Taumakan
| たおまかん | |
|---|---|
| File:Taumakan.jpg tba | |
| File:Taumflag.png Flag |
File:Taumcoa1png Coat of arms |
| Location | |
| File:Taumlocatormap.png | |
| Country |  Sokoku
|
| Region | Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin |
| Foundation | ~7000 |
| Government | |
| Type | Staggered democratic |
| Body | City Council |
| Physical | |
| Elevation | 12 m |
| Time zone | UTC-9 |
| Population | |
| Total | 13,523,020 |
| Rank | 1st place |
| Demonym | Taumakan |
Taumakan (or たおまかん in Bahasa Sokoku) is the largest city in Sokoku and an important trade harbor on the Chalim Strait. It is located on the northern tip of Radhria (Nelyasyat) and as such the largest city in Altaia, even if it's not located on the continent itself. Taumakan is considered an alpha world city, serving as a primary node in the global economic network.
Etymology
Taumakan literally means "the truth". It refers to the temple that was built here and can be seen as the starting point of the present day city. However, the Bahaso word for truth is referring to the temple
History
The earliest settlements in the area date back to the 6600's. The city's start can be retraced to the building of a Lizehanist temple under the name Taumakan somewhere around 7000. It was one of the many temples erected in this region at the time, a clear manifestation of the spread of the (then) new religion. As a coastal market town, Taumakan saw its first era of growth right after the Julian Event, when most settlements west of the Chalim Strait were destroyed or heavily damaged. Even Taumakan received damage, but the rebuilding in the 7120's went quickly due to the unaffected hinterland.
When Anarian explorers arrived in the region shortly after, they found Taumakan to be a relatively modern and bustling settlement for the region. It was Casella traders who set up their posts here as well, laying the foundation of a quick expansion.
Much colonial trade passed the Chalim Strait and Taumakan was the most fitting staple port for reloading for the longer journeys to Anaria, mainly Casella and later Anisora. Despite a large naval and military presence, the Anisorans thought it would be more manageable to govern the colony of Aspasia från Julikannat (Giulicanna) instead, which at the time was a mainly Anisoran settlement, located a bit away from the risks coming with bustling trade and seafaring routes.
During the Aspasian era, Taumakan became the largest city of the colony because workshops and manufacturing associated with trade attracted people from all over the area to settle here. This quick growth made the city hard to manage and keep under colonial control. There were several areas where colonial policing forces would not enter and as such functioned as autonomous areas under local control. It is not suprising that crime rates were much higher in some of these areas, but there were also parts of the city where there was hardly any crime.
Taumakan became Sokokan in 76XX when Aspasia was dismantled. The whole decolonization movement had largely passed Taumakan, which simply kept functioning as usual. The modernisation that came with post colonial rule mean an influx of financial and other commercial services. The Mireist city planners replaced shantytowns and urged large industrial complexes to move to the outskirts, creating better living conditions in a very mixed city. Due to the sheer size of the city, it got its own master plan based on regional passenger rail, rapid transit bus routes and cargo transport mainly taking place on tram-like rail systems. As such, the city is unlike any other in Sokoku. Planners try to keep the city size limited to its present 14 million inhabitants through a Green Belt concept and outplacement of industries and services to satellite towns and even across the Chalim Strait to towns in Diyin Tsidii.
Cityscape
Taumakan lies in a low and flat alluvial plain, ranging from 0 to 91 m (0 to 299 ft) with an average elevation of 12 m (39 ft) above sea level with historically extensive swampy areas. Some parts of the city have been constructed on reclaimed tidal flats that occur around the area. Twelve flow through Taumakan.
Demography
Taumakan is pluralistic and religiously diverse, without a majority ethnic group.
Culture
Bahasa Sokoku is the official and dominant language of Taumakan, but the language variation commonly called Aspasu is widespread as well. The indigeonous local language is however Wanesi, but Bahaso, Aspasu and Wanesi are largely interintelligeble. But beside these three main languages, many other variations are spoken, including several versions and dialect of the completely unrelated mainland languages used by out of state migrants.