Writing Uralica!

[Jarkko]

I used to play Cyber Nations, and I role-played a Christian ruler (Jarkko Hannu Salomäki) of an officially Christian nation (with tolerance of most religions) called Uralica, based around the Uralic people groups and languages. I've kind of changed it up a bit and thought I'd post it. I'll post OOC tags when I break character in the RP, but it's done mostly in the context of Cyber Nations. I'll start with a factbox and some quotes.
 

URALICA

Size: 3 234 500 km² (Molegov, Sergey, 2018 Uralican Geographical Overview)(OOC: slightly smaller than RL India)
Population: 57.3 million (2017 Uralican Census)
Capital: Syktyvkar (Russ. Сыктывкар, Finn. Sihtiukari, Hung. Sziktivár)(2018 UGO)
Largest City: Yekaterinburg (Russ. Екатеринбург, Finn. Katariinanlinna, Hung. Katalinvár), roughly 7.3 million with an extended urban area of around 10.9 million. (2017 Uralican Census)
Official National Languages: Russian, Finnish, English, Hungarian (source: Uralican Constitution Section 2 Clause 1: Concerning National Languages - amended to add Hungarian, 5 March 2009)
Official State Languages: All other extant Uralic languages, Chuvash, Plautdietsch (source: Uralican Constitution Section 2 Clause 2: Concerning State Languages)
Recognised Minority Languages: Swedish, Norwegian, Tatar, Bashkort (source: Uralican Constitution Section 2 Clause 3: Concerning Other Languages)
State Religion: Christianity (source: Uralican Constitution Section 1: Rights and Freedoms, and Uralican Constitution Section 4: Further Concerning Religion)

Tolerated Religions:

• "Christianity is the official state religion; other religions may be practiced and promoted subject to the terms of Section 4 of this document." Uralican Constitution Section 1: Rights and Freedoms
  
• "Any religion not founded on mockery of religion in general, or of specific religions, is allowed to be practiced in Uralica, and interfaith dialogue is encouraged." Uralican Constitution Section 4: Further Concerning Religion
  
• "Violent proselytisation and so-called "honour-killing" are strictly prohibited, regardless of religion. Anyone who practices this will be subject to criminal law as if the incident was non-religious in nature - assault is assault, rape is rape, murder is murder." Uralican Constitution Section 4: Further Concerning Religion
  
• "Any belief system that teaches that individuals who are sick, poor, or in otherwise bad circumstances are thus because of lack of faith, or that people can gain material wealth by 'sowing seeds' of money, are strictly prohibited. This is geared towards, but not limited to, those churches that preach the so-called 'prosperity gospel' or 'Word of Faith' teaching." Constitutional Amendment #6, passed 501-0 with no abstentions in response to Petition 3089 - Kudymov et al. Concerning "Prosperity Gospel", 28 June 2012.
  

Major Religions (per 2017 census):

• Christianity 88%:
  • Uralican Reformed Baptist Church 39%
    
  • Presbyterian Church of Uralica 26%
    
  • Uralican Reformed Apostolic Church (a split from Russian Orthodox) 20%
    
  • Other Christianity 3%
    • Lutheran Synod of Uralica and Novgorod
      
    • Roman Catholic Diocese of Siberia West
      
    • Reformed Church of Uralica
      
    • Molokans (a charismatic sect of Eastern Orthodoxy
      
    • Uralican Mennonite Brethren
      
    • Uralican Pentecostal Church
      
• Judaism 4.4%
  • Primarily Uralican Judaism (a branch of radical but nonviolent Judaism that rejects the authority of the Talmuds and Mishnahs as being equal to the Tanakh and has slightly messianic leanings)
    
  • Small numbers of Hasidic Jews
    
• Islam 3.6%
  • Almost exclusively Sunnis, with mere hundreds of Shias reported, most living in Yekaterinburg.
    
  • Most Sunnis follow the Hanafi madhhab (which is the most common one amongst Tatars and Bashkorts) with the balance almost all following the Shafi'i madhhab (primarily landed immigrant workers with some ethnic Russians as well - the three largest Shafi'i mosques are in Yekaterinburg).
    
  • The Shi'as are all immigrants, and literally 100% of them follow the Jafari Twelver madhhab, which is common in Persia.
    
  • There is a tiny population of Ahmadis in Uralica, in Yekaterinburg, although most Uralican Muslims don't count them as Muslims at all even though they are recognized thus in Uralica.
    
• Indigenous Uralic religions - 1.2%
  • Marla faith, a syncretism of Christianity and Mari indigenous beliefs and basically practicing monotheistic animism, is practiced by about a quarter of a percent of the population, all Mari. Considered "Christian derivative" by majority-Muslim nations. The "official centre" of the Marla Faith is not Yoshkar-Ola, but Sernur.
    
  • Mordvin indigenous religion is the most-practiced "pure" indigenous religion
    
  • Mari indigenous religion
    
  • Samoyedic shamanism/animism
    
  • Finnish neo-paganism
    
• Irreligious/secular - 1%
  
• Other - 1.8%
  • Sikh
    
  • Hinduism (exclusively in Yekaterinburg)
    
  • Mahayana Buddhism (exclusively in Yekaterinburg)
    
  • Druze (Lebanese refugees living in Viche Alan)
    
  • Yazidi (Kurdish refugees living in Saransk)
    
  • Ket indigenous religion (not Uralic so listed here)
    
  • Tengrism (not Uralic so listed here - most live in Nizhnevartovsk)
    
  • Baha'i (exclusively in Yekaterinburg)
    

Government type: Unicameral nonpartisan quasi-presidential republic (Uralican Constitution Section 3: Concerning Government - completely overhauled section 3 passed 20 June 2011.)

