Alstin (City)

Alstin City, formally the Capital District of Alstin, also known as just Alstin or just CDA, is the, largest city, and sole of the United Republic.

Etymology
The city's name itself, according to its founding myth, is believed to have been derived from the city's founder and the first king of Alstin, Alstanus Ryefield.

The standard way to refer to a citizen of Alstin is as an "Alstinian."

Geography
Alstin City is situated on Alstin Island in the central United Republic, towards the western edge of the Altaic Sea. The location, centered at the mouth of the Emporia and Ryefield Rivers, which feeds into a naturally sheltered harbor and then into the Altaic, has helped the city grow in significance as a trading port.

The city's land has been altered substantially by human intervention, with considerable land reclamation along the waterfronts since the initial settlement.

Cityscape
See also: List of neighborhoods in Alstin City

Climate
Alstin has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters.

Its average annual temperature is above 21 °C (70 °F) during the day and 9 °C (48 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the average temperature is 12.6 °C (54.7 °F) during the day and 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) at night. In the warmest month, August, the average temperature is 31.7 °C (89.1 °F) during the day and 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) at night.

December, January and February are the coldest months, with a daily mean temperature of approximately 8 °C (46 °F). Temperatures during these months generally vary between 10 and 15 °C (50 and 59 °F) during the day and between 3 and 5 °C (37 and 41 °F) at night, with colder or warmer spells occurring frequently.

District and Local Government
The administration of the City of Alstin is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is the express prerogative of the Capital District government, while local administration is carried out by 42 smaller authorities. The District government, similar to the federal government and the various provinces, consists of three branches: an executive branch consisting of the Mayor of Alstin and his or her appointees which head executive departments; a legislative branch consisting of the unicameral District Assembly; and a judicial branch consisting of the Alstin Supreme Court and lower courts.

The headquarters of the District government is Alstin City Hall, located in Leman. Since 2024 the mayor has been Beverley Renton, the first mayor of direct-Audonian descent of a major Occidental capital. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the Alstin Plan, which was most recently revised in 2023. The local authorities are the councils of the 42 Alstin boroughs, and are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, social services, local roads and refuse collection; Services often provided through joint arrangements between the boroughs, as well as by funding from the District itself.

The District Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for the City of Alstin. It is run by the Alstin Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, and is the fourth largest fire service in the world. Alstinian National Health Service ambulance services are provided by the District Ambulance Service (DAS) ANHS Trust, one of the largest free-at-the-point-of-use emergency ambulance service in the world. The District Air Ambulance charity operates in conjunction with the DAS where required. The United Republic Coast Guard and the National Lifeboat Institution operate on both the Emporia and Ryefield Rivers, which are under the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority from Lake Emporia and Carlton Wharf to the sea.

Federal Government
Alstin City is the seat of the Government of the United Republic. Many government ministries and departments, as well as the president's residence at the Jade Palace, Paladine Hall (where Parliament meets), and the Palace of Tyrios (seat of the Supreme Court), are located across the city, with many of the aforementioned places being based in the Old City. The Capital District's Parliamentary delegation consists of 27 Councilors, elected from local parliamentary districts to serve on the National Council, and two Senators, elected from the District at-large to serve in the Senate. As of December 2028, 17 Councilors and both of the District's Senators are from the Liberal Party, 8 are Conservatives, and two are Centrists.