New Haven (planet)

For current inhabiting nation information, see New Haven.

Overview

New Haven is a planet in the New Haven System, approx. 30 light-years from Sol. It is about the same size as the Earth and has a moon (roughly 3/4ths the size of Earth's Moon) referred to as Thor for the occasional small-scale electrical outbursts and EM interference which eminate from the moon. The planet has a very strong magnetic field (double that of Earth's) with a very thick ozone layer.

Geography and Climate

The planet is 81% water and 19% land (this has changed since observations have disproven original assumptions of an ice cap in the northern hemisphere). New Haven has three continents, two in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern hemisphere.

The first northern continent, referred to as New Ceres, is the first and most heavily occupied continent on the planet. It was named for its ability to readily accept Terran plant life (while all continents had the same acceptance, New Ceres was the first to show this trait). It lies higher than the second northern continent, meaning it is primarily grasslands, large freshwater lakes and temperate rain forests. It is about the size of Earth's South American continent, and its highest point is Consus Peak (3500 meters above sea level), which is part of the Pointed Range (in the center of the continent).

The second northern continent, referred to as New Pomona, is the second most heavily occupied continent on the planet, is mostly rural. It was named for its great soil and climate zones which promoted the growth of a variety of fruits (tropical and temperate). While the northern half is mainly grasslands, the west coast is dotted with temperate rain forests and its southern zones with a thin belt of tropical rainforest. It is about twice the size of Earth's African continent, and its highest point is Mount Vulcan (3500 meters), a great shield volcano surrounded by rich soil and great rivers on the scale of the Nile and the Amazon back on Earth.

The southern continent, referred to New Fortuna, is the least occupied continent on the planet, and is mainly dotted with mining settlements and military outposts. It was named for the great mineral wealth detected under its soil. The part closest to the equator is shielded by the Great Belt, a string of tall mountains along its northeastern, northern and northwestern shores which prevents moisture from permiating into the Great Sand Expanse, a desert the size of the Sahara on Earth with conditions matching the Empty Quarter. The great wealth this terrain supplies is beneath the GSE, meaning that environmental suits must be worn by citizens of the various mining settlements. The southern expanse is mostly tropical rain forest with a slight belt of grasslands. The continent is about the size of Australia, its northern edge lies 5º south of the equator, and its highest point is Mount Hudson (10000 meters) on the northeast portion of the Great Belt.

Generally, New Haven's climate is considered "stable" by New Havenic scientists, due to the fact its current warm period has lasted the better part of one billion years. Since no land masses prevail across the equatorial zones, the ITCZ is able to produce very intense tropical systems which pummel the coasts of all three continents during their geographical spring, summer and fall. Tornadoes and other strong thunderstorms occur in the highest latitudes of the continents, where cooler air from the polar regions has its greatest effect. No snowfall has been recorded anywhere on the planet below 10000 meters ASL.

Lifeforms

All of the original lifeforms found on New Haven have been rendered extinct by Terran species of plants and animals (the types of plants and animals chosen to prevent crop and livestock disease and production loss). 98% of the planet's ecosphere was replaced by Terran lifeforms within one generation, with the remaining 2% (being sea-based) wiped out by the introduction of Terran fish, sea mammals, sea birds, mollusks, sponges, corals and jellyfish.

Habitation

Human habitation has occurred on all three continents (the planet's total population being 1,500,000,000 strong), but the most has occurred in New Ceres. The city of New Freeport (pop. 550,000,000) dominates the landscape around it, with its central citadel towering as high as 2,500 meters above the ground. Unlike the city's originator on Earth, New Freeport was built well-inland to protect it against possible tsunamis and the annual hurricane activity. Several other cities (not as large or impressive as New Freeport) have sprung up in response to the amount of agriculture storage and central transport needed in the various Agricultural Districts. Various military facilities, including a backup control center for the Hermes Gate System, reside in the various hills and mountains on the continent.

On New Pompona, the only city that exists is Pompona City (pop. 150,000,000), a city with a Minor Citadel (shorter than the one in New Freeport). It is a gathering place for continental authority and a place where the great abundance of fruit grown on the continent is brought for processing and shipping. Rural settlements are small and revolve around the tending to and annual harvest of the various fruits.

On New Fortuna, the mining settlements have populations no larger than 10,000 per settlement. The people residing there live in domed environments and wear environmental suits when traveling outside the dome in case of a transportation breakdown. Miners routinely pull out and process a wide variety of minerals from the continent annually and current signs show that this production has yet to reach peak production, so continued habitation on the continent is likely for the next several generations.

Mineral and Agricultural Resources

New Haven, even after hundreds of years of human habitation, is still incredibly rich in agricultural products and mineral wealth. The following lists show the type of resources available from the planet:

Agriculture:

Wheat Barley Oats Corn Potatoes Carrots Beans (all kinds) Nuts (all kinds) Grapes Apples Pears Peaches All Citrus Fruits Oranges Grapefruit Bananas Sugarcane Agave plants

(The Following cannot be imported without proper vaccinations and/or year-long quarantine)

Cows Pigs Chickens Goats Horses Sheep Fish (trout, salmon, swordfish, limited variety of sharks) Lobster Alaskan King Crab

Minerals (either extracted or manmade in various industrial processes):

Iron Copper Nickel Tin Cobalt Titanium Vanadium Thorium Polonium Uranium Plutonium Potassium Sodium Cesium Lithium Carbon Silicon Gold Silver Platnium Phosphorous Helium Crude Oil (small amounts extracted for plastics and other industrial needs) Magnesium Manganese (list subject to change)