Geonju

Geonju (Seomun: 建州, Jinmun: 건주), formally the City of Geonju (Seomun: 建州市, Jinmun: 건주시) and formerly known as Seogyeong (Seomun: 西京, Jinmun: 서경, literally meaning 'western capital'), is the provincial capital and largest city of Zhenia's Donggwang Province. As the seventh-most populous city in the nation, it is the most populous and largest city that is a part of a province-level area and instead of being its own metropolitan municipality. Situated near the northeastern edge of Donggwang Province and along the southern bank of the North Taimir River, the city is also the prefectural seat of Geonju Prefecture, which includes a number of adjoining suburban areas as well as the city itself.

Historically referred to as Seogyeong, the city was established by the Geon during the Age of Great Divide and remained a major inland city during the Zhen dynasty. It has been the capital of several mainland Zhenian dynasties as well as numerous states during both Hundred States Eras, particularly after the relocation of the capital of the Wei in the 10th century AC from modern-day Junggyeong to the west, hence earning its name formerly translated as 'western capital'. Although its name as capital was stripped during the Empire of Zhenia and the city significantly damaged during the Zhenian unification wars, it remained a major cultural, economic and educational center of central and western Zhenia. The city's importance as the primary gateway connecting western and central Zhenia expanded hugely, being the inland hub for railways traversing the nation. Following the end of the Second Great War, Geonju grew into a major inland industrial hub, leveraging the inland water transport network via the Taimir as well as hosting several national industrial complexes specializing in automobiles and electronics.

As the seventh most populous city in Zhenia, Geonju is one of the most important commercial, financial, industrial, transportation and telecommunications centers in central and western Zhenia alongside Ariul further to the west. It is widely regarded as the "automobile capital of Zhenia", hosting the headquarters and major facilities of the Jian Motor Group, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the nation. Its economy rivals that of Ariul, being home to more branches of the world's largest corporations than its competitor despite lagging behind total economic size. Its rich history as one of the five historical capitals of the nation has resulted in a boom in tourism in the 15th and 16th centuries AC, with the city home to the second-largest number of World Concordat-recognized historical sites in Zhenia after Junggyeong.

Geography
Almost the entirety of Geonju is situated on the southern bank of the North Taimir River, which runs along the northeastern boundary of Donggwang Province. Geonju is on the northern portion of the Central Zhenian Plains, with few mountains around the city as a whole and the entire city having little elevation differences throughout the cityscape. Its highest point is in Imperial Hill at 154.5 meters above sea level, while its lowest point is found on the moats just ahead of the Taimir Batteries, its elevation measured at 43.5 meters above sea level.

Economy
Alongside rivaling city Ariul, Geonju is well-known for its high-tech and heavy industries, hosting the global headquarters of Jian Motor Group, Muhan AG and GESCO. Manufacturing, which includes many of the high-tech industries in the city, remains the most heavily represented sector in Geonju's economic pie, directly and indirectly contributing to almost 40% of the city's employment as well as around 43% of the city's gross domestic product. It is also home to one of the nation's lowest unemployment rates at around 3.5%. While the city's economic activities are primarily led by larger industrial corporations, hundreds of also have major manufacturing hubs in the city, mostly specializing in automotive parts and steel-based products.

Being home to the global headquarters of many of Zhenia's most prominent automobile manufacturers, including Jian Motor Group and Muhan AG, Geonju has been praised as the "automobile capital of Zhenia". The first gasoline-powered automobiles and motorcycles in Zhenia are said to have been experimented in present-day western Geonju towards the end of the 15th century AC, hence earning its nickname. The city to this day is home to the National Automotive Industry Museum, the single largest dedicated automobile museum in the nation, as well as other major automotive museums sponsored by automobile companies based in the city. While some manufacturing plants relocated to Southeast Tarsis and Adwa in search of tariff evasion and cheaper labor costs by the end of the 16th century AC, resulting in the city's economic decline at the same time, the city has seen a resurgence in its automotive industry as the core of the industry shifted to manufacturing in the 17th century AC with the advent of Surimae as the nation's prominent electric automotive manufacturer.

Transport
Geonju is designated as a key railway hub by the Zhenia National Railway Company (ZhenRail), resulting in it being a major hub in the ZNX network as well as numerous intercity trains. It operates through services to most major cities across the nation. Long-distance trains and most ZNX services stop in Geonju Central Station, the city's main railway hub, while a select number of ZNX trains and other intercity trains also make stops in Geonju South Station around 5 kilometers south of the central station. Geonju South Station is also directly linked with and a  adjacent to the Port of Geonju, the second-largest inland port in the nation, contributing to the city being a major rail freight hub.

Geonju is primarily served by Geonju International Airport, which is the eighth-busiest airport in the nation and the second-busiest in central Zhenia by air traffic. The airport primarily connects the city to other major cities around Zhenia and in East Tarsis via numerous domestic flights, while the city's business demands have also resulted in the establishment of flights connecting the city to key cities in Azora, Dyria and Veharia. Geonju International Airport is a for all three of the nation's  and many of the nation's budget airlines, while the Zhenian budget carrier Seobu Air is headquartered in the city.

The Port of Geonju, a port located along the city's southeastern edge and directly facing the North Taimir River, is the nation's second-largest inland port by cargo tonnage. It is a major stopping point for cargo from Central Zhenia moving to ports in central and southern Zhenia, as well as ferry services that traverse the river all the way to Jinhae.

Points of interest
Given its history and rich cultural heritage, Geonju is home to numerous points of interest, many of them having been designated as historic/cultural heritage sites by the Zhenian Government and/or associated branches of the World Concordat. Some of the most notable points include:


 * Suiming Palace, the imperial palace used by the Wei and Zhu dynasties, located in the Old City area
 * Seoan Pagoda, the only surviving remains of the historic Seoan Temple, as well as one of the largest surviving Wuist pagodas in Zhenia today.
 * National Automotive Industry Museum, the single largest museum dedicated to automotive manufacturing in Zhenia, being home to numerous automotive collections rare elsewhere