Amking

Amking 阿姆京市 Āmǔjīng shì
Capital city and State
Clockwise from top: Skyline of Central Amking, The Republic Flag (in front of the NPM), Baishan Palace, Luyouqu, Presidential Office, Amujing Tower
Flag
Map of Monsilva with Amking highlighted
Country	Monsilva
Settled	c. 815 BCE
Made capital	15 March 1455
State status	1 July 1984
Government
• Body	Amking State Government
• State Minister	Liao Yijun-huang
Population  (July 2022)
• Total	11,535,841
Time zone	AMT-12 (Monsilvan Standard Time, MST)
ISO 3166 code	MS-AMK
GRP (M¥)	M¥2.51 trillion
Major airports	Xu Zhou-da International Airport (AXZ) Amking City Airport (ACY)
Transit System(s)	MRA Amking Metro
Police	Amking State Police (State) Amking Metropolitan Police (City limits)
Ambulance	Amking State Ambulance
Fire	Amking Fire Service

Amking (Monsilvan: 阿姆京市 Pinyin: Āmǔjīng shì), is the capital, largest city and a state of the Monsilvan Republic, the city having a population of around 11.3 million people and the state having a total population of 11.5 million. It stands at the mouth of the Meihua River in south-east Monsilva and sprawls outwards, particularly along the coast and down the Meihua River. Amking is a financial and business hub and hosts many domestic and international companies. The state of Amking is governed by the Amking State Government, with Liao Yijun-huang being the current state minister. The state is divided into 17 districts, 58 counties and 131 municipalities and is represented by 17 senators in the First Chamber (Senate) and 58 MSCs in the Second Chamber.

Amking is the hub of Monsilva's economy, leading Monsilva's tourism, arts, entertainment and transport industries. Its nominal GRP of around ₵417 billion makes it one of the largest urban economies in Terraconserva and its population of over 11 million people makes it the second-most populated urban area in Ostlandet. The Amking Metro is one of the largest metropolitan railway networks in the world and reaches the very edges of the state. Xu Zhou-da International Airport is the busiest airport in Amking, as well as the busiest airport in Monsilva and one of the busiest in the world, being a popular destination as well as being a hub for flights connecting between Ostlandet and Ecros.

The city and state are linked to the rest of Monsilva through extensive railway and highway networks. High-speed rail services are run between Amking and most major cities in Monsilva, as well as cities outside of Monsilva. Amking is home to many modern landmarks such as Amujing Tower, one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world; Luyouqu, a large tourist area with many different restaurants and stores with all sorts of products; Xu Zhou-da Memorial Hall; the National Palace Museum. Amking is also home to some historical sites and landmarks such as the Temple of Confucius.

Toponymy

See also: Pinyin

The spelling Amking is the WG Pinyin romanyanization of the Monsilvan "阿姆京" which has an unknown origin, possibly named after the founder of the first settlement in the area. The name could be also romanized as Āmǔjīng according to HY Pinyin, but WG Pinyin is preffered for proper nouns, hence Amking is the official spelling in Iberic script.

The character "市" (Shì) at the end of the Monsilvan name is not translated as it is only used in Monsilvan to identify it as a city rather than anything else, but it is not required in most other languages which makes translation unnecessary. When referring to the entire state of Amking, this character is not used.

History

Prehistory

The regions around Amking have been inhabited for thousands of years, and many years prior to the foundation of the original Amking settlement itself. Remains of bridges across the Meihua River have been discovered dating back to around 2000 BCE. However, evidence of any major settlement has been dated only as far back as the mid 10th century BCE, whilst the earliest evidence of a settlement corresponding to Amking itself, can be dated to its presumed foundation in 815 BCE.

Early dynasties

During the early dynasties of Monsilva, more specifically the Xia dynasty, Amking would have only been a fishing town along the bay. However, due to Amking's brilliant location for agricultural land thanks to the water from the river and the warm climate, Amking grew as a population center and became a thriving city (in traditional standards) by the early 12th century. When the Shang dynasty ruled, soon before the Unification of the Monsilvan Kingdoms, Amking saw its growth as a hub of business, with many merchants using it to transport goods across Monsilva and Ostlandet.

Zhou dynasty

A canvas painting dating back to the early 15th century showing everyday life in Amking during the Zhou dynasty.

In 1201, when the Zhou dyansty was formed as the first unified Monsilvan nation, Amking preserved its high status. However, due to the palace of the emperor being in Sanzhong it was not made capital even though it was by far the largest population center in the kingdom.

During the Zhou dynasty, Amking was focused on a lot by the imperial government. Many ports were opened on the coast increasing the already large amounts of ships using Amking, which also lead to Amking becoming home to many foreign ethnic groups due to the large amount of merchants from other nations choosing to remain in Amking due to its thriving markets. As Amking got larger and more vital to the Zhou dynasty's economy, the government began to realise how being based so far from the city could lead to the city possibly breaking off the dynasty due to its high influence on the dyansty's politics. This lead to the government creating a temporary palace and meeting building in Amking which made it the de facto capital in 1455.

