Molybdenum

Molybdenum (pron. [mɑlɪbdɛnəm]) is the capital of Iriyan Jaya. It is also the largest city of Sakalum.

History and Name

The name Molybdenum comes from the Shiriyu words "Moli", rain, "Libat", to wait, and "Denium", city. Together, a poetic translation of the name is "The place where we waited all day for you in the rain."

About 480 years ago, when Brigolian colonists were conquering Jaya Island, Colonel DM de Carrier and Chieftess Jenny Gelets-Gelets had agreed to meet on the Molandan Plateau for a series of negotiations. This was met with much joy, and as a sign of willingness of the Shiriyu people to work towards a peaceful solution, Chieftess Jenny Gelets-Gelets was accompanied by all of her warriors.

When the Shiriyu arrived at the plateau, it was raining. The netogiation group waited for two days in the rain for the Brigolians in vain, before returning to the Shiriyu capital of Vigilium. Upon thier arrival, it was discovered that the Brigolians had taken advantage of their absence to kill the remaining inhabitants of the town. The capital of Vigilium was abandoned, and the survivors refounded the capital at Molybdenum, as a sign that they were still waiting to negotiate with the Brigolian Crown for a peaceful solution.

Molybdenum soon became the hub for Shiriyu life, and the main city of the Brigolian government of the Blue Mountains. The Shiriyu of this city, led by Albert Johnson, were the first to rebel against the Brigolian Crown, declaring the Free State of Sakalum here in 1954. This triggered the ensuing Iriyan Independence Wars. Though the site of the bloody Battle of the Mandan Underplateau, Molybdenum was one of the few cities left untouched by the fighting that engulfed the Island. In 1962, the capital of the Republic of Sakalum was situated at Molybdenum, and it became the provincial capital of Sakalum when Sakalum acceded to the Federation in 1970. In 1972, after a Brigolian revolt in Central City, and a flood in Kowloon Bay, the city of Molybdenum was selected as the national capital due to its historic significance as the beginning of the Federation, and its relative safety from foreign invasion and natural disasters. The capital of Sakalum was moved to Gadolinium to make way for the federal government.

Demographics

Since no census has been ordered since Federation in 1970, all figures are estimates based on popuation growth patterns.

In 2006, Molybdenum proper was estimated to have 750,000 residents. The metropolitan area, which includes Fetetzlium, Molandium, Queen's Creek, and Birch Grove, is estimated to have 1,000,000 residents.

In addition, due to the fact that Shiriyu may be counted as a resident of Sakalum by basis of tribal identity, the total residency of people claiming affiliation to the Molybdenum Metropolitan Area is estimated at 1,200,000 residents.