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{{Infobox settlement | {{Infobox settlement | ||
| name = Province of Halfway | | name = Province of Halfway | ||
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The etymology of Halfway is not generally known. The original [[Ancient Istroyan civilization|Ancient Istroyan]] authors use a number of names for the island but primarily just refer to the city-states that existed upon it, using terms such as the "Island of Koureiros" and other city-states dependent on context. [[Adonerii]] people and the later [[Great Levantia|Great Levantines]] used the term ''Alvenensis'', the earliest documented form of "Halfway", though the source and meaning of this term is unclear. "Halfway" as a term emerged likely from [[Gothic people|Gothic]] sources probably from the [[Urlazian Kingdom]] and introduced into Ænglish later during the medieval period. A minority of scholars have suggested the "-way" originates as an [[Audonia]]n corruption during the island's brief control by allies of the [[Oduniyyad Caliphate]], but this position has largely been characterized as speculation. | The etymology of Halfway is not generally known. The original [[Ancient Istroyan civilization|Ancient Istroyan]] authors use a number of names for the island but primarily just refer to the city-states that existed upon it, using terms such as the "Island of Koureiros" and other city-states dependent on context. [[Adonerii]] people and the later [[Great Levantia|Great Levantines]] used the term ''Alvenensis'', the earliest documented form of "Halfway", though the source and meaning of this term is unclear. "Halfway" as a term emerged likely from [[Gothic people|Gothic]] sources probably from the [[Urlazian Kingdom]] and introduced into Ænglish later during the medieval period. A minority of scholars have suggested the "-way" originates as an [[Audonia]]n corruption during the island's brief control by allies of the [[Oduniyyad Caliphate]], but this position has largely been characterized as speculation. | ||
== Geography == | == Geography == | ||
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[[File:Monte Scuderi 92.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Mount Pinefor and its adjacent range and highlands, picture here, dominate much of the central part of Halfway.]] | [[File:Monte Scuderi 92.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Mount Pinefor and its adjacent range and highlands, picture here, dominate much of the central part of Halfway.]] | ||
Halfway is a roughly triangular island in the [[Sea of Canete]], sitting about two hundred miles to the east of northeastern [[Sarpedon]]. Halfway has an area of about 10,600 square miles. The island is situated just below the equator. The island was formed from an ancient volcano, known as Mount Pinefor and the associated Mount Pinefor range, which is the primary topographical feature of the island. Mount Pinefor sits at the center of the island, with the island's highest point being roughly its geographical center; Mount Pinefor gently slopes down from the island's center to a ring-shaped coastal plain that makes up the island's coasts. Accordingly, the island's bays and harbors are well suited for human settlement and commercial applications, giving Halfway its historic reputation as a trade center. | Halfway is a roughly triangular island in the [[Sea of Canete]], sitting about two hundred miles to the east of northeastern [[Sarpedon]]. Halfway has an area of about 10,600 square miles. The island is situated just below the equator. The island was formed from an ancient volcano, known as Mount Pinefor and the associated Mount Pinefor range, which is the primary topographical feature of the island. Mount Pinefor sits at the center of the island, with the island's highest point being roughly its geographical center; Mount Pinefor gently slopes down from the island's center to a ring-shaped coastal plain that makes up the island's coasts. Accordingly, the island's bays and harbors are well suited for human settlement and commercial applications, giving Halfway its historic reputation as a trade center. | ||
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In terms of its political geography, Halfway is divided into five counties and one {{wp|Consolidated city-county|consolidated city-county}}, [[Koureiros]]. Each of the five counties is broadly coterminous with the metropolitan area of five of the island's six major cities. They are Elatia County, Pertoulo County, Damasa County, Chasini County, and Pedino County, each being named for the County's major city center. | In terms of its political geography, Halfway is divided into five counties and one {{wp|Consolidated city-county|consolidated city-county}}, [[Koureiros]]. Each of the five counties is broadly coterminous with the metropolitan area of five of the island's six major cities. They are Elatia County, Pertoulo County, Damasa County, Chasini County, and Pedino County, each being named for the County's major city center. | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
