Maresia

Milan, officially the Commonwealth of Milan, is a state located on the island of Urlazio within Cartadania's Charente region. With 19.4 million residents across a total area of about 92375.7 km2, Milan is the fifth-most populous and twentieth-most extensive, but fourth-most densely populated state in Cartadania. The state capital is the city of Auvergne in central Milan, which is also the most populous city in the state. Greater Auvergne is the most populous urban region in the state, with 7.2 million residents spread amongst nine parishes.

Milan is the only state in Cartadania with a multi-lingual history, that being Charentais which is a regional variety of Burgoignesc, that originates outside of Cartadania (although Montecarlo has Charentais as co-official, this is due to Milanese migration). Most Milanese people are bilingual at minimum and many state signs also appear in Charentais. Milan was the first state to use the term parish instead of county for its first-level divisions and the second state, after Verona, to call itself a commonwealth.

Some Milan urban environments have a multicultural, multilingual heritage, being so strongly influenced by a mixture of Burgoignac, Latin, Native Cartadanian, and Istroyan cultures that they are considered to be exceptional even in Cartadania. Before the Cartadanian control of the territory in 1711, areas of the current Commonwealth of Milan had been part of both a Burgoignac colony and for a brief period, a Caphirian one. In 1829, Cartadanian was for a time made the sole language of instruction in Milan schools before a policy of multilingualism was revived in 1904. There has never been an official language in Milan, and the state constitution enumerates "the right of the people to preserve, foster, and promote their respective historic, linguistic, and cultural origins," whether Cartadanian, Charentais, or otherwise.

Etymology
When the first Caphirians truly migrated into the region of what is today Milan, the terra quaesitores gave the land the name Mediolanum from the Latin words medio (in the middle) and planus (plain), referring to the state's location at the time between the Charente bailiwick and Aurillac river. Thus "Milan" refers to the geographic characteristics of the state as opposed to an ethnic or linguistic origin and the state's name is of Latin origin as opposed to Cartadanian origin like most of the other states west of Milan.

History
Milan's history is quite unique in that, unlike the other states of Cartadania, its basis for existence, whether cultural or otherwise, is rooted in its origin as an early port for the Burgoignac in their maritime travels. Though not intended to continue as an entity of its own, the arrival of the southeast Levantines sparked the creation of a creole cultural (hence the nickname "Creole Commonwealth") region unlike anywhere else in Cartadania. Although Cartadania's complete control of the area did not occur until the early 1710s, Alahuela maintained a hands off approach to much of the northern portion of the commonwealth, where the Charentais culture began developing.

The name Charentais is from the region of Urlazio where this culture developed; the Charente. The area extends outside of Milan into the states of Aleira and Cambria, south into Acara and easterly slightly into Triessa, although Triessa and São Andreas are typically not included due to their more Latin-dominated cultures. Despite this, Milan has continuously been referred to as the birthplace of the culture. According to historians, the specific dialect arose around the early to mid-18th century from Milan's northern coast and spread southeasterly toward the Aurillac River. Although it is considered a dialect of Burgoignesc, due to it's standard Latin, Cartadanian, and native influences, it can be difficult for Levantine speakers to understand Charentais.

Though a Caphirian colony and eventual province for a short period, actual Caphirian influence in the region was minimal and the Latin influences seen in other states did not quite permeate Milan as heavily. Nonetheless, Venceia's impact on Milan can still be seen, mostly in the area of cuisine, where Milan's creole cuisine has a lot of pasta-based dishes more akin to border states (i.e., Triessa and São Andreas) and the Luson region.

Among many of the other notable features of Urlazio that Milan lacks are the cultural remnants of Istroyan civilization. Although there is evidence of their presence in Milan, the Istroyan structures known as "arxi" are not as abundant in Milan. Some historians believe that this may be due to lack of desire by the Istroyans to expand so far westerly, especially across the Aurillac River, in having to deal with other cultures and people groups, while others believe the structures may have been destroyed or dismantled by Latinic and Cartic peoples.