• "The problem with political parties is that people in them get so hung up on towing a broader party line that constituencies' needs are often ignored." (President Jarkko Salomäki, 8 May 2011)
  
• "Our job as a representative is not to lord it over our constitutents but to serve their needs. We try to be more frugal, and not jet-set around in swanky private jets and live it up on taxpayer money. This is why government sessions are more frequent and longer in Uralica, and stuff actually gets done. No partisan politics. Very little mud-slinging, and what mudslinging does happen is put to a stop by the Speaker and/or the President in concise fashion. Uralican politics is about putting our heads together to figure something out that best suits the situation." (Vice-president Vaido Kuik, interview with Eerik Rantanen, 31 January 2013)
  

Government name: Uralican High Council
Electoral system: First past the post for both president and representatives. Vice-President and cabinet appointed by President out of representatives after election. Elections every five years. Maximum three terms for president and five terms for representative. Presidential hopefuls automatically run for representative as well, and if they lose on Presidency but win their riding, they are on High Council. 

• "So here's how it works. There are 500 ridings. Not the most even number for the population, but it works. It's an average of roughly 115 thousand people per riding, give or take a few thousand, and since it is non-partisan, first past the post is actually the best electoral system, as a proportional system is better-suited to systems with political parties. Presidential hopefuls go on both the representative ballot and the presidential ballot. I remember last election when Mr. Salomäki won both! I know Yevgeny Hubertov was happy, since he got into Council for Sysola as a 'presidential lucky loser!' Anyway, Mr. President's two opponents, Andrey Semyonov from Cherepovets Centre and Alexey Kolpakov from Saransk North, both won their representative seats in spite of losing the presidential race, and Mr. Kolpakov was actually appointed to the cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture, as Mr. President thought he had some really good ideas and knowledge in that particular field." (Representative Dr. Ovdey Shlomov (Izhevsk South), on an interview with Artur Mendyshev, 12 July 2016)
  
• "You may think it strange that Muslims have representation in the government of an overtly Christian country, but they do, and the representative in question has been a stalwart in Uralican politics since day one. But this is why first past the post works for us, because each riding has its own character in ethnicity, and besides, even non-Muslims love the guy. He's been our only Secretary of Defence since Uralica was founded as a Neo-Tribal state. He's a national hero, really." Jarkko Salomäki about the Bashkort Muslim Akhmetkhan Gubaidulin, who represents Barda-Kuyeda riding in southern Permski Rayon, which has one of the largest populations of Muslims proportionally-speaking in Uralica.
  

Ethnicities of Uralica: Mixed Russo-Uralic (40%), Finnish (19%), Russian (17%), Hungarian (15%), Tatar (3%), other Uralic (2%), Bashkort (2%), other (2%) (approximate figures from 2017 census)

• "I had to chuckle at the ethnic part of the census. The 'mixed Russo-Uralic' that forms the plurality of the population is only going to grow and the numbers in the Finnish, Russian, Hungarian, and 'other Uralic' are all going to shrink. That's how well we all get along! I mean, will the different constituent cultures be preserved? Absolutely. Our cultural centres and ethnographic museums will take care of that. There are great things about all Uralic cultures, and we teach people to embrace the good while leaving behind the bad or the worse-than. There are certain traits that bind all Uralicans, and then those distinctives of groups of cultures, or individual cultures. We're not gonna tell the Nenetses or Saami to give up herding reindeer if they don't want to. We've found ways to make that part of the economy." Dr. Kari Fisk, Secretary of Culture and Language, 23 April 2014
  

Highest Point: Mount Narodnaya (1894 m/6214 ft.)
Lowest Point: Mean sea level

[Kyng]

Great stuff ! I had my own nation too, but it was never nearly as well-developed as this. 

Anyway, just out of interest, what kinds of music are popular there?

[Jarkko]

All sorts, although Uralican pop has more sophistication to it than the garbage on the radio here. There is little in the way of country music, and folk music has a decidedly Russian and/or Uralic (including Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian, of course) flavour to it.

Uralica is very proud of its classical music. It has a number of reputable composers, the foremost of which is Sirkka Numminen - this woman has come up with hundreds of pieces over the years! Other reputable composers include Ruslan Kamyshin, Martin Kosk, and Jyrki Koistinen. It also lays claim to having the largest single-purpose symphony hall in the world - the Filharmonia in Syktyvkar, which can hold sixty thousand people and is (reportedly) acoustically perfect. It also has dozens of symphony orchestras. Music is serious business in Uralica. There usually have to be multiple sections of high school band/orchestra classes to accomodate all the people who sign up!

There are a lot of top-notch heavy metal bands from Uralica, and the Christian metal scene in this timeline is dominated by Uralican artists such as Pelastus (progressive death metal with some industrial influence), Cold Steel (thrash), Dead to the World (groove metal), Digitoxicosis (cyber-metal), Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God (brutal death metal/grindcore), and Soulcleanser (deathcore). Those are only the best ones. There are hundreds. There are also bands that are technically secular (although the band members are mostly Christians, since this is Uralica  ) that have a lot of success, like Severance (death metal), Precipice (metalcore), Slowbleed (sludge metal/thrash/alt-metal), Ligament (gore grind), Devoured (black metal), Eaten by Wolves (gore grind), Axe to Grind (hardcore punk), and Fallen Aliens (Nintendocore ). 

Hard rock/post-grunge is popular (think Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle here) - some of the more popular of those bands include The Myllyjärvi Family, End of Sorrows, Edgewalkers, Bring It, The Memorial Trust, Mowdown, The Slashers, The Lynxes, Konduktor, and Cranked (which is more old-school punk). There are also more mainstream rock bands from Uralica that have found some success, like The Flailers, Tinfoil For Brains, Kirov Bombs, Mordvin Menace, Mastorava, The Spurgeons, Hakkapeliitta, Good Morning Amerzica (named after one of Uralica's early war enemies ), and so forth.

