Sechia
Sechia
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|---|---|
City | |
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| Motto(s): Pokój, dobrobyt i braterstwo (Miersan) Peace, prosperity, and brotherhood | |
| Country |  Lemovicia |
| Entity | Miersan Entity |
| Province | Równiny |
| Founded | TBD |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Marcin Salkowski |
| Population (2017) | |
| • City | 297,137 |
| • Rank | 1st in Lemovicia |
| • Urban | 297,137 |
| • Metro | 362,356 |
| Time zone | TBD |
| • Summer (DST) | not observed |
Sechia (Lemovician: Іпаратея, Iparratea, Miersan: Przejście, Narodyn: Шїєчи, Šjiječî) is a city situated in northern Lemovicia on the Andia River, near the border with West Miersa. With a population of 297,137, it is the largest city in both the country of Lemovicia, the Miersan Entity, and the province of Równiny, of which it is the provincial capital.
First inhabited between 8,000 and 6,000 BCE, Sechia functioned as a major trading centre, given its location along the Andia River, and its geographic location on the north-south trade routes which went into the Lemovician highlands... (TBC)
Etymology
The name Sechia is a Solarization of the Miersan Przejście, meaning gateway, owing to it being a traditional gateway between Miersa and Lemovicia. The Miersan etymology also contributed to the Narodyn name, Šjiječî.
The Lemovician name, Iparratea, derives from the Lemovician phrase iparraldeko atea, or the northern gate, as it the last gate on the traditional north-south trade routes in Lemovician territory before entering Miersa.
History
Prehistory
Archaeological evidence suggests that the site of present-day Sechia was first inhabited by modern-day humans between 8,000 BCE and 6,000 BCE along the banks of the Andia River.
From the earliest settlement of the area, it became a major trading centre between the proto-Marolevs residing in present-day Miersa, and the proto-Lemovicians living in present-day Lemovicia, with evidence of goods that are not native to the region where Sechia is. This is believed to be the case due to its position on the Andia River, which makes it easier for trade between present-day Miersa and present-day Lemovicia to take place.
By around 5,000 BCE, a permanent settlement was established on the site of the Kopiec Hill in present-day Sechia, and although there are no written records, archaeologists suggest that Sechia maintained a position as a way-stop in the north-south Euclean trade route, while its location ensured relative protection compared to a site directly on the riverbank.
Solarian Empire
(TBC)
Middle Ages
Renaissance
Industrial Revolution
Great War
Post-war
Civil War
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On 5 March, 1980, protests against Saroi Garnica's regime led by Otxote Sasiambarrena broke out at the Syndicates' Square (present-day Martyrs' Square). These protests were brutally suppressed in the Sechia Massacre by the Lemovician Armed Forces, killing 68 people.
Over the next several weeks, Sechia became a major centre for the Liberal Democratic opposition, and on 21st March, 1980, with Otxote Sasiambarrena declaring himself President, Sechia became the centre for opposition forces fighting against the Lemovician government. Between June 1980 and October 1980, opposition and separatist forces fought in the first battle of Sechia, ending with a ceasefire in order to defeat government troops.
With the second battle of Sechia in February and March 1982, the opposition lost control of western Sechia to the separatists, and with the opposition now being confined to eastern Sechia, it led to the de-facto division of the city based on the Andia River. During the next three years, a shaky peace emerged within the city, although the Miersan separatists were by far the dominant force. After both sides formed a coalition in 1985, Sechia began to recover: as the national capital of Topagunea was on the front line between separatists and government forces, Sechia emerged as the major economic centre of Lemovicia.
Contemporary era
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With the end of the Lemovician Civil War in June 1992 after the signing of the Alikianos Accords, Sechia was reunited into one city, as the opposition-controlled east reunified with the separatist-controlled west, becoming part of the Miersan Entity. That November, elections for the local government were held, electing the first united city council since 1980, electing Tomisław Siminski to serve as Mayor.