Climate
Milan has a (: Aw) according to Köppen climate classification; it is hot all-year-round, with high levels of relative humidity. The average temperature is 28.4 °C (85 °F) and daytime temperature usually remains around this point. Nevertheless, from late November to early April, trade winds more or less cool it to a more comfortable temperature during daylight. During the evening and through the night, temperature can change due to the winds it receives. Rainy seasons are from April to June and from August to November. This has been known to cause flooding in the state, especially areas of the very large Aurillac and Millau drainage basins in the Est region. The states Burgoignac heritage, peninsular geography, and somewhat marshy terrain has made many Milanese people accustomed to maritime travel.

Environmental issues
Prior to Congress passing legislation that heavily regulated environmental impact of corporations in 1895, Milan (along with Verona and Alexandria) suffered from some of the worst environmental issues in the country. Unregulated dumping and poor disposal techniques led to health issues that only festered in the state's very humid and warm climate. In an effort to slow the extent of the environmental destruction, Congress ordered Milan to implement some form of environmental protection within its jurisdiction for the health and safety of its populace and wildlife. While the state originally protested this, fearing corporate backlash and the crippling of its economy, Congress' withdrawal of financial support and fines imposed on Milanese corporations essentially forced the commonwealth's hand. Nonetheless, many corporations have adapted to these regulations and Milan now (as well as Cartadania as a whole) has one of the cleanest environments in the world. Aside from heavy industry areas, the state is consistently ranked in the top five for states by air quality and environmental beauty.

Geology
The waters that surround Milan, especially those of the Marée Channel and northewestern Urlazian Sea as a whole are relatively shallow compared to the waters of the Odoneru, which is compounded by outflowing silt from the Millau river into the channel. Eastern Milan's soft soil should make it very dangerous during earthquakes because of liquefaction, primarily due to its proximity to the Cambrian-San Andreas slip zone. In a somewhat ironic fashion, Milan doesn't suffer from earthquakes nearly as strong as Cambria and San Andreas because of bedrock separation between Milan and Aleira, which essentially pacifies the and s that move through the crust relative to the earthquake focus.

The southern mountain range, known as the Sardou Ridge, extends into the state very briefly at the bend of the Aurillac river, and is where the highest point of the state–Mont Pierre–is located. It rises 1373.1 m and is located within Trinitè Parish at the state line with Aleira. Outside of the Sardou Ridge, Milan is primarily composed of lowlands and has a generally static landscape.

Regions
The Commonwealth is divided into three regions–the "Promontoire", the "Est", and the "Faible". These regions hold more cultural significance than legal as they are not official administrative divisions of the state. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon for state agencies to endorse these regions in official capacities, for example, with the Milan Tourism Board frequently using these regions for promotion purposes.

In the most basic of terms, the Promontoire is the most recognizable region of the commonwealth. It is where the largest portion of its population resides, with all of the top ten most populous parishes being located here. It was formed by merger of the former "Charente" region and earlier Promontoire region into what it is today. Most of the state's top corporations are headquartered here–primarily Essonne, Marée, and Rhône Parishes–and it is what most people think of when speaking of Milan. It is anchored by Auvergne, Milan's capital, and Aumiers, the second largest city in Milan, which is located on the Millau delta along the Marée Channel.

The Est region is east of the Promontoire (hence the name, which means "east" in English) and is a mostly suburban in character. It is commonly referred to as Bayou country because the Est is very flat, similar to the Promontoire, but due to lack of large scale urbanization in the area, retains much of its original marshy character. This is partly due to the extremely large basins of the Aurillac and Millau rivers which saturate the state's flat land. Because the eastern part of the state is more forested than the west, it creates some very unique environments, especially for the tropics.