If BrynStevens were a Uralican, he'd probably be listening to the likes of Bane of the Machine, Enemy's Enemy, Blacklight Theory, Digital Exorcism, Sonic Terrorist Network, Halogen, The Infected, Nadir In Perpetuo, Broken Ionizer (named after Uralica's FIRST war enemy), and/or Signoff. Those are the industrial groups (EBM, electro-industrial, industrial techno, martial industrial, etc.)

Like trance? There's Ashford Road, Krystallite, Pure Orange, Rutger Guussen, Kari Ojala, Sointula, Nikolay Shevchuk, Transport Seven, and many others. Ambient? Mika Ukkonen, Tundra Sounds, Ethereal Vortex, and so forth. And there are the aforementioned pop groups.

[Jarkko]

I'm gonna chip away at this post for a few days.
 

STATES OF URALICA

Uralica has fifteen states and eleven urban authorities; the urban authorities contain cities or contiguous urban areas that are large enough or important enough to warrant such a designation. As mentioned before, they can have official languages alongside the four of the whole country, although many of the urban authorities do not. As is typical for place names each state name has equivalents in English, Russian, Finnish, and Hungarian. (I'll stick to that order)

Yamalia / Ямалия / Jamalia / Jámálya (Capital: Salyakharad)
State abbreviation: YAM

Yamalia is Uralica's largest and easternmost state and also has its northernmost continental point (as opposed to islands) at the northernmost tip of the Gydan Peninsula. To its east is the Siberian Union, which formed from the remnants of the old Siberian Tiger Alliance. The area is largely tundra and boreal forest and population centres are few and scattered about, but does have some fairly large centres, the largest being Khanto (formerly Noyabrsk). The primary industry in the area is oil and natural gas extraction, with forestry also having some role in the south. Wilderness tourism is big, and sports tourism benefits from the Narodnaya Ski Complex near Kharp (or about twenty minutes north of the small city of Lapyt-Nank). Semi-nomadic reindeer herders cut their trade in the northern tundra.

The official state languages are Khanty, Tundra and Forest Nenets, Enets, Selkup, and Nganasan.

Yugra / Югра / Jukara / Júgra (Capital: Yugrakar)
State abbreviation: YGR

Yugra is directly south of Yamalia and borders on the Siberia and Ural-Altai. While oil and natural gas extraction are also important here, there is more diversity in economy, with mining and different kinds of manufacturing having importance here. Wilderness tourism is also important for the economy, and Mount Narodnaya - a popular hiking spot - sits within its borders. Of the fifteen states, Yugra has the highest proportion of Hungarian-speakers, although the urban authority of Surgut (which Yugra completely surrounds) has it beat. Hungarian's closest linguistic relative, Mansi, and Khanty, are the official state languages. 

Southeast Uralica / Юговосточная Уралика / Kaakkoisuralikka / Délkelet-Urálika (Capital: Kamensk)
State abbreviation: SEU

Uralica's most populated state, Southeast Uralica completely surrounds two urban authorities - Greater Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil - and yet still has a very substantial population. A number of mid-range and small cities exist in the state, which forms the largest of Uralica's three industry cores along with the aforementioned two UAs. (I'll get to the other two in a bit.) Mining, metallurgy, manufacturing, forestry, oil extraction, research and development, hi-tech, and chemical production are just some of the major economic sectors, and even though most of the local financial and trade services are done through Yekaterinburg first and foremost, there are smaller centres scattered all throughout the state. Some of the larger cities have established tourism sectors as well. Pervouralsk is noteworthy for being the only city in the state that sits primarily in Europe (only its easternmost suburbs are on the Asian side of the de facto border between the two continents). 

The official state languages are Mansi and Udmurt. There is also a significant Bashkort population in the southwest.

Permski Rayon / Пермский Район / Permiläinen Alue / Permi Terület (Capital: Kungur)
State abbreviation: PRR

Often called the centre of Uralica, this large state surrounds two urban authorities and one former county, and contains part of one of the three major industrial cores, which also includes the city of Perm' (an urban authority unto itself) and the UA of Solikamsk-Berezniki. Most of the industries within Southeast Uralica are also found within Permski Rayon, but there is also a much larger emphasis on power generation here, with two large hydroelectric projects, a few nuclear power plants, and some more experimental generation techniques being employed. There is ongoing research into the viability of nuclear fusion power done at two research locations in the state. The area (and former county) known as the Kudymkar Circle is known for its ranching and small-scale crop-growing. Culturally, Permski Rayon has the largest Bashkort population of any Uralican state, and only Udmurtia has more Muslims out of the states.

Komi-Permyak and Udmurt are official state languages.

Kirovski Rayon / Кировский Район / Kirovilainen Alue / Kirovi Terület (Capital: Kirovo-Chepetsk)
State abbreviation: KRV

Uralica's early days saw them annex this area first after taking over the former Komi Republic, and Kirov was actually Uralica's first-ever urban authority. Less focus is put on heavy industry here, although there is still light manufacturing and hi-tech, and of course the ubiquitous mining, but Kirovski Rayon also sits at the northeastern edge of the chernozem belt, making it an ideal area for agriculture. While not as heavily vested in agriculture as, say, Mordovia, much of Uralica's agricultural output still comes from this state. It is touristy for a number of reasons; there are cultural centres a-plenty here, and Vaahruše (formerly Vakhrushi) in particular is important because of its heavily Estonian flavour. It has the nickname Little Tallinn for a reason!

Official state languages are Meadow Mari, Estonian, and Komi-Zyrian.

