Zhuhae

Zhuhae (Seomun: 珠海, Jinmun: 주해), formally the City of Zhuhae (Seomun: 珠海市, Jinmun: 주해시), is a city located in the southern coast of Zhenia's Balhae Province. Being home to 5,014,422 residents as of 1610 AC, it is the most populous city in Balhae Province as well as the eighth-largest city in the nation: of the city's 5 million residents, around 400,000 reside in the city's historic Zhuhae Island district, while the remainder primarily reside on the more recently-developed mainland portion of the city. Situated on the southern coast of the Balhae Peninsula, the city consists of Zhuhae Island and the adjoining mainland and sets of islands facing the Hanmaric Ocean to its southeast.

Starting around Zhuhae Island and around the island since antiquity, Zhuhae grew into prominence as it became the historic capital of the Republic of Zhuhae since the demise of the Zhen dynasty, lasting well over a millennium from 118 to 1379 AC. It rose to become a major financial and maritime hub, linking southern Zhenia to maritime trade routes extending towards the Western Hanmaric Ocean and Southeast Tarsis. It was a key trading center for numerous commodities found around the trade route, including silk, grain, paper, spice and classical art, while the city rose to show the first examples of early capitalism in Zhenian history during the 8th and 9th centuries AC. Long after reaching the republic's climax in the 11th century AC, it became a protectorate of Shindan in 1379 AC and was later annexed into Shindan in 1388 AC, during the Zhenian unification wars. Even after annexation into Shindan, Zhuhae remained as a major point for industrialization and trade as the southern gateway to mainland Zhenia, while it grew into an important military port following the rise of Yinguo and the subsequent stationing of the Third Fleet of both the Imperial Zhenian Navy and later the Republic of Zhenia Navy.

Located at the center of modern Zhenia's southeastern coast, Zhuhae has risen to become one of the most important ports in Zhenia, serving as a major maritime gateway to southern Zhenia as well as mainland Zhenia as a whole. Its world-class port, with concentrated sea traffic, is the third-busiest in the nation by cargo tonnage after Jinhae and Gwangseong. Its rich history and cultural heritage has also made the city a major tourist destination in recent years. The city draws numerous parallels with Gwangseong in the east with several similar aspects that define the city: hence, it is referred to as one of the 'two maritime pillars of Zhenia' alongside Gwangseong.