Empire of Baltanla

During the Zhou's increasing instability during the late 15th century, it was voluntarily annexed into the Empire of Baltanla in 1500. During the period under the Empire, Amking remained an important transport hub, especially for many new Baltanian merchants, who now had easier access to the Kivu Ocean, which they could only reach by travelling around Ostlandet. This allowed Monsilva to form early 'highways' between Amking and cities within modern Baltanla such as Seattal.

During the later stages of Monsilva's time under the empire, when it was looking likely that it would exit, Amking was made more prepared for becoming a proper capital for a new Monsilvan kingdom by the devolved government. This meant, that when Monsilva exited the Empire of Baltanla in 1730, Amking was set up as the capital again with minimal difficulty and with a strong administration.

Kingdom of Great Shan

An 18th century painting of what is believed to be the Palace of Ming, an education and health instution that was situated in eastern Amking. Only ruins are left of it today.

The establishment of the Kingdom of Great Shan lead to Monsilva becoming more well-known throughout Terraconserva rather than just nearby countries in Ostlandet. This meant Amking was about to become a hub for even more merchants from countries from all across the globe, and it did. Under the Great Shan, Amking saw much improvements to its organisation, with new bridges being built to prevent congestion, roads being made wider to accommodate more carriages and people moving around the city. Amking also saw a large increase in education, health and architecture, with new buildings and institutions being built. This lead to Amking sprawling out much larger than it ever had, with concentrated populations around the Meihua River and along the coast.

Kingdom of Monsilva

During the Monsilvan Civil War in the 1820s, Amking faced much bombardment along with most other urban regions in Monsilva. During the war, the Great Shan caused the most damage to Amking, setting fire to many health and education institutions in order to prevent rebellious soldiers and civillians from seeking medical assistance. In retaliation, many of Amking's traditional palaces and political buildings were also burned down, making it harder for historians to trace the Great Shan's politics.

Although Amking faced much distruction during the war, it remained the capital of Monsilva after Chiu Lin founded the Kingdom of Monsilva and a new, popular emperor was placed upon the Monsilvan throne. As it remained the capital, it was important for the government to make efforts towards rebuilding many parts of the city that had been destroyed. This also lead to the creation of the National Palace Museum, one of the biggest attractions in Amking which now hosts many of the recovered artwork, pottery and other relics from pre-civil war Monsilva.

During the Kingdom of Monsilva, Amking grew in population, size and importance. It was the home of many large Monsilvan companies that were founded in the late 19th century, some of which still exist today. Amking remained stable throughout most of the 20th century, until the late 1960s, during Monsilva's period of mass economic and political instability. When the strikes and protests began in 1965, Amking was the first to face the damage. Many Monsilvan companies went bankrupt due to striking employees which were all based in Monsilva, which caused a lot of damage to the economy. In 1970, Amking had Monsilva first riot. The riot caused lots of damage to shopfronts, administrative buildings and historical buildings amounting to around several million QSC. This only got worse during the Mass Protests in 1978.

Monsilvan Republic

When the Monsilvan Republic was established in December 1978, Amking was seriously damaged along with many other Monsilvan cities. This lead to mass-rebuilding efforts made by not only the government, but also many civillian volunteers organized by the Monsilvan Revolutionary Army, many of which had likely caused some the damage in the first place. After Amking's revival, it returned to the bustling financial center it was before very quickly and remains Monsilva's most populated and ethnically diverse region to this day.

In 1984, the Amking State Government was established as the devolved government for the newly created Amking state. It has been lead by the FDP since its creation. Amking was commonly considered the most progessive state in the country, usually being the first to pass progressive laws. For example, Amking passed a state law making discrimination based on age, race, sex, disabilities, religion, orientation, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity illegal in 1984, the year it was established, whereas it was only passed by the federal government in 2011.

Administration

Local government

The Amking State Office, home of the Amking State Government.

The city and state of Amking are governed by the Amking State Government, based in the Amking State Office in Tacun, Amking. The state government is a unicameral legislature consisting of a 131-seat State Parliament. Each municipality is Amking is represented by one Legislator. Legislators are elected for for two-year terms. The Parliament meets every week, with the day depending on the first weekday after the State Parliament elections which take place simultaneously across Monsilva every two years. The leading party in the State Parliament determines who will be the State Minister. Liao Yijun-huang of the FDP has been the Amking State Minister since 2010.

National government

As the capital, Amking is also the seat of the Federal government of Monsilva. Most government departments, including both the President and Prime Minister's primary residences, are located in Amking. Amking is represented by 58 Members of the Second Chamber. As of the 2020 Monsilvan general election, Amking has 35 FDP, 19 RNP and 4 Liberal. In the First Chamber (Senate), Amking has 17 Senators.

Geography

Amking is located in the Meihua Basin in south-eastern Monsilva. It is divided by the Meihua River. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east whereas it sinks into beaches in the north. The outskirts of the city which are also towards the edges of the state itself are usually filled with agricultural land focused on cattle, sheep and wheat.