The Faible region is south of the Est and is the where the state's only mountains are located, including the highest point in Milan–Mont Pierre, in Trinitè Parish. It is referred to by many from the other regions as the forgotten region and many Milanese from other parts of the state, especially those from Auvergne and Aumiers, will comically feign being oblivious to what the Faible is. It's name, which means "low" in English, although incorrectly contextualized, has a few meanings. Primarily, those are that the region is in the state's lower portion. It also refers to the region being more on the rural side, respective to the rest of Milan. Nonetheless, because of it's more laid back attitude and low density, many of Milan's large scale manufacturers are located here (e.g., Soleil S.A., Bellegarde's dry goods annex, and Nexus). This is further supported by the South Milan Terminals, which allow these companies to distribute their goods by means other than air, rail, or truck.

Flora and fauna
The state is characterized by low swamplands, bayous, creeks, woodlands, and coastal marshlands and beaches. The tropical climate has made Milan a very comfortable home for many species of plants and animals. In fact, Milan is the third-most megadiverse state in the country (following Verona and Viterna thanks to their large rainforests) with 150 amphibian species, 120 reptile species, 631 bird species, and 161 mammal species, as well as nearly 750 species of tree and other vegetation.

Population
The Cartadania Office of the Census found that the reported population of Milan was 19,386,711 at the 2020 Census, which was finalized on 31 December 2020, making it the fifth-most populous state in Cartadania. The population density of the state is 209.9 people per square kilometer (534.6 per square mile), making Milan the fourth-most densely populated state.

Ethnic groups and ancestry
According to census findings, the population of Milan in 2020 was:


 * Pardo 39.2
 * Burgoignac/Charentais 38.7%
 * Latinate or northern Levantine descent 15.2
 * Cronan 0.6%
 * Alshari 0.4%
 * Native 5.9%

As it's heritage and identity would indicate, there are strong Burgoignac ancestry lines amongst Milanese people, especially those from the northern coastal Promontoire region. Like most of Cartadania, the Pardo group holds the majority of the population, but only leads Burgoignac/Charentais descent by about 0.5%, which is well within a potential margin of error.

Languages
The federal official language in Cartadania is Cartadanian, and as a result, the language of business, government, and instruction in Milan is Cartadanian as well. However, because some 19% percent of the state is fluent in Charentais, the General Assembly has and continues to permit combined use of the language alongside Cartadanian, the only non-border state to do so. Approximately 29% of the population has reported speaking a other than Cartadanian at home in Milan.

The most common languages spoken in Milan as of 2022 are:
 * 71% Cartadanian
 * 19% Charentais
 * 6% Latin
 * Other languages less than 1% each

Religion
Milan is mostly, although there is a large community within the state as well. Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in the state, as Cartadania was a former constituency of Caphiria and is proximate to Urcea, the two largest countries on the planet, both of whom have a catholic majority. With approximately 63% of the state identifying as Catholic and 28% identifying as irreligious, the remaining 9% constitute other religious groups from around the globe.

Despite separation of church and state being a very stark part of Cartadanian life, Milan's catholic past plays a large part in the customs of its government even today. This is evident in the state's decision to divide itself into parishes as opposed to counties found in other states (excepting Porta Bianca, which has parishes for similar reasons).

Economy
Milan's 2022 total was €1.47 trillion, placing it at 5th within Cartadania.

Milan is very friendly to small businesses and large businesses alike, and its low taxes make it a welcome place for many companies. The state's economy is highly diversified, ranging from agriculture and automobiles to pharmaceuticals and petroleum. It produces large quantities of sugarcane, poultry and eggs, dairy products, rice, and seafood. It is home to automobile manufacturer Soleil, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the country. Other common brands throughout eastern Cartadania that are headquartered in and distributed via Milan include Bellegarde and its subsidiaries (excluding Bellegarde Est which bases all operations in Luria), and Leblanc, the largest sugar company in Cartadania, among others.

Auvergne has a large effect on the commonwealth, eastern Cartadania, and beyond. It has been the site of growth in finance, insurance, technology, manufacturing, real estate, service, logistics, transportation, film, communication, convention and trade show businesses and industries, all qualities it shares with similarly sized Aumiers.

