 10% of the population, or 285,969 people. Other major ethnic groups are the Randa, who make up 5% of the population, or 142,984 people, the Mirites, who make up 3.4% of the population, or 97,383 people, the Freemen, at 0.7% of the population, or 20,483 people, and the varungu, who make up around 0.4% of the population, or 10,798 people. Around 10.5% of the population, or 299,678 belong to other Bahian ethnicities, predominantly immigrants from other Bahian states and smaller ethnicities from across Rwizikuru. Finally, 5% of the population, or 142,984 people belong to other ethnic groups, such as Euclean expatriates or Coians (predominantly Senrians and Ansanese).
Religiously, Port Fitzhubert is heavily Sotirian, with 71.9% of the population, or 2,054,793 people, adhering to any of the Sotirian sects. The predominant sects of Sotirianity are the Embrian Communion, with 41.7% or 1,195,325 people, and the Solarian Catholic Church, with 20.9% of the population, or 597,663 people, adhering to it. 9.2% of the population, or 261,805 people, follow other sects of Sotirianity, such as the Mirite Church. The next largest religion, Badi, is followed by around 21.6% of the population, or 617,692 people.
Of those who follow other religions, 4.6% of the population, or 133,383 people are irreligious, 0.7% of the population, or 18,399 people, follow Irfan, and 1.2% of the population, or 35,420 people follow other religions, such as Tenkyou.
Linguistically, while the city is predominantly Rwizi and Estmerish-speaking (with Estuary Creole traditionally being spoken in the city until the 1970s as a lingua franca), due to the high numbers of immigrants, Gaullican and Molisa are also considered official within the city, making Port Fitzhubert one of the few cities in Rwizikuru where it is officially quadrilingual.
Economy
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As the largest city in Rwizikuru, Port Fitzhubert is the country's foremost economic centre. Due to its size and location, Port Fitzhubert is home to Rwizikuru's financial sector, and much of the country's service sector, with the Central quarter being renowned as a centre for shopping, with options of small businesses and markets selling various wares. Hotels and resorts are common along the quarters of Central, Riversdale, and Gungwajena, as Port Fitzhubert is the main centre of Rwizikuran tourism.
Warehouses and industry are common in the Southside quarter (named after its position on the Petty Harbour, as it is situated to the south of the harbour), with the Port of Port Fitzhubert being the largest cargo port in Rwizikuru, although the Port of Fangsu is set to overtake the Port of Port Fitzhubert within the next few decades.
Since the start of the twenty-first century, Port Fitzhubert has undergone significant improvements to public transportation, with motorways being built to Vongai and Mangwende, while a bus rapid transit system has been established in 2005, with the lines now connecting all seven quarters of Port Fitzhubert. In addition, it is the primary hub for Rwizikuru Rail, with it serving as the terminus for the Rusere-Port Fitzhubert line and as a stop on the Coastal line.
Port Fitzhubert has some of the highest levels of income inequality in Rwizikuru, with stark disparities in standards of living between the inner and outer quarters, with the outer quarters being significantly poorer than those in the inner quarters. In general, many denizens in Port Fitzhubert are twice as wealthy compared to those who live in regional centres like Port Graham or Munzwa, and five times as wealthy compared to those who live in the Rwizikuran countryside, although it is estimated that 30-60% of the city's population lives below the poverty line of $1.90.
Culture
Due to Port Fitzhubert's status as the largest city in Rwizikuru, most of Rwizikuran art and culture is concentrated in Port Fitzhubert, particularly among the Rwizi and Freemen communities.
Most publishing houses in Rwizikuru are based in Port Fitzhubert, with authors Tafadzwa Mubako and Nokutendaishe Mnkandla being denizens of Port Fitzhubert, while most music studios are overwhelmingly based in Port Fitzhubert. Film studios are concentrated in Port Fitzhubert: historically, the Royal Rwizikuran Film Studios was based in Port Fitzhubert, but after it was sold off in the 1990s, many smaller film studios, such as Trinity Films and Samkange Film Productions have set up shop.
The cuisine in Port Fitzhubert is influenced not just by Rwizikuran cuisine, but also by foreign cuisines, due to the high presence of foreigners within the city. Since the 2000s, foods such as susi and curry have become popular street foods within the city.
Sporting-wise, virtually all of Rwizikuru's national teams and the most prestigious teams within the Rwizikuru Football League, the Rwizikuran Rugby League, and the Rwizikuran Cricket League all being based within Port Fitzhubert. The most important stadium is the Izibongo Ngonidzashe National Stadium, which houses the Rwizikuru national football team, and the Rwizikuran national rugby team.
Likewise, most media in Rwizikuru is concentrated in Port Fitzhubert, with the RIS being headquartered in Port Fitzhubert, as well as nineteen licensed private radio stations as of 2021, and the country's newspaper of record, The Rwizikuran.
Historically, only the RIS was allowed to broadcast on radio and television, but since the 1990s, their monopoly was not legally enforced, which led to a spate of unlicensed radio stations. The law was changed in 2019 to permit private radio and television stations to operate with no restrictions.
