Dongdo

Dongdo (Seomun: 東都, Jinmun: 동도), formally the City of Dongdo (Seomun: 東都市, Jinmun: 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 islands that constitute 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 Haedong Archipelago as a whole.

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.

Dongdo today 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 1609. Due to its booming tourism and gambling industry, 7 of the 10 largest hotels in Zhenia by the number of rooms are located in Dongdo. It remains the easternmost major city in Zhenia with a metropolitan population of over 1 million to this day.

Economy
As the largest and most populous city in the Haedong Islands, Dongdo remains the primary gateway to the islands' tourism and business, the former which accounts for over 20 percent of the local economy. As the first Zhenian city to have legalized gambling, the primary industries that drive Dongdo's economy are tourism, gambling, finance and conventions, although the city has been pivoting to other industries amid the proliferation of legalized gambling in select locations throughout the nation. Many major businesses originating in the Haedong Islands are headquartered in Dongdo, while some tech companies, in favor of lower property taxes and fewer regulations, have partially relocated their regional headquarters to Dongdo. Other major industries present in the city include military defense, manufacturing and medical services.

Transportation
The Haedong Islands have mostly been disconnected from the mainland's road and rail network throughout history, although a ferry line between the Port of Dongdo and Cheonsan has been nominally considered an extension of the National Expressway network. Attempts to create a direct land connection between Dongdo and the mainland, both via road and rail, have been underway since the Third Republic. In preparation for such attempts, National Expressway 17, the only National Expressway route solely existing within the Haedong Islands, was completed in 1589, spanning between South Dongdo and Shinhaegwan. On May 28, 1600, the 21.1-kilometer Kim Shimin Memorial Bridge, connecting Shinhaegwan and Mokpo, Donghae South Province, was completed, providing direct road and rail connection into the islands: National Expressway 17 was linked into the mainland the same day. In addition, on December 2, 1602, the first Zhenia National Express service into Dongdo, dubbed the Haedong Line, commenced, with the service linking Dongdo Station to Changan Hoban Station via the Northeast Line. However, as the ZNX service runs on electrified conventional tracks, proposals to bring dedicated high-speed tracks into Dongdo has been underway.



Dongdo International Airport, located around 13 kilometers from downtown Dongdo, is the primary air gateway into Dongdo and partially the Haedong Islands. Built on an artificial island around 1.7 kilometers away from the southwestern coast of the city, the airport remains a major gateway for those entering and exiting the islands. The airport is also home to a seaplane port connecting Dongdo with other islands in the archipelago. Partially shared with the Republic of Zhenia Navy Air Warfare Command, it is subject to restrictions in nighttime flights between 23:00 and 6:00 AM the next day. Although mainly offering domestic and regional flights throughout East Tarsis, it offers a smaller number of flights to Dyria, Veharia and Azora.