Komiland / Комиландия / Komimaa / Komiföld (Capital: Pechora)
State abbreviation: KML

At one time this was four counties within Uralica, but upon reaching its growth cap, the four were merged to take up all but the UAs of Syktyvkar and Ukhta-Sosnogorsk out of the former Komi Republic. Forestry, fossil fuel extraction and production, energy production, manufacturing, and mining are the primary economic sectors, although in the very north there are also some semi-nomadic reindeer herders. There is some ranching in the area as well. About a fifth of the land is set aside for parkland, including the massive Virgin Komi Forests National Park, which is a World Heritage Site of the New UN's UNESCO. It also has some access to Mount Narodnaya (via Pechora). Besides the obvious Syktyvkar connection, Komiland also directly contains the vast majority of Uralica's Mennonites, both ethnically and religiously speaking, and the Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German) language is taught in schools in the southern districts of Komiland. The Vychegda and Pechora rivers are the main navigable routes, with the Pechora having been turned from an ecological nightmare into a case study in environmental turnaround during Uralica's early years, and the Vychegda linking Syktyvkar and smaller Komiland centres like Öskölömi and Zheshart to the ocean via the Viena.

The official state languages are Komi-Zyrian, Komi-Permyak, Komi-Yodz, Tundra Nenets, and Plautdietsch.

Nenetsia / Ненеция / Nenetsia / Nyenyetsföld (Capital: Naryan-Mar)
State abbreviation: NEN

The least-populated of Uralica's states, Nenetsia gained some land from neighbouring Viena (formerly Arkhangel'sk Oblast) in a restructuring, meaning that the northernmost point in Uralica - Franz Josef Land, an Arctic archipelago - is now administered by this state, as is Novaya Zemlya. Still, more than half the population lives in Naryan-Mar. Fossil fuel extraction and petrochemical production are the primary industrial sectors, while semi-nomadic reindeer herding is practiced here as well, and reindeer is a commonly-consumed meat here - more so than beef or pork.

Not surprisingly, Tundra and Forest Nenets are official state languages. Komi-Zyrian is as well.

Viena / Северная Двина / Viena / Véná (Capital: Kotlas)
State abbreviation: VIE

Viena (pronounced VYAY-nuh in English and roughly the same in Finnish) is the largest Uralican state west of the Urals. Viena used to be Arkhangel'sk Oblast but took the Finnish name of the river formerly known as the Severnaya Dvina (still called thus in Russian, in fact). Arkhangel'sk itself is now under the Urban Authority of Viena Delta as are the nearby cities of Severodvinsk and Novodvinsk and several smaller settlements. While some mining exists in the state, forestry and light manufacturing make up the bulk of the economic output, plus its two most important rivers - the Viena and its tributary the Vychegda - are navigable, so trade is very important in the state as well. Kotlas in particular is one of Uralica's largest inland ports, ranking third behind Perm' and Cherepovets in terms of international cargo handled. Nearby Koryazhma and Solvychegodsk also sometimes handle international overflow, but they are largely local.

Official state languages are Komi-Zyrian and Tundra Nenets. Alongside Vologodski Rayon and Karelia, it is one of three states where Russian is spoken by 100% of the population.

Udmurtia / Удмуртия / Udmurtia / Udmurtföld (Capital: Sarapul)
State abbreviation: UDM

The name tells you everything. This is the homeland of the Udmurt people - ethnically, they only make up about around 30% of the population, but if you set foot in Udmurtia, you will hear people speaking Udmurt - 98% of the population speaks the language! From a cultural perspective, there are many unique things about Udmurtia, besides the fact that the language is so prevalent. It is home to the only regional district (tier of government below the state level) where the language of 75% or more of the population is not official at the national or state level, although Tatar is a recognised minority language with many of the same rights that a state language would have - good thing for Ägerce and the surrounding area! The district was given to Uralica by Bashkorto-Tatarstan to assuage its isolation from services within the same country. Sarapul is the birthplace of the Uralican school of Judaism, which deprecates the Talmuds and Mishnahs to lesser status than the original Tanakh. And indeed, Udmurtia is simultaneously the most Jewish and most Muslim of the states. A distinct dialect of Yiddish with more loanwords from Tatar and Udmurt - called Yüdmurtisch locally - is official here alongside Udmurt. The historical capital, Izhevsk, is now an urban authority. 

Economically, the south of the state is in the chernozem belt, making it ideal for agriculture. The agricultural production in the northern and west-central parts of the state are geared more towards livestock farming, with vegetables grown commercially in the east. Flax is also widely grown. It also has a large part of the final of three industrial cores (this also includes Viche Alan in Kirovski Rayon, Chaykovsky in Permsky Rayon, and  the UA of Izhevsk) with some of it driven by the military-industrial complex (although this is more prevalent in Izhevsk) and some of it by civilian-targeted manufacturing. Oil extraction and petrochemical production has a place. By contrast, this is one of the least mining-oriented states in Uralica. The western parts of Chaykovsky urban area, and Sarapul, give Udmurtia access to the Volga Basin, and with it, some river-based trade.

Mari El / Марий Эл / Marinmaa / Mariföld (Capital: Yoshkar-Ola)
State Abbreviation: MAR

Home to the Mari people and their three distinct languages, Mari El also lays claim to the third-largest Tatar population (after Udmurtia and Chuvashia) in Uralica. Secondary-sector jobs drive the economy, with no real extractable resources in the state, so things like sawmilling, manufacturing, chemical production, food production, and metallurgy are important. There is also some agriculture, and parts of Mari El (specifically in the south) have chernozem soil.

Yoshkar-Ola is the second-largest state capital in Uralica after Cheboksary, but both are assessing their options to become an urban authority and hand off the state capital status to another city - in the case of Mari El, it would be Salomäk-Ola because of its geographic centrality within the state - Jarkko Salomäki was reported to "not be overly thrilled" about having a city named after him!

