Dongdo

Dongdo (: 東都, : 동도), formally the City of Dongdo (: 東都市, : 동도시), is the provincial capital and most populous city in the Haedong Special Administrative Region. Situated on the southwestern coast of Seondo Island, the largest of the Haedong Archipelago and home to almost 1.4 million residents, it is one of the most densely populated cities in Zhenia, with an average of 12,925 residents per square kilometer - it is home to over half of the population of the entire Haedong Special Administrative Region.

Originally established as a hub for Haedong pirates in antiquity, Dongdo rose to become the heart of sea trade in the North Zhenian Sea after Jinhyuk Chang established the Dongdojin in modern-day eastern Dongdo, around 889 AD - the eastern node of the global sea trade routes at the time. Its stance as a trading hub enabled the independence of the Republic of Haedong from 904 to 1355, until it was annexed by the Shindan dynasty. Under the Shindan dynasty, it crumbled from a trading hub to a backwater port city as the Shindan's priorities shifted to the southern coasts. The city's revitalization, however, happened with the construction of Port Donghaejin, the largest military shipyard and port in Zhenian history, in 1915 and the legalization of gambling during the Third Republic by Kim Shimin. Since then, the city has seen unprecedented economic growth amid the influx of private capital for entertainment, tourism and gambling.

Today, Dongdo is the economic center of the Haedong Special Administrative Region, while also hosting the administrative capital of the SAR as well. It is also home to the highest GDP per capita in Zhenia at over $64,000 as of 2019. It is also one of the most visited tourist destinations in Zhenia, with over 12 million international tourists visiting the city in 2019. Due to its booming tourism and gambling industry, 7 of the 10 largest hotels by number of rooms are located in Dongdo.