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Province: Hesbayeux

Hesbayeux




Geological Location

Population

24 million
(2022- webgame/100)

Capital

Nivelet
(9,1 mm, 13,2 mm metropolitan)

Major Cities

Rocourt (2,6 mm)
Tioû (1,9 mm)
Saint-Truyen (1,2 mm)
La Frênaie (1,2 mm)



Official Language

French, Dutch

Spoken Languages

French (87%)
Dutch (6%)
Latturian (6%)
Other (1%)

Demonym

Hesbayien



Ethnic Groups

Frankish (55,8%)
Knootian (21,1%)
Latturian (12,6%)
Epheronian (1,6%)
Other (7,9%)



Religion

Catholic (83%)
None (14,1%)
Other (2,9%)



Governor

Frédéric Picard (PPC)

Legislature

États Provinciaux

Hesbayeux is a small Knootian province on the southern border with the Southern Low Countries. It is notable for being the only province that is both majority Frankish and majority French-speaking.



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Geography



Hesbayeux is an inland province of relatively hilly terrain and farmlands that give. way to forests along the border with the Southern Low Countries. It is bounded in the east by the Nivelle river, across which lies the coastal plain of Waterland. The northern and western borders with the Teistergouw and Latturia respectively are not marked by any major geographical features. The provincial capital is Nivelet, which is home to about half of the provinces' population and forms a metropolitan area with Orroir and Surlor.

Demographics


Hesbayeux is a majority-minority province, with over half of the population identifying as Frankish, and a solid minority of some 12% identifying as Latturian. The Laturian minority is mostly clustered around the western border of the province, and constitutes a plurality in the city of Rocourt. Knootians, indigenous peoples and minorities of of Greco-Roman descent can mostly be found in the cities, particularly in Nivelet.

The province is overwhelmingly French-speaking, with 87% of the population speaking that language in the home and some 95% of Hesbayien being at least conversant in French. It has also become the language of public life, road signs, restaurant menus and so forth. Dutch, though only spoken as a primary language by 6% of the population, is understood by over two-thirds. It remains a national language, and official documents and trial proceedings will be carried on in Dutch if so requested by the parties. A small minority of people in the western end of the province speak Latturian in the home.

Politics


Party

Ideology

Members of Parliament

Parti Populaire Catholique

Christian Democracy, Regionalism

9

Front Populaire

Democratic Socialism

3

New People's Party

Right-Wing Populism

3

Social-Liberal Party

Centre-left Liberalism

2

Conservative Party

Centre-Right Conservatism

1

Green Party

Centre-left Green

1



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Hesbayeux elects 19 members to the national parliament, the Staten-Generaal. The province is notable for having two native parties, the Parti Populaire Catholique, which caucuses with the Katholieke Volkspartij (Catholic People's Party) on the national level, and the Front Populaire, which affiliates nationally with the United Socialist Front. These two parties are traditionally regarded as the two most influential parties in the province, though other (national) parties also win seats by running local, French-speaking candidates. The three major parties on the national level tend to gain little traction outside of the (relatively) diverse central polling places in Nivelet and Rocourt.

There is a vibrant separatist movement that wishes for independence or (alternatively) a union with the countries' francophone southern neighbour. This movement is genuinely non-partisan, drawing support from both the right and the far-left.

Economy



Though maintaining developed-world levels of GDP per capita, Hesbayeux is the second-poorest province of Knootoss. Its traditional automobile manufacturing industry and metalworks were already teetering and fully collapsed in 2017 leading to the twin challenges of high unemployment and rising crime.

The province still maintains a mining industry, which is heavily subsidised and draws government subsidies for experimenting with 'carbon capture and storage' methods in the provinces' large underground caverns.

Agriculture remains a relatively large, efficient and profitable sector of the economy, which is otherwise dominated by services and retail. The province is home to one of Knootoss' largest nuclear power plants, as well as a large bottling plant for the PBC Corporation.

Culture



Attempts by the central government to introduce Protestantism into the region in the early modern era were resisted, leading ultimately to an emancipatory drive for the province's disadvantaged Catholic population. The influence of the 'rich Roman life' that was crafted from this resistance remains evident in its language (French), religion, culture, politics, mentality and customs, such as very public celebrations of carnival.

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