Jewish Volost
Jewish Volost Еврейская Волость | |
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Flag | |
| Capital | Maxburg |
| Official languages | Venadian, Yiddish, Hebrew |
| Demonym(s) | Jewish |
| Government | Volost of the Republic of Venadia |
• Governor | Serafima Kasyanenko |
| Legislature | Regional Veche |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 1.9 million |
The Jewish Volost (Venadian: Еврейская Волость, transcript: Yevreyskaya Volost') is a district of Venadia, and one of the youngest. It is one of only five Venadian districts with a non-Christian majority or plurality religion, namely Judaism. It has in absolute numbers the largest number of people who identify as Jewish ethnically (836,405) and religiously (738,529). It is noted within Venadia for its distinct culture and petroleum industry.
In additions to jews, the Jewish Volost has a significant ethnic Venadian population, as well as smaller populations of various native groups and tribes.
History
The Jewish Volost was established in 1901, in a sparsely populated landlocked area in north-eastern Venadia. The territory was largely made from territories formerly of Pervous and the Koni Volost. Ethnic and religious jews in the Venadian heartland were offered free transport to the recently created Volost, which a significant number accepted as a way to escape persecution and pogroms. The jews gained a minimal amount of funding, but managed to establish several townships in the southern regions of the cold volost.
The Jewish Volost was known as a poor and backwards district of Venadia until the 1940s, when the discovery of great reserves of gas and oil changed the Volost's situation significantly. Maxburg, the capital, was located close by the gas and petroleum fields and saw a great influx of migrants, both Jewish and Venadian. The vast majority of the gas fields were owned directly by the Jewish Volost, which gave them a great bargaining position towards Venoil, the state-run petroleum company, and a significant amount of revenues from the oil industry would remain within the Jewish Volost.
The population grew enormously, from an estimated 150,000 in 1938 to 800,000 in 1950, while Maxburg blossomed from a township of 32,000 to a city of 260,000. Intensive construction of infrastructure, housing and public amenities were largely funded by the Venadian state in order to get the petroleum industry up and running. The relative share of the jewish population also shrank, from around 85% to 50%, but has remained the plurality population into the modern era.
Economy
The Jewish Volost is one of the most affluent in Venadia, with the third-highest per capita GDP and average income. The Volost remains heavily reliant on the oil and gas industry, which accounts for 60% of the Volost's GDP. Unemployment is low at 3.9%. Other important sectors include healthcare, tourism, education and retail.
Politics
Politically, the Jewish Volost has aligned towards the left. One of its two constituency MPs to the Great Veche is a Socialist while the other is the independent Esther Spitzer, a self-described liberal socialist.
Like all Venadian districts, the regional government of the Jewish Volost consists of a directly elected Regional Veche, as well as a Governor appointed by the Prime Minister. The Jewish Volost is a Socialist stronghold, with the SP controlling the Regional Veche along with the Party of Jews.
2013 Election
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/- | ||||||
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| Socialist Party | 313,229 | 31.4% | 36 |  12
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| Party of Jews | 182,111 | 18.3% | 24 |  1
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| Civil Rights Party | 164,247 | 16.5% | 21 | 15
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| Liberal-Republican | 156,853 | 15.7% | 20 | 2
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| Unity Party | 123,732 | 12.4% | 16 | 2
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| Communist Party | 22,921 | 2.3% | 3 | 8
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| Patriotic Party | 14,932 | 1.5% | 0 | |||||||
| Others | 19,819 | 2.0% | 0 | |||||||
| Total valid | 997,844 | 97.5% | ||||||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 25,435 | 2.5% | ||||||||
| Total (Turnout: 76.9%) | 1,023,279 | 125 | ||||||||
| Source: Venadian Electoral Commission | ||||||||||