Halfway has been home to continuous human settlement since the earliest emergence of {{wp|Cro-Magnon|early modern man}}, and has been home to agricultural societies for thousands of years. Halfway was the site of some of the earliest cities of the [[Ancient Istroyan civilization|ancient Istroyan civilization]]. Istroyan civilization thrived on the island for centuries, even during the reign of the [[Latin Kingdom]] and subsequent control of the island by [[Caphiria]]. The Istroyan civilization of antiquity on the island is considered to have ended with the arrival of the [[Oduniyyad Caliphate]] and its allies to eastern Sarpedon, some of whom conquered Halfway and ruled it as an independent Emirate. The destruction of the island's major cities and disruption of its economy by the arriving Audonians not only ended the island's ancient history, it also weakened it significantly allowing for its liberation during the [[Crusades#First_Crusade_(1084)|First Crusade]]. Halfway was ruled by Levantine nobles from the 1080s until [[1474]] when it was inherited by Urcea's [[House de Weluta]]. It has been ruled by Urcea since. As one of the longest-settled provinces of Urcea, which includes several periods of independence, Halfway has among the most storied histories of all Urcean territories. | Halfway has been home to continuous human settlement since the earliest emergence of {{wp|Cro-Magnon|early modern man}}, and has been home to agricultural societies for thousands of years. Halfway was the site of some of the earliest cities of the [[Ancient Istroyan civilization|ancient Istroyan civilization]]. Istroyan civilization thrived on the island for centuries, even during the reign of the [[Latin Kingdom]] and subsequent control of the island by [[Caphiria]]. The Istroyan civilization of antiquity on the island is considered to have ended with the arrival of the [[Oduniyyad Caliphate]] and its allies to eastern Sarpedon, some of whom conquered Halfway and ruled it as an independent Emirate. The destruction of the island's major cities and disruption of its economy by the arriving Audonians not only ended the island's ancient history, it also weakened it significantly allowing for its liberation during the [[Crusades#First_Crusade_(1084)|First Crusade]]. Halfway was ruled by Levantine nobles from the 1080s until [[1474]] when it was inherited by Urcea's [[House de Weluta]]. It has been ruled by Urcea since. As one of the longest-settled provinces of Urcea, which includes several periods of independence, Halfway has among the most storied histories of all Urcean territories. | ||
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The establishment of the Principality only presaged greater troubles on Halfway related to the First Crusade. The larger crusader force led personally by the Emperor began to arrive in Halfway's different ports beginning in late November [[1085]]. By the spring of [[1086]], more than 120,000 crusaders were on the island, causing significant hardship for both the army and the locals. Prince Guy I was forced to balance the interests of the army and local prominent families, distancing the Prince from the Emperor but creating goodwill among local leaders. The crusading army began to rob and pillage the countryside looking for food and supplies, forcing Guy to push them further into the Pinefor jungle where many crusaders perished from malaria. After constant negotiating, Guy managed to get the crusaders off the island by the end of summer 1086 as they moved onto [[Thessia]]. The Principality gained a negative reputation among crusaders and Levantine nobility, and Guy was viewed negatively in Levantia for decades afterwards. | The establishment of the Principality only presaged greater troubles on Halfway related to the First Crusade. The larger crusader force led personally by the Emperor began to arrive in Halfway's different ports beginning in late November [[1085]]. By the spring of [[1086]], more than 120,000 crusaders were on the island, causing significant hardship for both the army and the locals. Prince Guy I was forced to balance the interests of the army and local prominent families, distancing the Prince from the Emperor but creating goodwill among local leaders. The crusading army began to rob and pillage the countryside looking for food and supplies, forcing Guy to push them further into the Pinefor jungle where many crusaders perished from malaria. After constant negotiating, Guy managed to get the crusaders off the island by the end of summer 1086 as they moved onto [[Thessia]]. The Principality gained a negative reputation among crusaders and Levantine nobility, and Guy was viewed negatively in Levantia for decades afterwards. | ||
[[File:Denier of Guy II de la Roche.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Coin minted during the reign of Prince Guy I, who established the Crusader Principality of Halfway.]] | |||
After the crusading army crisis had passed, Guy began to build the island's administration and reform society along Levantine lines. Guy divided the island into six counties with each including a major city, with borders roughly shaped as wedges running through to peak of Mount Pinefor, with the County of Koureiros remaining with the Prince. Additionally, the land in the island's interior were divided into nominal estates for farming according to the Levantine model. The unsuitability of the interior for agriculture, however, meant that many of the new nobility were immediately destitute. Manor lords became nominal titles by the end of Guy's reign, with Levantine transplants selling their "manors" and "estates" to prominent native merchants for a small figure and returning to Levantia. From this period on, "Pinefor Manors" became the common means of social mobility within Halfway society, as any individual with enough money could buy their way into titular nobility. A few industrious merchants