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Introduction |
Background: Established on the reputed site of the Lost City of Karath-Din, the City grew exponentially as the resources of the area were successively exploited by its inhabitants. The presence of the Order of the Hammerites in the City led to its early position as a leading industrial power.
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Geography |
Location: Situated at the River delta near the Eastern and Western Mountains
Area:
total: 5,735 sq km
land: 5,297 sq km
water: 438 sq km
Area - comparative: Similar in size to the city-states of Blackbrook or Cyric
Land boundaries:
total: 249 km
border countries: Blackbrook 151 km Cyric 43 km Bohn 53 km
Coastline: 7 km
Maritime claims:
None
Climate: temperate, with heavy rain and frequent mists in winter.
Terrain: Bordered by mountains, with the River running through its centre. Situated on the flood plain and surrounding flat land
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: 14 m
highest point: Eastern Mountains 1,665 m
Natural resources: iron ore, gold, silver, crops, coal, timber, stone
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 10%
urban: 78%
other: 1% (est.)
Irrigated land: 631 sq km (est.)
Natural hazards: Frequent flooding during winter
Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; air pollution from industrial emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste
Geography – note: All urban land is concentrated in the City, inside its walls. The farm land of the City is squeezed between the city itself and the mountains
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People |
Population: 2,636,086
Age structure:
0-14 years: 49% (male 697,508; female 594,173)
15-64 years: 42% (male 686,436; female 420,719)
65 years and over: 9% (male 177,935; female 59,311) (est.)
Population growth rate: 2.84% (est.)
Birth rate: 25.72 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 15.84 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.28 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.50 male(s)/female
total population: 1.34 male(s)/female (est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.63 deaths/1,000 live births (est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.84 years
male: 50.62 years
female: 51.06 years (est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.3 children born/woman (est.)
Nationality:
noun: N/A
adjective: N/A
Ethnic groups: Native 83.5%; Immigrant 16.5%
Religions: Hammerite 30.6%; Order of the Vine 5.3%; Unaffiliated 65.1%
Languages: Local dialect. Hammerites use an antiquated version of local dialect, while Pagans use a dialect springing from a common root, but differing in substantial ways
Literacy:
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 47%
male: 86%
female: 14% (est.)
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Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: The City
conventional short form: None
Government type: Absolute monarchy
Administrative divisions: Divided into many districts; Stonemarket; Undermarket; Newmarket; Dayport; Eastport; Downtowne; Hightowne; North Quarter; South Quarter; New Quarter; Old Quarter; Shalebridge; The Docks
Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are fulfilled by Hammerite religious law and City Law
Legal system: City Laws laid down by the Baron, after approval by the City Council. Sometimes overruled, unlawfully, by Hammerite religious law, especially in the areas of crime and civil disputes
Suffrage: 20, limited to literate voters.
Executive branch:
chief of state: The Baron
head of government: The Baron
cabinet: Council of powerful lords appointed by the Baron, and
responsible to him
Legislative branch: City Council contains two houses: the Inner Circle
of nobles, and the Outer Circle of elected commoners.
Judicial branch: Commoners elected to the Outer Circle act as Magistrates for their districts. Some are appointed Lesser Justices in the Courts of Common Appeal. Nobles sitting in the Inner Circle are automatically appointed Chief Justices for their district, sitting in the Court of Higher Pleas.
Flag description: None
Government – notes: None
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Economy |
Economy - overview: The City has a substantial industrial economy, thanks in no small part to the presence of the Hammerites. The City exports precious metals such as gold and silver, as both ore and refined metal. It also exports finished goods such as jewellery. The City also exports vast quantities of coal and iron ore, as well as finished iron and steel. In addition, it exports large amounts of industrial, agricultural and infrastructural machinery, along with the manpower needed to operate and install such machinery. Expensive wines are also a well-known export, as are low-grade timbers and building stone. However, the City is not self-sufficient in food, and consequently imports vast quantities daily, as well as elemental crystals and high-quality timbers and building stone. The high value of the exports, caused by high demand and low supply, has lead to a nearly-continuous boom in monetary growth; however, a fall in Hammerite apprenticeships, and the loss of educated people to other cities has led to a fear that the City will not be able to maintain its position as a leader in the field of machinery for long
GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 76%
services: 22% (est.)
Population below poverty line: 73%
Labor force: 1.1 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1.1%; forestry 0.4%; mining 0.5%; manufacturing/construction 35.6%; processing 21.2%; fine detail manufacturing 19.2%; public services 10.4%; business and commerce 5.3%;
Unemployment rate: 23.1% (est.)
Budget:
revenues: 40.1 million (est.)
expenditures: 38.4 million (est.)
Industries: mechanics and machinery; stone mining; forestry; winemaking; ore mining; fine metalworking; iron and steel production
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (est)
Power - production: 40.732 Units (est)
Power - production by source:
fossil fuel: 74.32%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 25.68% (1998)
Notes: Power was formerly produced through unknown means, possibly involving magic. In an attempt to move away from such methods, the Hammerites began a program to replace installations with coal-fired power generation plants, with arguable success. The new plants are dirtier, more polluting, more expensive and are much less efficient. However, to the satisfaction of the Hammerites, the plants no longer function using “heretic” technology.
Electricity - consumption: 40.718 (est)
Electricity - exports: None
Electricity - imports: None
Agriculture - products: high-quality wines
Exports: 25.6 million
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, low quality building timber and stone, high quality wines, fine metalworking e.g. jewellery, iron and steel, coal
Exports - partners: Cyric, Bohn
Notes: The City is technically at war with Blackbrook. However, trade between the two city-states still occurs in the shadow economy
Imports: 28.9 million
Imports - commodities: meat, vegetables, alcohol, high-quality building stone and timber, elemental crystals
Imports - partners: Cyric, Bohn, Blackbrook
Debt - external: Unknown
Economic aid - recipient: None
Currency: No official currency. Gold discs of set weights are an accepted medium of exchange.
Notes: No official currency exists in the City due to the nature of its economy. The City’s lifeblood is trade, and many merchants refuse to allow the Baron and the City Council to issue a currency, claiming that this gives them control over the economy. The gold discs, known as coins despite their lack of an issuing authority, are accepted as currency within the City, and can be minted by anyone with sufficient gold. As a result of this, many discs have minted designs to identify their issuer.
Fiscal year: calendar year
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Transportation |
Highways:
total: 11,522 km
paved: 2,159 km
unpaved: 9,363 km
Pipelines: sewage 42 km, water 63 km, power 67 km
Ports and harbors: Eastport, Dayport, Wayside, The Docks
Merchant marine:
total: 46 ships
ships by type: bulk carrier 34, costal lugger 12
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Military |
Military branches: The City Army has responsibility for all armed forces on land, and in times of extreme crisis has control of the constabulary of the City. The City Navy is responsible for all maritime conflict. The Hammerites occasionally field small armies that fight with the City Army but are not controlled by it.
Military manpower - military age: 16 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 686,463
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 547,842
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 8,723
Military expenditures: 4.867 million
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.239% (est)
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Transnational Issues |
Disputes - international: Blackbrook currently occupies significant portions of the East and West mountains, lost during recent military campaigns. Several attempts have been made to recapture the strategically vital mountains, so far with little success.
Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about spice being smuggled in from unknown locations.