Navarre
"There is Navarre, only her, the daughter of all cities and realms of mankind. Nowhere else that mine eyes have laid upon could compare to her unyielding greatness, her vast halls and cellars and the vaults of treasure amongst which even Croesus would walk in pitiful destitution by comparison! What a beautiful, sceptred jewel for the crown of empire. "
| Navarre | |
| Metropolitan Area | |
| File:Navarre.PNG | |
| Flag of Navarre | Coat of Arms of Navarre |
| Flag | Coat of Arms |
| Country | File:Freethinker.png The Freethinker Commonwealth |
| Established | 1656 (SC) |
| Mayor | Dame Gail Adamsby |
| Legislature | Navarre Assembly |
| Population | 3,228,360,000 |
| ISO | - |
| Postal code | (FTC) NV01 - NV99 |
| Website | www.cityofnavarre.gov.ftc |
The Incorporated Metropolis of Navarre is the large and expansive capital territory of the Freethinker Commonwealth, located in the northwest of the Freethinker Mainland. It is the extended home to over three billion people spread out over an area the size of Midlonia, forming one of the greatest urbanised metropolitan areas on Earth. The urban area itself is contiguous with the territory of the metropolis, and extends from a number of islands in the Delta Sea through to the Whitestone Valley in the east. The territory bridges the traditional divide between the eastern and western Freestian Mainland.
As with most capital territories, Navarre is the centre of the Commonwealth's political, commercial and cultural life, with most major federal government and national corporations being based within the confines of the metropolis. The city is best known for its impressive architecture and, internationally, its considerable importance as an international trading centre and port.
Navarre is, unsurprisingly, also the largest of the six huge metropolices that form the urban cores of the Commonwealth. Known by the locals as the world's largest citystate (in geographic terms given much of the attached Outback is barely settled), Navarre is in essence a self-sufficient economic and societal unit, a mould followed by the other major city groups of the Freethinker Mainland. Prior to independence, Navarre was the seat of the Governor and Parliament of the Mainland Dominion.
History
Toponomy
The name Navarre has uncertain origins. It is believed to be unrelated to the distant European principality of the same name. It is believed to be Knootian in distant origin, the name of an early colonial leader or memorium is posited as the most likely origin. The name first appears in historical records attached to the isolated mountain identified as the Navarrok (lit. "Navarre Rock", which is now the foundation and escarpment of the Fortress of Navarrok and lends its name to the Navarrok district.
Citizens of the metropolis are known as Navarrians. More informal names include Navies, and the more derogatory Rockhoppers'.
Prehistory
The area is traditionally thought to have been beyond the range of the native Freestian Vampires during their nomadic phase, though as there was semi-regular activity to the east of the Whitestone range it is thought to be possible at least some distant scouting presence may have visited the area. The relatively large distance between the open Atlantic ocean and the Navarre basin itself was thought to have discouraged pre-Midlonian exploratory efforts.
Midlonian Colonisation and the Mainland Dominion
The colonies of the basin soon became the largest of the Midlonian colonies, thanks to a mix of its protective location, several large natural harbours, fertile farmland, large mineral wealth and abundant fresh water.
The building of the Great Central Canal further increased Navarre's wealth and prestige.
Demographics
Navarre had a population of 2,515,350,000 in 2105 (SC), a figure now estimated to be greater than 3,100,000,000 as of 2150 (SC).
Economy
Navarre is one of the world's major maritime shipbuilding, repair and breaking centres.
Geography
The Incorporated Metropolis covers an area of approximately 500,000 square miles, including the expansive Navarre Basin. The population
Navarre is dominated by the Navarre Basin a huge, deepwater inland sea that forms the sheltered anchorage for the port itself, and the parallel ranges of the Carassian and the Whitestone Mountains to the south and north of the city respectively. Various districts are located between the mountain foothills and the edge of the Basin, with other districts being located on the various 'levels' that rise up on the side of the mountain ranges. Various rivers run through the city, few follow even anything remotely resembling their original course, most having been channeled into the city's various canal and fresh water supply and reservoir systems. The largest of these is the Whitestone, which flows through the valley of the same name into The Docklands area of the city.
The territory rests along the Navarrian fault line between the Carrassian and the Central-Freestian tectonic plates. The city receives occasional earthquakes, though these are usually minor. All buildings are designed to withstand a major earthquake as part of regional building regulations.
The Rings of Navarre are the city's greatest engineering achievement, massive, levelled plains created from the mountains by building barriers made from the excavated peaks harvested for building materials. These various levels run almost continuously across both mountain ranges, at 800 foot (~250 metre) height intervals, along the northern and southern parts of the metropolis. This creates the levels themselves, which have created tens of thousands of square miles of space for expansion for the city and given Navarre its distinctive, 'inside-out wedding-cake' look when viewed from a distance.
Districts
Because of its great size, Navarre is actually made up of many smaller sized townships and districts which operate as distinct social-economic units within themselves, containing self-sufficient communities with regard to residential and commercial needs.
The largest and most notable Districts are;
The Capital is a self-explanatory city name, though the dominance of government facilities and institutions is a fairly recent phenomena as residential and commercial zones are replaced by embassy grounds, parks, memorials and government offices. Located on the first level on the Southern shore of the Basin, between Navarrok, Commerce, Gothabia and also partially bordering Trenton and the Docklands. Most employment is in government vocations.
- Commerce
- Dardanion
- Gothabia
- The Docklands
- Trenton
An industry-heavy district located on the first and second levels between Navarrok and The Docklands. Has suffered somewhat due to the general post-industrialisation of the Freethinker economy, but is still home to many large scale plant and civil engineering firms. New commercial and residential districts have breathed some new economic life into the region, with the district authority relying on historical tourism and increasing qualitative heavy engineering trade with supra-modern partners for its continued economic prosperity.
The area, thanks in part to a partial industrial decline, contains some of the poorest areas in the Metropolis.
Infrastructure & Transport
An extraordinarily large urbanised area like Navarre requires a vast and well supported mass transit network.
Air & Spaceports
Ports, Waterways and Canals
Road Networks
Rail
Health and Education
Landmarks and Tourist Attractions
Navarre, as with most cities of its nature and in particular with the inate Freethinker desire to impress can boast a staggering array of tourist attractions for pretty much any style of holiday, be it an extended party weekend, a historical tour, general sightseeing or merely as a base for further travel within the Commonwealth.
See Also: Tourism in the Freethinker Commonwealth