Porta Bianca

Porta Bianca, officially known as the Commonwealth of Porta Bianca, is a state of Cartadania located in the northeastern Taínean Sea. The state is characterized by its picturesque archipelago, which includes the main island of Porta Bianca along with several smaller islands that dot the turquoise waters of the Taínean Sea. The natural beauty and unique geography of the area make Porta Bianca a captivating destination for visitors and residents alike. With a population of approximately 13.2 million, Porta Bianca ranks as the seventh-most populous state in Cartadania. The diverse population of the state is made up of a rich tapestry of cultures and ethnicities, with influences from indigenous, Vallosian, Sarpedonian, and southern Levantine traditions. The capital and largest city of Porta Bianca is Amar, which is strategically located on the northeastern coast of the main island. Amar serves as a bustling hub of economic and cultural activity, attracting people from all walks of life.

The history of Porta Bianca is marked by its diverse cultural heritage. The island was originally inhabited by indigenous people from the northern Taínean region, but it was claimed by Cartadania as a territory in 1641 and eventually became a state in 1650, early on in the country's history but cementing its foothold in the region. Over the years, the cultural and demographic landscapes of Porta Bianca have been shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including the displacement and assimilation of the native population and settlement from mainland Cartadanians.

During Cartadania's colonial period, Porta Bianca played a unique and significant role as a forward military base site for southern Crona. Its strategic location in the northeastern Taínean Sea made it an important outpost for Cartadania's military operations in the region. However, alongside its military significance, Porta Bianca also emerged as a popular destination for tourism among mainlanders and international visitors. The island's pristine beaches, tropical climate, and rich cultural heritage drew travelers from far and wide, contributing to its growing popularity as a tourist hotspot. As a result of Cartadania's influence, Porta Bianca developed a distinctive creole Romantic culture and language that combined elements from indigenous, Vallosian, Sarpedonian, and southern Levantine cultures. This unique blend of cultural influences is evident in the island's architecture, music, dance, cuisine, and customs. The creole Romantic culture of Porta Bianca is known for its rich and diverse traditions, reflecting the complex history and cultural interactions that have shaped the island over the years.

Apart from its cultural significance, Porta Bianca is known for its tropical climate, diverse natural scenery, traditional cuisine, and attractive tax incentives, which make it a sought-after destination for travelers from around the world. The island's rich history and unique blend of cultural influences make it a fascinating and vibrant state within Cartadania.

Etymology
Porta Bianca's name comes from Old Cartadanian and means "white port". As an island with a rich linguistic history, it has been referred to by several names throughout history. Its indigenous name, Yunisuyara, meaning "white water place," is often used by Porta Biancans to refer to the island in a cultural context, especially amongst other Taínean indigenous peoples. Additionally, the term "suyara" is sometimes used to identify individuals from Porta Bianca with Tainean heritage. In Cartadanian, the island is popularly known by its nickname, "fronteira do paraiso," which translates to "paradise's frontier."

The island's name has evolved over time, reflecting its diverse cultural influences. In the pre-claim and territorial era, the main island was known as Suyara, which has now become a term used to refer to people of Tainean descent living in Porta Bianca, as well as to the entire chain of islands, known as the Suyara Archipelago. However, the state's founders later renamed the island to Porta Bianca, a name derived from the fact that the major beaches around Amar, the first landing site, have mostly white sand. The term Yunisuyara, however, is thought to refer to a set of waterfalls in eastern Amar, where the velocity of the water and non-selective scattering cause it to appear white as it dips over the edge of the falls.

The linguistic history of Porta Bianca highlights the interplay of indigenous, Cartadanian, and colonial influences that have shaped the cultural and societal fabric of the island. The use of different names and terms reflects the complex cultural and historical dynamics that have shaped the island's identity over time, and adds to its unique heritage and character.

Pre-Cartadanian Era
The ancient history of the archipelago that is now known as Porta Bianca is shrouded in mystery, with limited evidence available about its indigenous population. Unlike some other indigenous cultures of the occident that have left behind archaeological and physical evidence of their societies, there are few artifacts and limited traces of Porta Bianca's indigenous people. The available information comes from scarce archaeological findings and early Cartadanian accounts from the colonial era, which provide glimpses into the past.

Early Cartadanians were known to coexist and even intermix with the indigenous population upon their arrival, leading to the preservation of some aspects of their culture down through generations. However, the society of these indigenous peoples is believed to have collapsed not long after the arrival of the Cartadanians. Census records from 1700 reveal that approximately 43% of Cartadanian men in Amar, the capital of Porta Bianca, were married to Tainean women, which indicates the extent of intermarriage and cultural exchange during that time. As a result, some present-day Porta Biancans may have Tainean ancestry, which is reflected in their biological heritage.

