Monitava

Monitava is the most populous city in the Kingdom of Kathia and the Province of Ivadia. The city has a population of 3.8 million, with a total of 10.3 million in the surrounding metropolis, representing about half of the population of the entire province. Located in the Monitava Bay, it was considered a fortified area but lacked development due to its proximity to Achysia, however in 1832 Vaszare I established a naval base here, and the city subsequently grew around it. By 1910, it had grown to the 3rd largest city with over 500,000 residents, and by the start of WW2 was the second largest city. The expanded megacity accounts for nearly 11 million people, making it one of the largest in Aurora.

However, the city was completely destroyed during the fierce fighting in Battle of Monitava, and further destroyed by Allied bombing and Second Battle of Monitava in 1944-45. The city was rebuilt in its modern grid form after the war, and the fresh start for the city saw it become the new administrative center for the fledging Auroran Community, for which it is now considered the de facto capital. By 1970, Monitava overtook Ravonne as the most populous city.

Today, Monitava is a renowned financial center, and is one of the major financial centers in Aurora and the world, and also hosts many museums and memorials. The city still hosts the major naval base for which it was built, and is also home to the Royal Kathic Naval Academy. Monitava is also home to the highest concentration of skyscrapers in Aurora, as well as many of the tallest skyscrapers on the continent.

It is also a very diverse city, with large immigrant neighborhoods that established themselves again in the 1950s. Immigrants make up nearly a quarter of the city's population as of the last census in 2011, and continues to attract many new immigrants as the city continues to grow.

Etymology
The origins of the name Monitava is unknown. However, the name first appeared on a map in the 9th Century AC where the original village once was. It has been noted by scholars the the Saint Illic Peninsula was originally called the Monitava Peninsula by the Elyrians, however there are few sources to back up these claims, the most notable being a manuscript from an unknown cartographer in the 1st century BC.

Early History
The area has been inhabited since the Elyrian empire, although the exact date of settlement is unknown. However, a town has been recorded as existing near the modern central core of Monitava since the first century BC. How the name Monitava came to be is also hotly debated, but the town and subsiquent city have been called as such since it was first recorded on Elyrian maps. The area had been home to a large city on the St Illic Peninsula, but it was however wiped out during the Calamity of Elyria, and the remains of the city are not known with only a few buildings being recovered. The area remained insignificant for centuries with the economic activity of the province being centered in Varsava, and the area of modern Ivadia was often seen as a cultural and economic backwater by the upper echelons of society as it's main production focus was agriculture and it had no major population centers.

After the fall of the Elyrian Empire, the Duchy of Ivadia assumed control of the area. The city itself was stated as being the 5th largest in the Duchy at 23,000 residents. By 200 AC, the Duchy of Ivadia was subservient to the King of Kathia, but the rest of the middle ages saw now advancements or progress in the city. Only moderate progress in areas of commerce and in the fishing industries came to fruition due to the incessant feudal squabbling and wars against Vathora which ravaged the area over time. The city's proximity to the nation's longtime rival proved to be a hindrance at any attempt to grow the city population wise or economically for most of it's existence.

The city was ravaged by the Wars of Religion, with around a quarter to half the population leaving or being killed during the long period of war and invasion. Like much of the rest of Kathia, the city was incorporated in to the Neo-Elyrian Empire under Daeron only to be taken back a few years later when the Kathic Empire was formed by Miral the Great.

Revolution
By the time of the Revolution, the city had grown to about 50,000 people, but it remained loyal to the Empire. As such, the city was sieged out by Republican forces in 1380. Following its capture after the 2-week siege, the population was subject to reprisals under the Republican Terror where many officials were violently murdered or executed by mobs. Some 100-1,000 people in the city were killed.

The city sustained some growth under the Republic, but was quickly captured by Coalition forces lead by Achysia in 1404 during the Final Campaign and was occupied by their forces for 2 years before the city was formally turned over to the newly established Kingdom of Kathia.

Modern History


Prior to 1832, the area had been home to a small naval base for nearly 200 years, but various wars had prevented the Kingdom and Empire from establishing a large naval presence due to its close proximity to long-time enemy, Achysia. However, the Kingdom of Kathia had established relatively peaceful relations with its neighbors after its defeat in the Republican Wars, and to increase economic activity in what was considered at the time a backwater area, established a large naval base in the protected bay. The initial base was complete by 1835, however expansion projects continued for nearly 100 years as the city expanded.

The first major population boom came as the naval base expanded, and the city went from 25,000 residents in 1831 to 100,000 by 1861. The flat plain allowed the city to sprawl, and avoid being as dense as the many older cities such as Corava and Vydau. However, almost all of the original buildings built in this period did not survive World War II.