In 2021, Milan had a median household income of €81,334, placing it at 6th amongst Cartadanian states, and quite highly throughout the world in comparison. Milan, similar to the other commonwealths (of which Porta Bianca is the exception) lacks an income tax, but uniquely has a very low sales tax of 4% (although many localities will increase this to 6% which is the legal maximum), and a very low average property tax of 0.72% (assessed at the local level). It should be noted that federal law prohibits taxation on medications, medically related devices, while state law prohibits taxation of food for home.

Tourism
Tourism makes up a large sector of the state's economy, but it is still on par with other sectors of Milan. With approximately 3/4 of a million people employed in the tourism industry in 2022, Ballas' administration has had a strong interest in increasing Milan's tourism industry. In 2022, Milan had 121-million visitors, making a record for the state and sits with the highest tourism-related visitorship in the country. Milan is especially friendly to international tourists, who come to visit the state's beach towns and culture. Because Milan's tourism industry has grown so explosively over the years, the commonwealth has granted the public a right to beach access at all public beaches in the state. The state is also dotted with amusement parks and resorts, which are scattered amongst the Promontoire and Est regions.

Agriculture
Farms across the state largely produce, , , and. Milan also has large productions of, , , , , , and , in addition to producing , , and. The state produces some, but it's generally flat landscape makes production limited.

Milan is fifth largest producer of sugar cane in Cartadania, with 41.7 million tons produced in 2021. In spite of this, a large quantity of the country's sugar is refined in Milan, as Leblanc's largest refinery is located in the southern part of the state. Cocoa and rice tend to be grown in the state's Est region, where the Aurillac irrigates most of the land. The state also produces eggs and poultry, seafood (including crustaceans like crabs and crawfish), cattle, and dairy.

Industry
Milan's industrial sector is dominated by manufacturers of automobiles and transportation equipment, food processing, paper products, chemicals and products, and electric equipment. Soleil, one of the largest auto companies in the world, is headquartered here and produces many vehicles in assembly plants in Milan.

Local government
The Commonwealth is divided into 66 parishes across the three regions. Some parishes have been named for prominent figures in both Cartadanian and Milanais history, and many bear names relevant to their geography or features. Parishes in Milan have their own elected legislative branch, usually called the Board of Commissioners, which usually also has executive authority in the parish. Milan's constitution provides all parishes and cities with "" authority. The parish commissions have considerable power to pass legislation within their parish, similar to how cities would.

Milan recognizes all local units of government as cities, so all incorporated towns are legally cities by virtue of commonwealth law. While Milan does not provide for townships or independent cities like Acara, Aleira, or Triessa, it does allow governments by way of local referendum, though none currently exist.

State government
As with all other Cartadanian states and the federal government, Milan's government is based on the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial power. Executive authority in the state rests with the. Both the Governor of Milan and lieutenant governor are elected on separate ballots to four-year terms of office, limited to two terms. Most of the executive officials that comprise the governor's cabinent are elected by the citizens of Milan rather than being appointed by the governor. Milan was the first state in Cartadania to elect a female governor in only its third election after joining the union, that of 1719.

Legislative authority resides in the Milan General Assembly, composed of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the commonwealth's senate, while members of the Chamber of Deputies select their own speaker. The Milan Constitution sets the number of senators at 50, each of whom are elected from single-member districts. It also mandates a minimum of 150 representatives, apportioned among the representative districts. The state currently sits at the legally defined number of 50 senators and 150 representatives, each of whom serve two year terms with no limit. The states laws are codified as the Milan Statutes. Milan's law mirrors heavily off of Verona's law (although the laws of the states does tend to vary quite a bit with Milan having more Levantine influence early on), and the common set of laws and regulations between Milan, Lombardia, Porta Bianca, and Verona is commonly known as "Commonwealth Law".