Mari El is home to the largest indigenous faith of any of those practiced in Uralica, the syncretistic Marla Faith, which suffered persecution under pre-Robertian Russia in spite of federal government efforts to curb such things. It is a blend of Christian and animistic beliefs. The official state languages are the three Mari languages - Meadow Mari, which is more widespread, and Hill and Northwestern Mari, neither of which are spoken outside of Uralica and only small numbers outside of Mari El!

Chuvashia / Чувашия / Suvassia / Csuvasföld (Capital: Cheboksary)
State abbreviation: CHU

The Chuvash are the only Turkic group with a Christian majority, the only remaining group out of the much more widespread Bolgar Turks, having the most divergent Turkic language with the most Uralic-origin loanwords, and here they are with the majority of their population living in a nation of Uralics! But the "Uralic by Choice" maxim within the Uralicist Movement that led to the country's formation had them interested. Their ethnic cousins the Tatars have a fairly strong foothold in the state, especially in the east, but unlike their fellow Tatars to the east within Uralica, most Chuvashian Tatars are Christians as well. 

Economically, only Southeast Uralica rivals Chuvashia for prosperity, and it has several times the population! Together with Mordovia, Chuvashia is known as the "breadbasket of Uralica" because of its chernozem soils and high production of grains. There is also livestock-rearing and vegetable growth. There is a huge market for Chuvashian hops within the international region, for beer breweries! It has a diverse industrial base as well - not as contiguous as in the three "cores," but just as productive. Besides its bustling capital, Cheboksary (the largest state capital in Uralica by population), smaller cities such as Kanash, Ulator (formerly Alatyr), Shumerlya, Tsivilsk, Sentervorri, and Eterne have strong industrial sectors.

The lone state-level official language is Chuvash.

Mordovia / Мордовия / Mordovia / Mordvinföld (Capital: Saransk)
State abbreviation: MRD

The other main part of the "breadbasket of Uralica," Mordovia is the primary dwelling place of the Mordvin peoples, that is, the Moksha and the Erzya, and also has a notable Tatar minority in the west. It is the southernmost Uralican state, but that doesn't necessarily translate to added warmth relative to other states! Lashma (formerly Kovylkino) is Uralica's southernmost city. Much of the population lives in Saransk, the capital, and there are a few other small cities (Orozai and Lashma being particularly noteworthy among these), but a fairly large chunk of the population lives in small farming villages dotted all over the agricultural land. From the cities, one gets a variety of industrial work, ranging from heavy manufacturing to food production to artisan furniture-making. After Chuvashia, Mordovia has the second-highest proportional agricultural output of any second-order division within Uralica. Mordovian honey is in demand, as the Mordvin peoples are historically experts at beekeeping; in fact, most of the teachers in beekeeping apprenticeship programs are Mordvins.

Moksha and Erzya are official state languages here.

Vologodski Rayon / Вологодский Район / Volohdalainen Alue / Vologdai Terület (Capital: Isoustiuki)
State abbreviation: VOR

Although named after Vologda, neither it nor larger Cherepovets are actually within the state, rather existing as urban authorities. Much Russian culture is vested here, as the Russians have had a presence since the 12th century, and museums and monuments abound, especially (in the context of the state alone) in Isoustiuki, which is still called Velikiy Ustyug in Russian, but ironically now has a Finnish "official" name and a majority population of Finns. One would expect much code-switching amongst the population between the two languages and others, regardless of ethnicity. Historically inhabited by Veps people, this minority group is now largely concentrated in the northwest close to the border with Karelia state. To the south sits one of Uralica's closer allies, the Republic of Novgorod. 

Metallurgy and manufacturing are the main industrial sectors (the former is more obvious in the UAs), and there are also large agriculture and food production sectors. While lacking the chernozem soils of the southern parts of Uralica, the soils are still decent for growing vegetables and raising livestock on arable land. Meat production is at its highest proportions here.

Veps is the sole official state language.

Karelia / Карелия / Karjala / Karélia (Capital: Petroskoi)
State abbreviation: KAR

If there were any indication that the old tensions between Russians and Finns were next-to-nonexistent within Uralica, it's the fact that the ethnicities live here in equal proportions and both voted near-unanimously to change the name of the capital from Petrozavodsk to Petroskoi. It actually now borders directly on the city of Sankt-Peterburg in Russia, as two old districts on the Karelian Isthmus were ceded to Uralica. Some trade-oriented Russian politicians joke that it is the shortest trip for any cargo ship to have to make, between Sankt-Peterburg and Uralica's only Atlantic Ocean-accessing cargo port in Koivisto (formerly Primorsk). But it is from forestry - whether extraction or production - that Karelia derives the bulk of its income. There are smaller mining, manufacturing, and food production sectors. Even though it is on the notoriously cold Baltic Sea, it is actually the warmest Uralican state during the winter.

There are also a number of national parks within Karelia, some of them cultural in nature and others natural. Those that are cultural often make at least some mention of the Karelo-Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, as this was actually largely set in Karelia and some of the poems contained within were written in Karelian.  

The Karelian people promote all the dialects of their language vigorously, with "Karelian proper" centring around Petroskoi, Livvi centring around the smaller city of Aunus near Lake Ladoga, and more divergent Ludic centring around the small city of Karhumägi and the large town of Pudozh. All three are official state languages. Many ethnic Russians in Karelia have learned Karelian, and the Finns can tell the difference between their language and Karelian even though the relationship is quite close. Another official state language is the once-moribund Ingrian, which has made a comeback and is spoken primarily in the Karelian Isthmus; its main promotion agency has its headquarters in Viipuri. It is from the same agency that we have also seen revitalisation efforts in two "protected" Uralic languages - Votic and Livonian, the latter of which had actually gone extinct as a first language but is now experiencing a small comeback as an L2. Compounding this, there is also a large Estonian population, particularly in the south.

Recapping the official state languages - Karelian (all three dialects), Veps, Ingrian, Estonian, Võro (South Estonian), and Kven.