Despite the limited available evidence, the history of Porta Bianca's indigenous population remains a topic of ongoing research and exploration, as scholars continue to uncover and piece together the puzzle of the archipelago's ancient past. The complex dynamics of cultural exchange and assimilation between the indigenous peoples and the early Cartadanians contribute to the unique cultural heritage and diversity of Porta Bianca today.

Cartadanian colony and territorial era


In 1691, when Porta Bianca became a territory, it became a forward station for the Cartadanian Navy. This would give Cartadania a closer starting point for its pursuit of Crona. The territory was also used for agriculture in its highlands. The interior of the state's main island is covered in coffee and pineapple plantations in many parishes. The outer portions stretching from low hills to the beaches are often used for tourism.

In the late 1690s between 1696 and 1699, and following the territorial status of Porta Bianca, many mainlanders flocked to the island. They sought many of the new incentives the federal government was offering for relocating and developing the island, including tax reductions, large swathes of land, and federal grants. The territory's population grew, on average, 651% each year until Congress ended the program in October 1699. By 1700, the territory's population had cross 1.5 million, and migratory growth from other states was beginning to slow. It was around this time that Porta Bianca's government began to mature from a loose gathering of parishes to an actual single entity controlling the entire island chain.

In 1706, the territorial government began an aggressive campaign for representation in Congress, as it lacked voting power in the federal legislature. In 1710, with the ratification of Cartadania's new constitution, Congress gave Porta Bianca and all of Cartadania's other territories equal representation to states in Congress. The territory elected it's 3 senators and Alahuela approved the election. This gave Porta Bianca a slight edge over some states, chiefly those who were less populous and tended to vote conservatively. There was some backlash in those states about giving territories congressional power, with many opposers stating that it would blur the line between state and territory. Congress, however, proceeded with the powers and responded back that "congress still holds majority power of all territories".

It would turn out that this was not enough for the growing territory. As its population kept growing and other people groups began arriving, such as Burgundians from Flordeterre and Port-de-Vent, and Pelaxians, the territorial government began to seek more control over the islands.

Statehood referenda
Beginning in 1724, Porta Bianca's governor petitioned Congress to grant Porta Bianca statehood, to which they originally refused. Many congressman stated that Porta Bianca was too far to cooperate with other states as a fully-fledged member of the union. The issue was presented again to Congress in 1725, to which they agreed conditionally. They required the territory's residents to vote on the manner and, should the vote be in favor of statehood, draft a constitution to be approved by the Senate.

In 1726, the first vote was held, but not many residents voted, so Congress nullified the results and required a revote. Upon the second vote, approximately 81% of the territory's population turned out to vote, with all voting in favor of statehood. From this vote, there was a period of stagnation as the territorial government began drafting and scrapping constitutions. It ultimately based its constitution on a mix of Maresia and Venice's constitutions, even replicating the parochial structure of Maresia. This initial constitution was submitted to congress, but was declined and sent back due to its failure to address equality "regardless of race or ethnicity", something Venice and Maresia addressed in their amended constitutions two years later.

In 1729, after a period of internal issues, the constitution was amended and sent back to Congress. Again, some conservatives opposed the addition of Porta Bianca to the union as a state, mostly those from San Andreas. The Senate, however, chose to continue with admission as it had stated it would approve the issue if conditions were met.

Finally, on the 7th of September 1730, the Commonwealth of Porta Bianca was admitted to the union as the 7th state. The Congress stated, "We welcome the Commonwealth of Porta Bianca into our humble union as our 7th state. Per negotiations, the commonwealth is required to elect a new governor and appoint all offices detailed in its constitution, effective immediately.". This began a new age for the island chain and would lead to some very unique situations.

Early statehood
In the 1730s, the power of plantation owners, who were becoming more conservative, began to fade at the hands of the descendants of immigrant laborers, who were voting in favor of more liberal ideas.

Following its statehood, Porta Bianca quickly modernized through construction and its rapidly growing tourism economy. State programs began to promote the Tainean culture and it would become a staple of Porta Bianca. Though the Tainean people no longer live on the islands that compose the state, what is known of them is often seen throughout the commonwealth.

21st century
In more recent years, Porta Bianca has seen an explosion in its population, sitting at approximately 12.6 million residents at the 2020 census. It's economy has diversified, although is still heavily based on tourism. That said, Porta Bianca has one of the strongest economies in Cartadania, with its gross state product sitting at approximately €745.1 billion as of June 2038. It still serves as a forward base to Crona, but has recently ceded some of that power to base in the territory of The Solemias.