The First World War saw a slowdown in population and economic activity, as people feared moving to a city so close to Achysia and front line of the war. The naval base, however, served as an extremely important tool for the Kathic military, as it could quickly supply troops and ships from there. As such, the base is widely considered a large factor in forcing the war to drag on. This would, however, mean that it became a prime target for the rapidly advancing Achysian forces in the Second World War. The Battle of Monitava lasted 3 months, and allowed Kathia some time to build up its forces before being surrounded, and the city was forced to surrender. Under Achysian occupation, most of the city was left in ruin, however the naval base was rebuilt enough for the Achysian Navy to use it. Many outer communities survived total destruction, and as a result homes and apartment blocks became crowded, and many people moved to other cities. The population declined from 1 million at the start of the war to nearly 800,000 by 1946. In 1945, the city was recaptured by Kathic forces and rebuilding plans began.

The Rebuilding of Monitava took nearly 30 years to complete, and some scholars believe it wasn't officially over until 1980. Many do consider the completion of the Imperial Center in 1974 to be the real end, though. However, due to no law existing to protect the now-destroyed historic areas of the city, the original street plan and original neighborhoods were leveled and replaced with a more grid-like system that now forms the downtown area. The original city center would come to be home to a majority of the city's skyscrapers. In 1949, some measures were taken to restore the Aszourdal neighborhood, which is were the original town stood, and is today one of the few remaining areas that is preserved in pre-war conditions.

The post-war use of automobiles also meant the city was a testing ground for the new Autoroute system, and many people moved to new suburbs as Kathia transitioned from densely populated cities to white-collar single family homes. Whilst the city is known for its large scale single-family home tracts, it is still more common to see apartment blocks similar to other Kathic and Auroran cities.

Politics
Due to being the largest city in Kathia, the city is seen as a very politically influential city in the nation. Many politicians, including several former prime ministers, have been born in Monitava. The city is usually ruled by Mutualists or Ecologists in the city center voting districts, with many of the districts on the outer edges voting either National People's Party or New Democratic Front. The city itself constitutes a large voting bloc within the Province of Ivadia as most of the residents of the Province live within the large metropolitan area of the city.

Like all Kathic cities, the city has a mayor-council form of government. The city has its own internal voting districts who vote for representatives for city council. Due to the large nature of the city and population, the Mutualist League and Ecologist Party have their own separate affiliate parties in the city as opposed to being from the Provincial affiliates.

Economy


Since the 1570s, Monitava has become the largest economic engine in Kathia, and one of largest in the world. The city is also home to the largest port in Kathia, the Port of Monitava, which as been the nation's leading port since the 1440s. Several international corporations have their headquarters in Monitava, such as Air Kathia, Bank of the East, Evas, and a multitude of other companies. The Royal Government is a major employer in the Bay Area, along with the Auroran Community. Both of whom maintain large offices in the city. The Royal Government continues to be a large tenet in the Ivadia Center. A large number of foreign companies have offices in the city, especially in the downtown area of the city. The city is also home to a growing technology companies, particularly in the Kourvas district outside of downtown. The city has a GDP of around Ↄ500 billion, about 75% of Caliszava's total GDP.

Monitava is home to some of the most expensive real estate in Aurora. The total real estate in the city is worth about Ↄ980 billion, and real estate as a whole is a large part of the economy. The most expensive real estate transaction in Kathia occured in 1599 when the Ivadia Center was purchased by Feveral Land for Ↄ4.1 billion.

The city has become a large tourist destination, being the second biggest tourist city after Ravonne. Major attractions include the Old Docks (now repurposed as an upscale shipping district), the Ivadia Center, Monitava Zoo, Monitava Aquarium, Royal Center of the Preforming Arts, Monitava Botanical Gardens, Ivadia Air & Space Museum, and the Royal Vaszare Park in downtown Monitava.

Demographics
In 2018 the population was listed as 3,857,991, and increase from the 2012 census which listed the population at 3.5 million. Since the 1540s, the city has had consistent population growth in the city itself as well as the suburbs that developed after the Second World War and further aided by the construction of the extensive highway and metropolitan rail system. Ravonne had, for the entire history of Kathia, been the largest city. Monitava had been on track to outpace Ravonne in population during the 1930s and was expected to overtake it in the 1960s. However, the War proved devastating and left the city in ruin while Ravonne had been far less damaged comparatively speaking. Nevertheless, Monitava became the largest city in Kathia in 1577, although its metropolitan area had been larger since 1569.

Monitava is one of the most diverse cities in Aurora, and is home to the largest Zhenian population on the continent, home to more the 77% of the total Zhenian-Kathic population as well as the oldest Little Zhenia in Aurora. A large number of people from the Auroran Community reside in Monitava, mainly due to job opportunities as well as jobs related to the government of the AC who has several government buildings and agencies based in the city. Overall, the city is home to one of the largest foreign born communities in the world, with around 30% of people in the metropolitan area having been born in another country and a further 10% with one immigrant parent.

Language
Around 70% of Monitavans spoke only Kathic at home. And with accordance with Kathic law, a vast majority of the population has good knowledge of High Elyrian. Zhenian, Achysian, Ichorian,and Salish are also widely spoken in their respective immigrant community. A sizeable portion speaks Makkay, following the exodus of the Makkay people from Dhamila during that nation's military rule.