attempted to make use of the land they held in the interior, with few success stories, though the enclosure of the island did contribute to the reduction of jungle by 15% between [[1050]] and [[1750]]. In order to ensure the Principality's longterm success, Guy brought in several other of his [[Bergendii]] countrymen to rebuild and operate the Principality's fleet. For the next four centuries, the Principality's military fleet would be unusually professional and take on a distinctly Bergendii character that established it as above its similarly sized peers, ensuring the Principality's independence. The longest lasting of Guy's reforms was the institution of the Great Court, an advisory body of the new lords of the realm that would assist him in governing the island. The Great Court, in this form, was comprised of a small clique of senior knights and prominent mercantile officials (lords of the Pinefor Manors) that provided feedback and suggestions to Guy as he solidifed rule over the island. The Great Court would survive Guy I's death in [[1112]] and would serve as an important source of advice to subsequent Princes of Halfway. The institution would receive formal rules and recognition in [[1231]] and would be reformed several times to eventually include democratic representation and two chambers; today it serves as the Provincial legislature. | After the crusading army crisis had passed, Guy began to build the island's administration and reform society along Levantine lines. Guy divided the island into six counties with each including a major city, with borders roughly shaped as wedges running through to peak of Mount Pinefor, with the County of Koureiros remaining with the Prince. Additionally, the land in the island's interior were divided into nominal estates for farming according to the Levantine model. The unsuitability of the interior for agriculture, however, meant that many of the new nobility were immediately destitute. Manor lords became nominal titles by the end of Guy's reign, with Levantine transplants selling their "manors" and "estates" to prominent native merchants for a small figure and returning to Levantia. From this period on, "Pinefor Manors" became the common means of social mobility within Halfway society, as any individual with enough money could buy their way into titular nobility. A few industrious merchants attempted to make use of the land they held in the interior, with few success stories, though the enclosure of the island did contribute to the reduction of jungle by 15% between [[1050]] and [[1750]]. In order to ensure the Principality's longterm success, Guy brought in several other of his [[Bergendii]] countrymen to rebuild and operate the Principality's fleet. For the next four centuries, the Principality's military fleet would be unusually professional and take on a distinctly Bergendii character that established it as above its similarly sized peers, ensuring the Principality's independence. The longest lasting of Guy's reforms was the institution of the Great Court, an advisory body of the new lords of the realm that would assist him in governing the island. The Great Court, in this form, was comprised of a small clique of senior knights and prominent mercantile officials (lords of the Pinefor Manors) that provided feedback and suggestions to Guy as he solidifed rule over the island. The Great Court would survive Guy I's death in [[1112]] and would serve as an important source of advice to subsequent Princes of Halfway. The institution would receive formal rules and recognition in [[1231]] and would be reformed several times to eventually include democratic representation and two chambers; today it serves as the Provincial legislature. | ||
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== Economy == | == Economy == | ||
Halfway's economy is primarily reliant on tourism given its tropical location, safe environment, and built-up infrastructure. The island's pink sands are considered to be iconic and a major tourist draw; many huge resorts dot the nation's shoreline. The economy is also dependent on the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea]], whose major presence on the island since the [[Occidental Cold War]] has been enhanced. The demilitarization of Lariana in the wake of the [[Assumption Accords]] has | Halfway's economy is primarily reliant on tourism given its tropical location, safe environment, and built-up infrastructure. The island's pink sands are considered to be iconic and a major tourist draw; many huge resorts dot the nation's shoreline. The economy is also dependent on the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea]], whose major presence on the island since the [[Occidental Cold War]] has been enhanced. The demilitarization of Lariana in the wake of the [[Assumption Accords]] has led to an increased military presence on the island, strengthening the local economy. Urcea's major [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] base for the east [[Sarpedon]] theater is located on Halfway, where it has been since 1905. | ||
[[File:Ariane 5ES rolls out.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Halfway is home to the Lucás IV Starport and Launch Facility (LSLF), the primary headquarter of the Royal Orbital Service and Space command.]] | [[File:Ariane 5ES rolls out.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Halfway is home to the Lucás IV Starport and Launch Facility (LSLF), the primary headquarter of the Royal Orbital Service and Space command.]] | ||