Recently, Porta Bianca has begun a very large infrastructure overhaul as many of its highways have now become outdated and need to be widened. This is seen with the recent completion of State Highway 101, a former 4 (2-2) lane highway that has been upgraded to 8 lanes (4-4) to help ease congestion.

More recently, with the eminent collapse of Covinia, Cartadania as part of its mission to the LoN and E5, will assume control over the Tronitas island group just north of Porta Bianca's main island. Congress has stated that following this, the islands would be ceded to the Commonwealth as a part of its territory.

Climate
Porta Bianca has a tropical monsoon climate on the Koppen climate classification. Summer highs usually reach around 31 °C (88 °F) during the day, with the temperature reaching a low of 24 °C (75 °F) at night. Winter day temperatures are usually around 28 °C (83 °F); at low elevation, they seldom dip below 18 °C (65 °F) at night. The northern mainland of Porta Bianca experiences one of the highest average annual rainfall on Earth, about 12,000 mm (460 inches) per year. The state only experiences two seasons; the dry season runs from October to April and the wet season is from May to October.

The temperatures are relatively stable year around. The warmest temperature recorded in Porta Bianca is 40 °C (104 °F) on 30 October 1959 in the city of Minaka Falls. Porta Bianca's temperatures are kept quite tolerable by the prevailing winds that circulate above the island. These keep the islands cooler than most equatorial places. The lowest temperature recorded in Porta Bianca is -6.1 °C (21 °F) observed in September 1963 at the summit of Mount Taini.

Administrative divisions
The administrative structure of Porta Bianca is divided into 34 parishes, which serve as the equivalent of counties in most other states. Each parish typically has an elected government known as the Parish Commission, which acts as the legislative and executive body of the parish and is elected by the voters. The Commissioners, as they are called, work together to elect a president who serves as the chairman of the Parish Commission.

In addition to the Parish Commission, some parishes in Porta Bianca operate under home-rule charters, which allow for various forms of government. These may include mayor-council systems, where a mayor serves as the chief executive and a council acts as the legislative body, or council-manager systems, in which the council hires a professional operating manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the parish. Other forms of government may also be elected depending on the specific home-rule charters in place.

It is worth noting that Porta Bianca's parochial structure is similar to that of Maresia, which is one of only three states in the region to have parishes, with the other being Miraflores. The parochial system in Porta Bianca, along with its various forms of government, reflects the unique administrative and political landscape of the state, providing for localized governance and representation at the parish level.

State government
The state government of Porta Bianca is modeled after the federal government with adaptations originating from other states and early colonial government. As codified in the Constitution of Porta Bianca, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is led by the Governor of Porta Bianca, who is assisted by the Lieutenant Governor of Porta Bianca, both of whom are elected on the same ticket. The governor is the only state public official elected statewide; all others are appointed by the governor. The governor and lieutenant governor oversee 36 agencies and departments from offices in the State Capitol. The official residence of the governor is Aloi Hill.

The legislative branch consists of the bicameral Porta Bianca General Assembly, which is composed of the 100-member Porta Bianca House of Representatives led by the Speaker of the House, and the 34 member Porta Bianca Senate led by the President of the Senate. The General Assembly meets at the State Capitol.

Porta Bianca Supreme Court The judicial branch of Porta Bianca is the Porta Bianca State Judiciary. It consists of the state's highest court, the Supreme Court of Porta Bianca, which meets at Ascari Hall, adjacent to the capitol building. The commonwealth also has a number of smaller appellate and trial courts across all of its 34 parishes, which also have their own courts.

Law enforcement
Porta Bianca's statewide police force is the Porta Bianca State Police. It is a division of the state's Department of Public Safety. Its troopers have statewide jurisdiction with power to enforce all laws of the commonwealth, including city and parish ordinances. The State Police are primarily a traffic enforcement agency, with other sections that delve into trucking safety and narcotics enforcement. Game wardens were formerly a part of the state police, but have since been relocated to the Department of Game and Wildlife.

The elected sheriff in each parish is the chief law enforcement officer in the parish. They are the keepers of the local parish prisons, which house felony and misdemeanor prisoners. They are the primary criminal patrol and first responder agency in all matters criminal and civil. The sheriffs are responsible for general law enforcement in their respective parishes. Amar is an exception, as the general law enforcement duties fall to the Amar Police Department.

