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Cara County
County
Comarca da Cara
From top down, left to right: Downtown LaMarque; São Caedema Portlands Development; Niteneiro Square in Talara City; LaMarque's ; CAMA Blue Line Station in LaMarque; Cara County Superior Court of Verona; and the Mendes River Bridge, which carries IH-55
Flag Logo of Cara County
Country	Cartadania
State	Verona
Region	Northern Verona
Metro area	Alahuela Metro Area
Chartered	1710
County seat	LaMarque
Incorporated cities	5
Government
• Body	Board of Supervisors
• Chief executive officer	Isaias Mariani (SDP)
Area
• Total	12,615.1 km2 (4,870.7 sq mi)
• Land	12,605.5 km2 (4,867.0 sq mi)
• Water	9.6 km2 (3.7 sq mi)
Area rank	3rd
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,494,641
• Density	200/km2 (510/sq mi)
PEP code	32010 - 32049
Area code(s)	272/609
Website	Cara County Website

Cara County, officially the County of Cara (Cartadanian: Comarca da Cara) is a county in the Cartadanian Commonwealth of Verona. It is situated in northern Verona on the southern and southeastern banks of the Mendes River, directly across from Alahuela and Rieti County, Alexandria. As of the 2030 census, the county's population sits at 2,494,641, making it the eighth-largest county in Verona by population. It is the largest and most populous division of the National metro area. Cara County is the 5th highest-income county in Verona, and among the top 20 in Cartadania by median family income.

Due to the county's proximity to Alahuela, it is home to Fortaleza, the headquarters for the Department of Defense. It also serves as the base of operations for many of the federal governments offices outside of Alahuela's nine districts and many of its residents are government employees.

History

Cara County holds historical significance as one of Verona's original twelve counties established on 2 November 1630, coinciding with the state's inception. Its name honors the contribution of Llorençe Almeyque Cara, a surveyor from Fortuna, who played a crucial role in mapping the land during that period. Initially, the county comprised sixteen prefectures, which served as self-governing entities until the state abolished the prefecture system in 1703.

Over time, changes in administrative boundaries occurred, resulting in the formation of four additional separate and distinct counties. In 1695, the two southernmost prefectures seceded to create Mayes County, while three prefectures near the state border became Glades County in 1713. In the eastern region, four prefectures situated southeast of the Elisabeth River were also separated. The northern pair became Elisabeth County in 1716, named after the river it adjoined, while the southern duo evolved into Arrechia County in 1801. This is where the boundaries of the counties sit today.

Before the partition of 1716, the county seat was at Elisabeth City (now Santa Isabel) on the southeastern bank at the mouth of Elisabeth River. When the county began to split, Elisabeth City was part of the prefectures given to Elisabeth County. The county seat was moved to Lirata, which was also lost when Arrechia County split in 1801. Finally, in 1807, the county established its county seat in LaMarque, adjacent to the federal capital and in the northernmost portion of the county, where it has remained ever since.

The late 19th century and early 20th century saw a population explosion for Cara County as the Great Wars ravaged Sarpedon. The Department of Defense started heavily investing in the area of northern Verona due to its low cost compared to Alahuela proper and neighboring Alexandria. As a result, many employees of the government, and especially the Department of Defense, both contract and permanent hires, found themselves working in the county. This sparked a migration from other parts of the state and country as the DoD attempted to consolidate its resources and administration in the area, ultimately choosing LaMarque as the location for Fortaleza, the DoD's headquarters.

The county's involvement with the federal government continued to grow as other government offices and agencies began to relocate from other parts of the country and Alahuela to Verona in an effort to save costs while still being quite close to the capital. The result was a five-county area in Verona that today amounts to 7.2 million residents, the overwhelming majority of the Alahuela metro area. Throughout the 1960s, the county's public university, the University of Verona, Northwest, in collaboration with Erudite and the Energy Department, began a research study on the recently discovered plutonium, in which uranium was irradiated and transmuted into plutonium. The plutonium was then chemically separated from the uranium, using the bismuth phosphate process. This allowed the university and federal government to create and test the country's first nuclear warhead in an effort to deter Venceia from dropping another bomb during the cold war like it had done in Talionia during the Second Great War. This research was known as Project Io.

With the surge in population following the postwar baby boom and a growing preference for suburban living, large-scale housing developers seized opportunities to acquire expansive agricultural lands within the central county. These developers transformed the once predominantly rural landscape, dominated by pineapple fields and cattle ranches, into affordable, low-density suburbs. Typically, modestly priced homes were erected on spacious 0.1-hectare (0.25-acre) lots, catering to the demand for three- and four-bedroom houses with generous yards. This residential expansion was driven not only by the high population density in Alahuela but also by the growing desire for larger, more affordable housing options beyond the established districts of the capital city.

The county's growth was further propelled by the federal government's expansion during and after the Second Great War, leading to rapid development and an increasingly suburban character. Additionally, a flourishing technology sector and a stable government-driven economy contributed to the county's rapid expansion and the emergence of a diverse and sizable population. These factors, combined with a thriving economy, have positioned Cara County among the nation's most affluent counties.

While the presence of white-collar government employees had long been notable, particularly in the northern regions of the county, the 1980s through the 2000s witnessed a significant demographic shift. During this period, this group came to dominate the majority of residential neighborhoods throughout Cara County. Consequently, the socioeconomic landscape changed, and the once-working-class communities in areas like Solma, Pleasanton, Foxhill, Praça Santo Antônio, Betoria, and Mar Gordo experienced a notable economic transformation.

Education

Cara Independent School District is the public school district serving all of Cara County. All of district's 162 schools are fully accredited at rank Exemplary. Cara County spends about half of its local revenues on education. That being said, however, most of CISDs funding is from a mix of county and state funding, bonds, and property taxes. For the FY2036, 36 percent of funding was from local revenues, 15 percent from state funding, and 49 percent from property taxes. Per pupil expenditures are, on average, about $19,406, which places it on par with neighboring counties, typical of northern Verona.

The University of Verona, Northeast serves the northern tip of Verona and is located in the county's heart, in the city of LaMarque. It enrolls approximately 32,000 students and offers 135 areas of study in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.

Transportation

Alahuela Metro Authority (METRO or AMA) is the multi-jurisdiction, metropolitan transit authority for Cara County, as well as Alahuela and surrounding counties in both Alexandria and Verona.