Sapmi / Сапмий / Saamimaa / Számföld (Capital: Murmansk)
State abbreviation: SAP

The northwesternmost of Uralica's states and home to Uralica's second-busiest port, Murmansk. Sapmi is largely occupied by the Kola Peninsula, and as the name implies, it is the traditional territory of the Saami people within Uralica's borders, although of course some Saami people live elsewhere. As with Karelia, it is home to a language revitalisation hub, in this case the Sami-named city of Käddluhtt, home to the Saami Language and Literacy School. All Saami languages are co-official within Sapmi (along with two varieties of nonstandard Finnish and Karelian proper), but the number of speakers varies substantially. There are some Saami languages that have only L2 speakers, albeit at full fluency - Ter, Akkala, Kemi, and Kainuu. These are classified as "protected" under Uralican law. Northern Saami is the most-spoken of the lot, although Skolt Saami, which is native to the west of the state, has experienced something of a renaissance, having surpassed Lule Saami as the second-most-spoken Saami language by a substantial margin.

Sapmi is the top state for mining in the western half of Uralica and ranks third overall behind Yugra and Komiland, and metallurgy isn't far behind, with its proportional factor in the economy being second amongst second-order divisions behind the UA of Cherepovets. It is also home to substantial electric power schemes, and is the primary jumpoff point for commercial fishing from Uralica. Tourism is becoming increasingly important, due to its national parks and cultural richness.

State official languages: All Saami languages with L1 (in practice, the most common requests based on this are Northern, Skolt, and Kildin Saami), Karelian proper, Kven, Meänkieli.

[Kyng]

Looking great so far ! 

Out of the states that have received a profile so far, I'm not sure where I'd most like to live. Yamalia sounds nice, although I'd probably prefer to live in one of the population centres than out in the wilderness. 

Sounds like a very diverse country too. I do hope all these different ethnic and religious groups get along with one another!

[Jarkko]

Done.

Most of the ethnicities are Uralic, have some connection to Uralicness (such as the Chuvash), or share a common belief (Christian); there are aspects about every Uralic culture that line up with Christian ideals, and some that outside the sphere of morality that are simply practical. By focussing on balancing the role of the individual with the role of the various levels of community, Uralica has built itself up as a highly modernised (actually somewhat futuristic) power. There is a certain Abrahamic morality that undergirds the whole society, even for those that don't practice one of the Big Three (Christianity, Judaism, or Islam).

One thing in this that runs a little afoul of some countries is that the death penalty is permissible, but only in extreme cases; there's a three-strikes policy with regards to murder. If one murders one or two people, maximum is life in prison. Three or more, kiss your butt goodbye. It has never had to be enacted in Uralican history. Any mass deaths in Uralica were either from disasters (natural or otherwise) or war crimes by other nations, in which case they were already tried for crimes against humanity.

There are other ties that bind, of course. Besides the maxims of "Uralic by blood or Uralic by choice," the balance of individual and community for the good of both, and the promotion of Uralic (and in the case of Chuvash, quasi-Uralic) cultures, there is a general love of the arts in the country. Uralicans tend to be musicoholics but they also enjoy creative writing, visual arts of all sorts, and dance. There tends to be a strong thirst for knowledge, and aptitude tests are administered on a yearly basis in secondary school to find out which areas prospective university and college kids should explore. Some might not be as academically brilliant but are better with their hands, and these generally end up working the trades, or in things like agriculture or mining. But there's a reason Uralikan Yliopisto is considered one of the world's best Christian universities (if not the best).

There is also a general love of sport - not to the point of madness or idolatry, but it's there.

[Jarkko]

URBAN AUTHORITIES AND CITIES OF URALICA

Most of Uralica's largest cities are contained within urban authorities, which grants them autonomy over affairs that would normally be devolved to the state. There are presently twelve of them, although there is potential for more.

Greater Yekaterinburg / Большой Екатеринбург / Iso-Katariinala / Nagyobb Katalinvár
UA Abbreviation: GYK

Containing roughly a sixth of Uralica's entire population at just over ten million people, Greater Yekaterinburg is the most populated second-order division in Uralica, even outdoing Southeast Uralica. The city of Yekaterinburg itself makes up around 70% of the population, the remaining 30% being independent suburbs under the larger authority of the UA. It is the heart of the largest of Uralica's three industrial cores with just about every industry imaginable having a foothold, plus it is effectively Uralica's commercial and financial capital, housing Uralica's main stock exchange (the Ural Mountains Stock Exchange), the headquarters of most of its major banks (including the Uralikan Ykköspankki), and many of the largest retail outlets in the country. It is also home to eight of Uralica's ten tallest buildings, the tallest of which is the Eurasia Tower, at exactly four hundred metres in height.

Culturally speaking, there is no greater hodgepodge of people groups than Greater Yekaterinburg. Besides having people from every Uralic group attested in last census, even in small numbers, it also has every non-indigenous religion accounted for, as well as some practitioners of indigenous faiths from east of the Urals. 100% of the country's Buddhists, Hindus, and Baha'is, 85% of its Sikhs, and 80% of its Shafi'i Muslims live here. It is also home to Uralica's largest mosque (not to mention six of its largest ten overall), and its second-largest synagogue. Uralica's second-largest university, Universitet Yekaterinburga, is located in the northern suburbs. A large percentage of Uralica's foreign expat population lives here as well.

In terms of official state languages, Yekaterinburg does not actually have any, instead relying on the national official languages. This isn't to say that nobody speaks a language other than English, Russian, Finnish, or Hungarian, but any government service or public service outside of education is conducted only in those four languages. When it comes to primary and secondary education, on the other hand, there are schools in almost any language considered official anywhere in Uralica - national, state, or recognised minority - and any one not represented is covered by the national remote-schooling (that is, homeschooling) service.