Climate

Amking is a warm, wet state with a humid sub-tropical climate. Summers are long lasting and can reach very high temperatures as well as being susceptible to typhoons and tropical rainstorms. Winters are short, warm and bring in lots of fog. Temperatures usually peak at 35 °C in the summer days and sink to 14 °C in winter nights.

Climate data for Amking (normals 1989–2021, extremes 1896–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	33.8 (92.8)	31.8 (89.2)	35.0 (95.0)	36.2 (97.2)	38.2 (100.8)	38.9 (102.0)	39.7 (103.5)	39.3 (102.7)	38.6 (101.5)	36.8 (98.2)	34.3 (93.7)	31.5 (88.7)	39.7 (103.5)
Average high °C (°F)	19.6 (67.3)	20.7 (69.3)	22.9 (73.2)	26.7 (80.1)	30.1 (86.2)	32.9 (91.2)	35.0 (95.0)	34.4 (93.9)	31.6 (88.9)	27.8 (82.0)	24.9 (76.8)	21.1 (70.0)	27.3 (81.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	16.6 (61.9)	17.2 (63.0)	19.0 (66.2)	22.5 (72.5)	25.8 (78.4)	28.3 (82.9)	30.1 (86.2)	29.7 (85.5)	27.8 (82.0)	24.7 (76.5)	22.0 (71.6)	18.2 (64.8)	23.5 (74.3)
Average low °C (°F)	14.4 (57.9)	14.7 (58.5)	16.2 (61.2)	19.4 (66.9)	22.8 (73.0)	25.3 (77.5)	26.8 (80.2)	26.6 (79.9)	25.2 (77.4)	22.6 (72.7)	19.8 (67.6)	16.1 (61.0)	20.8 (69.4)
Record low °C (°F)	−0.1 (31.8)	−0.2 (31.6)	1.4 (34.5)	4.7 (40.5)	10.0 (50.0)	15.6 (60.1)	19.5 (67.1)	18.9 (66.0)	13.5 (56.3)	10.2 (50.4)	1.1 (34.0)	1.8 (35.2)	−0.2 (31.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	93.8 (3.69)	129.4 (5.09)	157.8 (6.21)	151.4 (5.96)	245.2 (9.65)	354.6 (13.96)	214.2 (8.43)	336.5 (13.25)	336.8 (13.26)	162.6 (6.40)	89.3 (3.52)	96.9 (3.81)	2,368.5 (93.23)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm)	13.1	11.1	13.0	13.4	13.3	14.5	10.8	13.5	13.3	12.3	12.0	12.6	152.9
Average relative humidity (%)	77.2	77.8	76.1	74.9	74.7	75.3	70.2	72.1	73.9	74.4	75.0	75.9	74.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	76.1	79.3	95.1	96.9	113.6	114.8	176.9	182.8	151.7	114.7	93.3	78.6	1,373.8
Source: Monsilvan Weather Bureau

Cityscape

View of central Amking's skyline at day, with the mountains of Huachang in the background.

Demography

Population of Amking by country of birth

Country of Birth		Population	Percent
Monsilva		8,997,956	78.0
Non-Monsilvan		2,537,885	22.0
	Fujikuni	1,003,618	8.7
	Baltanla	715,222	6.2
	Akvarelusus	449,898	3.9
	Zloveshchiy	253,789	2.2
	Others	115,358	1.0
Total		11,535,841	100.0

The 2022 census recorded that 2,537,885 people or 22.0% of Amking's population were foreign-born. About 19% of children born in Amking in 2015 had at least one parent who was born abroad. The table to the right shows the commonest countries of birth of Amking residents.

Increasing industrialisation swelled Amking's population throughout the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Although Amking's population faced heavy hits during the 1820s and the 1970s due to the Monsilvan Civil War and the 70s Mass Protests, it has managed to recover afterwards and as of the 2022 census, the population is at its highest ever.

Population density map of Amking based on individual counties.

Religion

Amking is Monsilva's most secular state, with over 52% of the population stating they do not follow a faith or religion in the 2022 census. Following them, was Monsilvan folk religion, which consists of Confucianism and Taoism at 24%; then Buddhism was next with 14%; and finally, Christianity and Islam consisted of the last 10% of results.

Amking had historically been the most diverse state when it came to religion, however since the 2013 census, irreligion has been the majority choice. Although this is the case, Amking is home to many places of worship. This includes many temples for Monsilvan folk beliefs and many Buddhist temples which have existed since the early dynastic period likely due to Confucianism and Taoism both originating in Monsilva, and Buddhism originating in Baltanla. Although not originating in Monsilva, Christians and Muslims have many options for worship with many churches, chapels and mosques scattered across Monsilva. Most hotels in Monsilva, especially ones owned by foreign companies, will provide a Bible and a Qur'an within its rooms.

Religious composition in Amking according to 2022 Census

  Unaffiliated (52%)

  Monsilvan folk religion (including Confucianism and Taoism) (24%)

  Buddhists (14%)

  Other (including Christianity and Islam) (10%)