As Sechia was not as heavily impacted as Loiola or the national capital city of Topagunea (which was split into Topagunea and North Topagunea) by the civil war, this helped enable Sechia to maintain its position as the preeminent economic centre in Lemovicia, with heavy investment being poured into the city in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly in the service industry. This was further helped by the upgrade of its airport into an international airport in 2004, which took most aviation traffic away from Topagunea International Airport, as Lemavia Airlines made it their primary hub. In 2008, Tomisław Siminski retired, and was succeeded by Wiktor Kocik, who was voted out in 2012, and succeeded by Marcin Salkowski.
Due to its position as the largest city in the country, Sechia has played a significant role in shaping Lemovician politics and the national economy, especially as many outside of Sechia are worried that Sechia is becoming too prominent compared to other cities in the country.
Geography
The city of Sechia is situated on the banks of the Andia River on the lowlands of Lemovicia, right on the border with West Miersa. However, due to the country's geographic position, Sechia's average elevation is 296 metres above sea level, with the highest point, the Zamek Pański, being at 409 metres above sea level.
In general, however, Sechia is hilly, with prominent hills including the 409 metre high Zamek Pański and the 315 metre high Kopiec Hill, which can be seen throughout much of the city of Sechia.
Climatically, Sechia experiences a humid continental climate, with average temperatures in January ranging from a low of −7.7 °C to a high of -2.6 °C, while average temperatures in July, the warmest month, range from a low of 13.6 °C to a high of 23.5 °C. It has the highest recorded temperature set in Lemovicia, at 40.3 °C on 13 August, 2019, while the lowest recorded temperature in Sechia was −38.9 °C on 2 February, 1957.
Government
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The local government of Sechia is a mayor–council government, with a mayor (Lemovician: алкатеяк, alkateak, Miersan: burmistrz) elected every four years from all citizens residing in the city, currently held by Marcin Salkowski, who served in office since 2012.
The mayor presides over the city council (Lemovician: удалецеа, udaletxea, Miersan: rada miejska), which comprises of sixteen members, each elected from sixteen wards at the same time as the mayor of Sechia. Together, the mayor and the city council meet at the Town Hall.
On the entity level, Sechia is represented in the Miersan Assembly by one four-member constituency in western Sechia, and one five-member constituency in eastern Sechia, or nine members in total.
Finally, on the national level, Sechia is represented in the National Assembly by two constituencies, divided on the banks of the Andia River, with each constituency being a multi-member constituency comprised of five Members of the National Assembly.
Demographics
As of the 2017 census, Sechia has 297,137 people in its urban borders, and 362,356 people in its metropolitan area, making it the largest city and metropolitan area in both the Równiny Province, the Miersan Entity, and the country of Lemovicia.
Ethnically, Sechia is the most diverse city in the country, with around 55% of the population, or 164,807 people being ethnic Miersans, around 34% of the population, or 101,027 people, being ethnic Lemovician. Finally, 31,303 people in Sechia, or around 11% of the city's population belong to other ethnic groups, predominantly Narodyns, Savaders, and Slirnians, as well as more recent immigrants from across the world.
Linguistically, around 70% of the city's population, or 208,002 people, speak Miersan as their first language, around 22% of the population, or 64,089 people speak Lemovician as their first language, and 25,046 people, or around eight percent of the population, speak other languages as their first language. The city has some of the highest rates of bilingualism in both official languages, with around 97% of the city's population, or 288,223 people reporting that they are fluent in both Miersan and Lemovician, with only 511 reporting not to be fluent in either official language.
Religiously, Sechia is predominantly Episemialist, with 187,196 people, or 63% of the city's population adhering to it. This is followed by the Solarian Catholic Church, which as of the 2017 census has 56,553 people, or just under a fifth of the city's population. Finally, 53,388 people, or about 17.9% of the city's population follow other religions, or are irreligious people.