Perm / Пермь / Permi / Perem
UA abbreviation: PER

Perm was Uralica's largest city at one point, and had to be completely rebuilt to get there, as it had been more or less levelled by Great War III. Now, with around three million people, it is Uralica's second-largest city, largest single-city urban authority, and one of its most productive industrial cities. It is sometimes called the "industrial heart of Uralica," as its industrial output, even now, is larger than Yekaterinburg's, and as cities go, it is the #1 in Uralica for heavy manufacturing and automobile production, and #2 for electric power generation behind Surgut - the last of these coming from the rebuilt hydro dam within city limits. Its R&D sector rivals Yekaterinburg's as well.

It is also a centre of culture and education, and in particular, the rebuilt ballet and opera house is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Uralica. It also has a sizable art gallery. Unlike Yekaterinburg, there is a certain specificness to the ethnic flavour of the city thanks to the widespread prevalence of Komi and Udmurt. The Permian Cultural Centre is another major tourist attraction for this reason. Perm is home to the third-largest synagogue in Uralica.

The official state languages are Komi-Permyak and Udmurt.

Kirov / Киров / Kirovi / Kirov
UA abbreviation: KIR

Kirov was the first city declared an urban authority under the Uralican system, and although it has been long-eclipsed by Yekaterinburg, Perm, Izhevsk, and even Cherepovets as the largest industrial centre in Uralica, it is still a very important cog in the machine! Nowadays, it is often referred to as the "Aerospace Capital of Uralica" because of its large commitment to that industry; it also houses the largest of Uralica's air force bases, plus it has Uralica's largest and busiest civilian airport. Besides this and other manufacturing, it also has a decent-sized forestry production sector.

Kirov is home to the Uralican Institute of Technology and the headquarters of Community Colleges of Uralica, which runs all of the trades schools in Uralica (plus some other schools). As with any major Uralican city, music is a huge part of city life, and it contains the largest - and probably the most sober - night club in all of Eastern Europe, the TranceAddicts Club, which despite the name dabbles in many different electronic music genres. "No drugs or drunkenness" is a hard-and-fast rule there.

As with Yekaterinburg, Kirov has no official state languages.

Syktyvkar / Сыктывкар / Sihtiukari / Sziktivár
UA abbreviation: SYK

Once a modest-sized forestry city, Syktyvkar is now a booming commercial and cultural centre, that hasn't necessarily abandoned its forestry roots and has a decent-sized river port. It is the political and cultural capital of Uralica, being home to the Uralic Cultural Centre, the Filharmonia (the world's largest symphony hall), and the Uralican World Trade Centre, which housed Uralica's former tallest building, the Bolak Building. Jarkko Salomäki, formerly the Neo-Tribal Chief and now just into his second presidency term (out of three permitted) since Uralica became a republic, lives here and will continue to do so even after his terms run out - he represents the riding of Sysola in the northern suburbs.

One of the newer sets of buildings is Uralikan Yliopisto, Uralica's biggest and most prestigious university. There is a large number of undergraduate programs there and a decent number of graduate programs, including seminary, an MD program, and specialised business administration programs for . Its linguistics program is particularly reputable!

It has many other attractions within its borders. It is also within a short distance of the Church of the Resurrection, Eastern Europe's largest church, which is in Pazhga (about a 20-minute drive south of Syktyvkar UA limits).

Official state languages are Komi-Zyrian, Komi-Permyak, Komi-Yodz, and Plautdietsch.

Ukhta-Sosnogorsk / Ухта-Сосногорск / Uhta-Mäntyvuori / Uhtá-Szasznógorszk
UA abbreviation: USG

An authority surrounding the two contiguous cities of Ukhta and Sosnogorsk, it is considering merging into one city and becoming part of Komiland, to become its state capital - indeed, it is the largest urban area in the former Komi Republic after Syktyvkar, having surpassed Vorkuta in 2015 per unofficial estimates that were later confirmed by the 2017 census. However, it has in its way the fact that it is very much an industrial city with little in the way of tourist appeal, unlike cities such as current Komiland capital Pechora, and the two other major cities in Komiland, Inta and Vorkuta. One exception to this is the Bolak Tower in Ukhta, at one point the tallest building in Uralica and still ranking in at seventh overall; this is the headquarters of the ubiquitous industrial-commercial conglomerate Bolak Corp., which is Uralica's largest corporation and has international subsidiaries on every continent. It is named after perhaps the most famous leader of the Christian Coalition of Countries, Sheldomar Bolak from the Republic of Displaced Calvinists. It and two other major companies run oil and gas extraction operations here, plus there are also mines and quarries in the Urals for whom offices are maintained in the city. Collectively, Ukhta-Sosnogorsk is one of two major retail hubs for the northwest Urals, the other being Vorkuta, since Pechora is more focussed on politics and being a gateway to wilderness tourism.

It should come as no surprise that Komi-Zyrian, Komi-Permyak, and Komi-Yodz are official here. There is also a larger Finnish population here than most places in the surrounding Komiland.

Viena Delta / Дельта Северной Двины / Vienansuisto / Véná Deltatorkolati
UA abbreviation: DSD

Uralica's busiest port authority is the basis for this urban authority, which is primarily consistent of the cities of Arkhangel'sk, Severodvinsk, and Novodvinsk. Most of the "touristy" things to do are in the first of these, which is saturated with culture, with its numerous churches, museums, and art galleries. Fishing, forestry, and manufacturing are the primary industries of the UA, and sea-bound trade is its #1 commercial draw. Thanks to Uralican icebreaker technology, considered the best of any country in the world, Viena Delta is open year-round, regardless of whether it is at sea or going inland via the Viena River, Uralica's longest, and its major tributaries. Much of the in-country trade comes into the UA via Novodvinsk or the eastern parts of Arkhangel'sk's port area. Severodvinsk, on the other hand, is almost exclusively international.

