Cumberland
The State of Cumberland | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
Motto: "Pherigo's Breadbasket" | |
 Map of Pherigo with Cumberland Highlighted | |
| Capital and largest city | Portsmith |
| Official languages | English |
| Demonym(s) | Cumberlander |
| Government | |
• Governor | Sofia Esparza |
| Legislature | Cumberland Legislative Assembly |
| Area | |
• Total | 105,650 km2 (40,790 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 4,038,328 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2020 estimate |
• Total | $63,924 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2020 estimate |
• Total | $258,146,000,000 |
Cumberland is a state in the northern region of Pherigo. With a population of just over 4 million and an area of nearly 66,000 sq mi (170,000 km2), Cumberland is the 3rd-largest state by population and the 2nd-largest by area. Its capital and largest city is Portsmith.
The state was originally settled by the Sabine, Silberia, Calpurnia, and Eshonie peoples. The Tatum River Colony was one of the first two Albionite colonies in what would become Pherigo. The state would eventually be formed from a merger of the Tatum, South Sabine, and Cumberland River colonies.
Cumberland settlers found vast amounts of wealth exploiting the region's dense forests, with Portsmith, Newport, and Taunton being established as ports to export timber. Today, many of the states forests are heavily protected and more efficiantly harvested to preserve the state's natural history, leading to a boom in the tourism industry.
Government
State government
Cumberland is governed as a republic, with three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the Governor of Cumberland and the other independently elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the Cumberland Legislative Assembly; and the judicial branch. The Cumberland Constitution allows for the direct participation of the electorate by statutory initiative and referendum, recall, and constitutional initiative and referral, defined as "the power to propose laws and to enact and reject laws, called the initiative, and the power to approve or reject laws enacted by the legislature, called the referendum. The power of initiative extends only to laws which the legislature may enact under this constitution"). Portsmith is the state capital and is home to all three branches of state government.
The governor and the other state constitutional officers serve four-year terms and may be re-elected only once. The current governor is Sofia Esparza. The other constitutionally elected executive officers are the lieutenant governor, who is elected on a joint ticket with the governor, the secretary of state, and the attorney general. The lieutenant governor presides over the Assembly (voting only in case of a tie) and is also a member of the cabinet. The secretary of state is the chief elections officer and is charged with running many licensure programs including motor vehicles, all of which are done through the branch offices of the secretary of state.
The Cumberland Legislative Assembly is a 54-member legislature. Members of which are elected through first past the post elections by single-member electoral districts of near-equal population that often have boundaries which coincide with county and municipal lines. Representatives serve two-year terms. The Cumberland State Capitol was dedicated in 1879 and has hosted the executive and legislative branches of the state ever since.
The Cumberland judiciary consists of two courts with primary jurisdiction (the Circuit Courts and the District Courts), one intermediate level appellate court (the Cumberland Court of Appeals), and the Cumberland Supreme Court. There are several administrative courts and specialized courts. District courts are trial courts of limited jurisdiction, handling most traffic violations, small claims, misdemeanors, and civil suits where the amount contended is below $25,000. District courts are often responsible for handling the preliminary examination and for setting bail in felony cases. District court judges are elected to terms of six years. In a few locations, municipal courts have been retained to the exclusion of the establishment of district courts. There are 57 circuit courts in the State of Cumberland, which have original jurisdiction over all civil suits where the amount contended in the case exceeds $25,000 and all criminal cases involving felonies. Circuit courts are also the only trial courts in the State of Cumberland which possess the power to issue equitable remedies. Circuit courts have appellate jurisdiction from district and municipal courts, as well as from decisions and decrees of state agencies. Most counties have their own circuit court, but sparsely populated counties often share them. Circuit court judges are elected to terms of six years. State appellate court judges are elected to terms of six years, but vacancies are filled by an appointment by the governor. There are four divisions of the Court of Appeals in Portsmith, Newport, Edmonson, and Taunton. Cases are heard by the Court of Appeals by panels of three judges, who examine the application of the law and not the facts of the case unless there has been grievous error pertaining to questions of fact. The Cumberland Supreme Court consists of seven members who are elected on non-partisan ballots for staggered eight-year terms. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction only in narrow circumstances but holds appellate jurisdiction over the entire state judicial system.
Administrative divisions
State government is decentralized among two tiers—statewide and county. Counties are administrative divisions of the state, and therefor exercise state government authority, localized to meet the particular needs of their jurisdictions, as provided by state law. There are 75 counties in Cumberland.
Cities and state universities are vested with home rule powers of varying degrees. Home rule cities can generally do anything not prohibited by law. The fifteen state universities have broad power and can do anything within the parameters of their status as educational institutions that is not prohibited by the state constitution.
Infrastructure
Energy
In 2020, Cumberland consumed 113,740-gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical energy and produced 116,700-gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical energy.
Coal power is Cumberland's leading source of electricity, producing roughly half its supply or 53,100-gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical energy (12.6 GW total capacity) in 2020. Although Cumberland has no active coal mines, coal is easily moved from other states by train. The lower price of natural gas is leading to the closure of most coal plants.
Nuclear power is also a significant source of electrical power in Cumberland, producing roughly one-quarter of the state's supply or 28,000-gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical energy (4.3 GW total capacity) in 2020. The three active nuclear power plants supply Cumberland with about 26% of its electricity.
Transportation
International crossings
Cumberland has two international road crossings with Hamilton, Ibica:
- Edmonson Sarasota Border Crossing, Cumberland's busiest international border, connecting National Route 4 with Ibican Route 1
- Burnham Rotunda Border Crossing, connecting National Route 5 with Hamilton State Highway 13
Railroads
Cumberland is served by the Hamilton International Railway, as well as by four lines of the Pherigo National Rail Service, with the Purple Line existing almost entirely in the state.
Roadways
- National Route 1 (NR-1) is the main route throughout the nation as a whole, and runs north-south across the state, with its northern terminus in Portsmith.
- National Route 4 (NR-4) runs along the entire northern coast of Cumberland, serving Portsmith and Edmonson.
- National Route 5 (NR-1) is the main route through southern Cumberland, mainly following the Calpurnia River.
- National Route 10 (NR-10) is a minor east-west highway crossing the state, serving the cities of Taunton, Wimberley, and Santa Rosa.
- National Route 12 (NR-12) is a minor north-south highway crossing the state, serving the cities of Hereford, Santon, and Cumberland City.
- National Route 104 (NR-104) is a spur route of NR-4, connecting NR-4 at Edmonson to NR 12 at Hereford.
Airports
- Portsmith International Airport
- Edmonson International Airport
- Kingsville Regional Airport
- Taunton Regional Airport
- Carson Regional Airport
- Wimberley Regional Airport
- Santa Rosa Regional Airport
Education
Cumberland's education system serves 800,000 K-12 students in public schools. More than 65,000 students attend private schools and an uncounted number are homeschooled under certain legal requirements. The University of Cumberland is Cumberland's oldest higher educational institution and among the oldest research universities in the nation.