Religion
Around 34% of people in Monitava subscribe to Vayonism, but when not factoring in those who said they are not religious or athiest around 57% of all religious people in Monitava are Vayonist. Other major religions include Zhenian Wuism and Abayadi Rite Aranism.

Transportation
Monitava has become a global transport hub since the late 15th century. And as Kathia's largest city, it is often seen as the nation's largest transport hub. The rail network has long since connected the city to the rest of the nation, and Monitava has the most extensive highway network in Kathia. Since the 1590s, it has been home to the busiest airport in the country with both major Kathic airlines (Air Kathia and Kathic Allonian Airlines) habing hubs at Monitava-Vourane International Airport.

Air
Monitava-Vourane International Airport (: MVN) serves as the main airport, and is also the second busiest in Kathia and one of the busiest in the world. It handles 59.4 million passengers in 2018. Monitava Bay Airport (: MON)serves as a secondary airport, and many low-cost carriers utilize it rather than Monitava-Vourane. Monitava-Vourane opened in 1595, after which is supplanted Monitava Bay Airport (then known as Monitava Airport) as the primary international airport. Monitava Bay Airport is located 14km north of Monitava, and could not cope with the rising demand since it no room to expand, as such in 1584 it was decided to construct a new airport 30km north east of the city. Since opening, Monitava-Vourane quickly became the busiest airport in Kathia, and one of the busiest in Aurora. Monitava Bay Airport saw a decrease in air traffic, but today serves 12 million passengers per year making it the 5th busiest in the nation.

Rail
The city was founded during the early days of rail transportation, and as such the rail network in the city is considered very efficient due to the clean slate rail network that was constructed during the mid-19th and 20th centuries. The city, along with Corava, was the first line to be opened for the Kathic Inert-City High Speed Rail System in 1571.

Monitava is served by mainly by Monitava Imperial Station, which was originally built in 1488, but destroyed during World War Two. It was rebuilt by 1949 and that station was subsequently torn down and replaced by the current building in 1592 after the Monitava Imperial Station fire in 1598. Monitava Imperial remains one of the busiest passenger stations in Aurora.

Public Transport
Public transportation is headed by the Monitava Bay Area Regional Transit.The city has constructed an extensive Metro network, which is largely underground. While the first line opened in 1526, a second line was expected to be finished in 1533, however construction was halted in 1529 due to the Second World War. The second line was completed in 1539, with 6 more lines completed since then. The Monitava-Bay Area Metro has been the busiest in Kathia since 1983. 904 million people rode the metro system in 1508.

The city also has an extensive regional rail network, which stretches fat beyond the reach of the metro system. The consolidated system was formed in 1579, with lines subsequently being expanded since then. There are 211 stations on the 10 lines of the network, and around 65 million people used the regional rail network in 2015.

Buses have been operated by the city since the 1550s, and is often operated in conjunction with the metro and regional rail networks.

Media
Monitava has long played a role in the media development of Kathia. The city has access to all the major news channels and radio stations in the country, as well as many local and province-wide stations. The city's early news papers included the Monitava Express and the Montiava Times, who both merged in 1511 to form the current Monitava Express-Times, which today is one of the most respected news sources in Kathia and the world. The city is also home to a number of magazines, such as The Kathic and many others. Some of Kathia's first telegraph stations were located in Monitava, and the city played an important role in the development of the telegraph as well as the radio where some of the first radio towers and stations were erected in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Television first came to Monitava just before the Second World War, where a number of expiraments took place in a lab in the city. Development was halted due to the war, but the first regular broadcasts reached the city a few years after the war. Today, several major news outlets and television stations are based in the city, owing to its place as a major film hub developed after the war.

Culture


The city has a cultural rivalry with Ravonne as to which city is the cultural heart of the nation. The city is recognized as a major center for sports, education, arts, music, television, cinema, and literature. The city has been described as the most livable city in Kathia in 1597, 1600, and 1603-1606 (with Vydau often taking the top spot in the years Monitava was not).

It is considered to be the home of the cinema industry in the nation, with many large production lots in and around the metropolitan area. A vast majority of the films produced in Kathia are produced in Monitava, with the film industry in the city accounted for around Ↄ200 million in 1609.

Sport
Monitava is seen as the sporting capital of Kathia, home to several of the nation's oldest sport clubs. The city is home to several city-wide and municipal sports clubs. Monitava has played an important role in developing Kathic sports as a whole, and its teams have one many national as well as international trophies and prizes. Several of the nation's main stadiums are located in the city and in the metropolitan area, notably Air Kathia Arena and Evas Center.

Architecture


The city had been built primarily using wide boulevards and used a new architecture style now known as style. The style of planning and achitecture would later be replicated in the capital, Ravonne, during that city's renovation in the mid-15th century.