Besides tourist and military sources, a major cornerstone of Halfway's economy is the presence of the [[Royal Orbital Service and Space Command]] (ROSSC), Urcea's space program. The ROSSC's primary spaceport, the [[Royal_Orbital_Service_and_Space_Command#Luc.C3.A1s_IV_Starport_and_Launch_Facility_.28LSLF.29|Lucás IV Starport and Launch Facility]], is on Halfway, whose advantageous near-equator location allows for easy orbital launches. Consequently, the technology sector is very well developed on the island as many engineers and engineering firms have relocated to the island since the ROSSC's establishment in 1952. The ROSSC's service to other Levantine nations, such as Burgundie, has only served to further develop the island's economy and reliance on the technology sector, and the [[Government of Urcea]] has taken special care to use some of the fees assessed for ROSSC services for use in development of the island. | Besides tourist and military sources, a major cornerstone of Halfway's economy is the presence of the [[Royal Orbital Service and Space Command]] (ROSSC), Urcea's space program. The ROSSC's primary spaceport, the [[Royal_Orbital_Service_and_Space_Command#Luc.C3.A1s_IV_Starport_and_Launch_Facility_.28LSLF.29|Lucás IV Starport and Launch Facility]], is on Halfway, whose advantageous near-equator location allows for easy orbital launches. Consequently, the technology sector is very well developed on the island as many engineers and engineering firms have relocated to the island since the ROSSC's establishment in 1952. The ROSSC's service to other Levantine nations, such as Burgundie, has only served to further develop the island's economy and reliance on the technology sector, and the [[Government of Urcea]] has taken special care to use some of the fees assessed for ROSSC services for use in development of the island. | ||
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===Demographics=== | ===Demographics=== | ||
In [[2014]], Halfway's population was estimated to be 10,582,573. Of these, the vast majority identify themselves as [[Urcean people|Urceans]], speak [[Julian Ænglish]], and are members of the [[Catholic Church]]. However, 82% of the island's population self-described themselves as having part or entirely "[[Istroyan people|Istroyan]] ancestry". Additionally, the Julian Ænglish spoken on Halfway is spoken with a regional accent reminiscent of other places in northeastern Sarpedon, as is the case with many residents of the [[The Islands (Urcea)|Urcean insular region]]. Additionally, significant vocabulary additions from Istroyan have created what some have referred to as the "Halfway dialect", though many of these terms have entered common use as slang throughout Urcea since becoming prominent in Halfway. | In [[2014]], Halfway's population was estimated to be 10,582,573. Of these, the vast majority identify themselves as [[Urcean people|Urceans]], speak [[Julian Ænglish]], and are members of the [[Catholic Church]]. However, 82% of the island's population self-described themselves as having part or entirely "[[Istroyan people|Istroyan]] ancestry" with regard to their ethnicity. Additionally, the Julian Ænglish spoken on Halfway is spoken with a regional accent reminiscent of other places in northeastern Sarpedon, as is the case with many residents of the [[The Islands (Urcea)|Urcean insular region]]. Additionally, significant vocabulary additions from Istroyan have created what some have referred to as the "Halfway dialect", though many of these terms have entered common use as slang throughout Urcea since becoming prominent in Halfway. | ||
===Sports=== | ===Sports=== | ||
Halfway does not have a team from any of the Urcean major leagues, but teams from the major leagues as well as college sports are very popular in the province. The University of Koureiros is the most popular sporting institution on the island. UK, as it is known, is generally competitive at the highest levels of Urcean college basketball on a perennial basis. The primary inter-island competition is at the {{wp|high school}} sports level. Indoor ice hockey at the school level is very popular among both students and spectators due to the island's hot climate. Matches in the Halfway Hockey Varsity Association - HHVA - are well attended and feature the largest on-island sporting arenas; attendance of 2,000 or more for a weekly varsity hockey match is not uncommon. | Halfway does not have a team from any of the Urcean major leagues, but teams from the major leagues as well as college sports are very popular in the province. The University of Koureiros is the most popular sporting institution on the island. UK, as it is known, is generally competitive at the highest levels of Urcean college basketball on a perennial basis. The primary inter-island competition is at the {{wp|high school}} sports level. Indoor ice hockey at the school level is very popular among both students and spectators due to the island's hot climate. Matches in the Halfway Hockey Varsity Association - HHVA - are well attended and feature the largest on-island sporting arenas; attendance of 2,000 or more for a weekly varsity hockey match is not uncommon. | ||
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[[Category: Subdivisions of Urcea]] | [[Category: Subdivisions of Urcea]] | ||
[[Category:IXWB]] | [[Category:IXWB]] | ||
[[Category:Map Completion Project]] | [[Category:Istroya]] | ||
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