Economy
The history of Porta Bianca's economy can be traced through a succession of dominant industries: education, tourism, coffee, pineapple, sugarcane, sandalwood, and the military. Even before it became a state and was still a territory, tourism has been the largest industry, contributing 19.6% of the gross state product (GSP) in 2004. In recent years, the state has added manufacturing as a major sector of its economy (primarily pharmaceuticals, textiles, petrochemicals, and electronics) as well as services (primarily finance, insurance, real estate, on top of tourism).

Porta Bianca's total gross state product in 2037 was €745.1 billion, placing it at 9th in the nation. It has a GSP per capita of €64,046, lower than the national GDP per capita.

Taxation


Porta Bianca residents used to pay the most per capita in state taxes within Cartadania. This was drastically reduced with 2030's HB256, SB7, SB8, and SB9. HB256 rewrote the state's tax code and the Senate Bills gave the parishes control of education, health care, and social services. It has one of the lowest sales tax rates in the country at only 4.00%. Still, Porta Bianca has the 7th highest fuel tax of all 36 states and territories at 11.92 cents per liter (45.12 cents per gallon).

Cost of living
The cost of living in Porta Bianca, specificall in Amar, is quite high compared to that of other major cities in Cartadania. The cost of living does not account for some costs, such as increased travel costs for flights to the mainland. The states utilities are on par with the mainland states, with the exception of water, which has more steps to go through before being pumped to cities.

The median home value in Porta Bianca in July 2038 was €617,200. Porta Bianca has the highest median home values of all states, including Verona, which had a median home value of €581,600. Research placed the 2030 median sale price of a single family home in Amar, Porta Bianca at €602,900. Unlike other territories, Cartadania's postal operation code prohibits extra shipping costs as a result of Porta Bianca's insular status. So, relative to any other state in the union, shipping costs are on par. This means that goods are typically similarly priced between it and other states, and in some cases, may be cheaper due to the states low sales tax.

Demographics
The Cartadania Office of the Census estimates that the population of Porta Bianca was 13,176,410 on 1 January 2026, making it the seventh-most populous state in Cartadania. The population density of the state is 110.6 PD/km2.

Ethnic groups
According to census estimates, the population of Porta Bianca in 2037 was:


 * Pardo 57.2
 * Burgoignesc/Charentais 28.7%
 * White (Latinate/northern Levantine descent)
 * Cronan 2.6%
 * Punthite 0.4%
 * Native 11.1%

The major ancestry groups of Porta Bianca are Burgoignesc (47.2%), Taino (9.1%), Caphirian (8.7%), Audonian (7.8%), Pelaxian (6.3%), Urcean (4.5%), and Angle (1.4%).

Education
Porta Bianca parish and city public school systems are administered by school boards with members elected at the local level. Formerly, all schools in the commonwealth were administered directly by the state's government as a result of extreme variation between school boards. This was changed in 2030, when the commonwealth drafted SB9, returning all power over schools back to their parishes and cities for the first time since 1971.

Porta Bianca high schools (grades nine through twelve) are required to administer a standardized, multiple choice End of Course Test, or EOCT, in each of eight core subjects: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, history, economics, biology, an elected physical science, and Cartadanian literature and composition. The official purpose of the tests is to assess "specific content knowledge and skills".

Porta Bianca is home to several notable colleges and universities, which include Commonwealth University of Porta Bianca in Amar, and Suyara University in Kairi. Most notably, though, is the University of Porta Bianca, which is the commonwealth's flagship research university. Porta Bianca's workforce of more than 6.5 million is constantly refreshed by the growing number of people who move there along with the 100,000 graduates from the universities, colleges, and technical colleges across the state, including the highly ranked University of Porta Bianca, Commonwealth University of Porta Bianca, and Suyara University.

Music
The music of Porta Bianca has evolved as a heterogeneous and dynamic product of diverse cultural resources. The most conspicuous musical sources have been Burgundie, Pelaxia, and Audonia, although many aspects of Porta Biancan music reflect origins elsewhere in Sarpedon, Levantia, and other places within the Tainean and Vallos, and, more recently, from Cartadania itself. Porta Bianca's music culture today comprises a wide and rich variety of genres, ranging from indigenous genres to hybrids.

Much of the music that is played today is heard in the other 30 states. However, Porta Biancan music is not mainstream in Cartadania and only some states have dedicated radio stations to the music. The coastal parishes tend to have more tropical style beats, incorporating sounds from steel drums, the cavaquinho, and various other instruments. This style of music, known locally as Oualie, has begun to spread out of the state to other states and sovereign territories nearby.