Milan's judges and justices who make up the commonwealth's judicial system are elected by a majority vote in both the Chamber and Senate without input from the governor, one of the ways Milan's legislature has more power than its executive. Judicial authority rests with the Supreme Court of Milan and Court of Appeals of Milan. In addition, there are smaller courts which have more limited geographical jurisdiction, including Circuit Courts, the trial courts of general jurisdiction, and the lower Superior Courts, which house Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and General District Courts. The Supreme Court has seven justices who serve twelve-year terms, with a mandatory retirement age of 75. The supreme court selects its own Cheif Justice from among their seven justices, who is limited to no more than a twelve-year term as Chief.

Education
Milan public school districts are organized within parish boundaries and administered by school boards with members elected at the local level. Milan has 2.86 million students enrolled in its schools as of 2021 and spends about €17,821 per student, totaling around €50.96 billion.

Milan high schools are required to administer a standardised, End of Course exam known as the Milan Common Core, or MCC, in each of eight core subject: mathematics, history, economics and personal finance, biology, a physical science of choice, as well as cartadanian literature and composition. Though the original purpose of the exam was to assess "specific content knowledge and skills", the exam has proven way more beneficial in post-high school graduates and their preparedness for life after school. Although Charentais is commonplace throughout the whole of the commonwealth, Cartadanian remains the language of instruction in public schools. A number of specialized schools and private schools do, however, offer bilingual instruction, and all students in all schools have the option to take Charentais classes. Milan students are commonly ranked highly among Cartadanian students and Milan's quality of education is very well known throughout the country.



At the level of post-secondary education, the state's institutions are governed by the State University System of Milan. It consists of the state's 18 public institutions of higher learning and is governed by the Milan Board of Regents. At its apex is the University of Milan, the state's. Milan charged the lowest four-year tuition in Cartadania (not including the HREB states that do not charge tuition) at €25,200 (about €210 per credit hour) for in-state residents and €42,000 for out-of-state and international students (excluding federal education fees for int'l students).

The state also maintains the Milan College System, which comprises 41 public community and state colleges with campuses spread throughout the state. Its 2021 enrollment consisted of around 800,447 students.

Transportation
The transportation infrastructure of Milan is maintained by the Milan Department of Transportation, which oversees all highways in the state, federal highways included, and sets the rules for construction, maintenance, and usage of these systems. The agency is a part of the executive branch of the state government. Milan's highway system is immense and contains around 114730 km of roadway. It is consistently ranked as one of the best systems in the country, as the state tends to have a brute force approach to maintenance (well maintained due to more money invested into system relative to other states). Milan is quite unique among states in that it isn't uncommon for the state to completely close a highway to decrease construction, maintenance, expansion, or upgrade times. This was seen with Interstate 90 (Tropicana Expressway) east of Aumiers in 2011, when MDOT shutdown traffic flow routinely in 35 km segments during the highway's expansion to eight lanes. Though it caused some grief to travelers, it reduced construction time by nearly 2/3 the time needed if a semi-closure method had been used. This practice is also seen in Lombardia, Roma Alta, and Veneza, where highway maintanence and expansion is currently ongoing.

Milan's primary commercial airport is Auvergne International Airport (AUV), the fourth busiest airport in the country. In addition to Auvergne, there are eight other airports serving major commercial traffic in Milan. Aumiers International Airport and Toulon International Airport are the second- and third-busiest airports in the state as measured by passengers served, respectively, and are the only additional international airports. All airports in the state are overseen by the Milan Aerospace Authority.

The state's three seaports–Aurillac Terminals, Marée Terminals, and South Milan Terminals–and the six land ports are managed by the Milan Port Authority, which oversees all inbound and outbound cargo into the state by land, sea, and via partnership with the MAA, air. The largest port in the state is the Marée Terminals, which is part of a interstate supercomplex with the San Rícardo International Gateway. Together these two ports constitute the largest seaport in the world.

The state has plans to construct a high-speed rail system that would connect all of its major metros by 2034, which has become the most ambitious independent infrastructure program in the state's history. Known as Project Lynx, it would connect all of the state to Auvergne in less than two hours, and thanks to Milan's mostly flat land, the estimated cost of the project is quite low as well. As of January 2023, the project has nearly completed it's phase, with MDOT giving an estimated construction begin date of 1 March 2024.