Chapeauxdix

From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search

Chapeauxdix is a moderately large city in Sober Thought and provincial capital of Thuvia. It was named after a band of ten francophone adventurers who first used the spot as a way station to the interior and a recuperation spot from. Thus, it was where the ten men hung their hat when they were not exploring and exploiting the riches further inland.

Although it long ago lost the battle for demographic supremacy to nearby Georgetown with only one percent of the national population, it still tenaciously clings to its legislative supremacy and other remnants of its past grandeur. It most closely resembles Drewburgh in local history, development, economy and naval background. Its partner city in Baranxtu is Leiris.


Urban landscape

The city is situated on rocky shores near a U-shaped ocean inlet forming an excellent natural haven. More conventional English-speaking setters quickly overwhelmed the original transient French-speaking explorers. The city grew in fits and starts as the market for interior goods like furs, timber, gold and minerals rose and fell.

Effectively, there was no city planning during this series of boom-bust cycles, so the streets are irregular in topography, toponomy and width. Its streets were a hodgepodge of back alleys, civic squares, broad avenues, quaint culs-de-sac and meandering roads. The names often convey a wildly inaccurate picture of their streetscapes, distinguished names often being used on seedy neighbourhoods and rather utilitarian ones often appearing in wealthy ones.

Similarly, architectural styles are very diverse in the city. Native sturdy but simplistic plans where used in times when money was tight and function was more important than form. However, when denizens had more money than brains they built impractical but ornate or even gaudy structures to mimic those from supposedly more sophisticated cities.

Together, these factors give the city a European charm which rarely exist outside Hochelaga and more specifically Mont Royaume and Ville de Hochelaga.


Urban economy

Fishing, the main primary industry still remaining, employs a small number of people directly and many more indirectly in the food processing sector. Prior to environmental awareness, the fisheries were overworked but for decades sensible management of these aquatic resources and the development of fish farms has kept the sector and marine life healthy.

The services and government sectors account for most of the economic activity in Chapeauxdix. Those employed in education, health and the direct public sector support a large number of retirees with their tax dollars.

The natural harbour serves one of the largest naval bases and the most northerly base of the Community Defence Forces. CDF Naval Service surface combattants like destroyers and frigates are often found in and around Chapeauxdix. It is a regular port of call for merchant and naval ships on the Bay of Roses.

The city contributes enough parttime soldiers to form a battalion of combat, combat support or service support troops to the Thuvian Civil Guard armoured infantry for every million municipal inhabitants. These battalions serve in the 7 series divisions of mountain infantry and 5 series divisions of armoured infantry.


Governments

Chapeauxdix has three -- not ten -- seats in the House of the Federation. The provincial legislature uses the boundaries of federal seats and divides them in two. Since the city is the capital, the provincial legislative building is located in Chapeauxdix.

The city council is relatively small, consisting of a mayor and 10 controllers all elected at large. This reduces the chance that controversial candidates will get elected, and in fact the city government largely operates away from the public eye and remains untinged by scandal.