Most of the population is "Russo-Uralic" and speaks Russian as a mother tongue, but there is also a small Nenets community in the northern parts of Arkhangel'sk, and many people from other parts of Uralica come here to work, as jobs are always available! That being said, Tundra Nenets is the only official state language. 

Nizhny Tagil / Нижний Тагил / Alatakkila / Alsótagyil
UA abbreviation: NTG

One of Uralica's industrial powerhouses, every industry imaginable operates out of Nizhny Tagil. It ranks second in industrial output per capita behind Perm' and third in raw output behind Perm and Yekaterinburg; in terms of specific industrial sectors, it is #1 in chemical production, #2 in metallurgy behind Cherepovets, #2 in automotive and heavy manufacturing behind Perm', #2 in hi-tech behind Yekaterinburg, #2 in military production behind Izhevsk, and #3 in light manufacturing behind Perm' and Yekaterinburg. So you could say it is very thoroughly an industrial city. But it isn't without its cultural and "touristy" things to do as well. It gives tours of its decorative tray factories (and many other factories have tours as well), and has several museums, artisan shops, and places of interest. It has a well-developed formal nightlife as well, with high-end restaurants and a couple of symphony halls/opera houses in the city core.

It used to have a reputation as a city of prisons, although all but two of the numerous prisons were shut down long before Uralica annexed the area, and today there is only one left open, with the prisons being more evenly distributed throughout the country, and generally farther from large centres. There are no official state languages of Nizhny Tagil, and most people here favour communication in Russian or English.

Solikamsk-Berezniki / Соликамск-Березники / Solikama-Koivumetsä / Szolikamszk-Bereznyiki
UA abbreviation: SBZ

Early on in Uralica's history, it was obvious that the cities of Solikamsk and Berezniki were growing together, so the Uralican government set them aside together in an urban authority. The former is best-known for salt-mining and the latter for chemical production and potash-mining, and both have had issues in the past with large sinkholes, so the urban authority helped them put their heads together to find a beneficial solution to this problem. Largely industrial, there are still some touristy things to do; one of them is to catch a Zavod Ural Solikamsk game! Their football (soccer) team is the pride of the city, as it participated in the Siberian Tiger Football League in 2009, one of three Uralican football clubs to participate internationally. Besides the usual history museums, Solikamsk has one devoted specifically to all things salty - after all, it is literally named after salt (and the Kama River on which it sits). Berezniki has a bizarre tradition of spending four days in July celebrating mosquitoes.

Komi-Yodz has official status here, even though much of the Yodzyak population moved north into Komiland rather than south. Still, a number of Yodzyaks live in Solikamsk in particular, and work for the salt-mining companies or in public service.

Izhevsk / Ижевск / Isikari / Izsvár
UA abbreviation: IZH

Izhevsk is the historical capital and largest city of Udmurtia, and is also a cultural, retail, and finance nexus in the area, with only Yekaterinburg, Syktyvkar, and Kirov having larger finance sectors in Uralica. It has the distinction of being the largest producer city of military equipment in Uralica, but has much-diversified from pre-Robertian Russia, when that was the primary industry. Manufacturing of all sorts now occurs here, and there's even a small chemical production sector as well.

Uralica's largest synagogue and second-largest mosque are both in Izhevsk. The entire population speaks no fewer than four languages - English, Russian, Finnish, and Udmurt - and many also speak Tatar and/or Yüdmurtisch (the Udmurt dialect of Yiddish, which is regarded by Uralica as distinct from Standard Yiddish). There are numerous museums, the most popular tending to be the Kalashnikov Museum of Small Arms and the Udmurtia Museum of Fine Arts, and not surprisingly, the typical Uralican love of music permeates the city. At one point, Izhevsk was considered the capital of Russian electronic music, and still has a strong reputation for electronica even if Kirov has since supplanted it.

Udmurt and Yüdmurtisch are official state languages, and there is a petition to the urban authority council of Izhevsk to make Tatar state-official because of the proportion of Tatars in the city. It has a decent amount of support, and one notable Uralican behind it is Dr. Ovdey Shlomov, himself an Izhevsk native.

Vologda / Вологда / Volohda / Vólogdá
UA abbreviation: VLG

Even though the surrounding state is named after it, Vologda opted to separate and become an urban authority very early after being annexed. There are two dates argued over for foundation, and if the earlier one is true, it would be the oldest city in Uralica, dating all the way back to 1164. Regardless of date, Vologda is very old, and much of the older architecture was thankfully left untouched during the decade of constant warring that was the Robertian Era. As you could probably guess, it is rich in culture and history, and with the number of sites to celebrate thus, it actually rivals the likes of much larger Yekaterinburg, Syktyvkar, and Kirov for tourism. Probably the most popular tourist attraction is the Vologda Kremlin, the citadel in the city centre, which largely functions as a historical museum, but there are church services in the two churches on site: The Gate Church of the Exaltation of the Cross (technically part of the museum but loaned to churches for Sunday worship free of charge) is used by Vologda Kremlin Presbyterian Church, while nearby Sofiyskiy Sobor is actually owned by Vologdy Pervaya Russkaya Baptistskaya Tserkov' (First Russian Baptist Church of Vologda) and runs tours of the beautiful building during the week when no church activities are ongoing.

In terms of industrial production, it is overwhelmingly a manufacturing city. Heavy manufacturing includes the production of sawmilling and pulp-and-paper milling equipment, trains, transit vehicles, agricultural equipment, mobile buildings, and shipping containers, while the lighter manufacturing puts out a number of home consumer goods and smaller parts for larger machinery, such as bearings and optical equipment. It is also known for its traditional lace-making, which is actually taught in modular classes at the local community college campuses and has led to a decent-sized business franchise in lace-making, whose headquarters is in Vologda. Its alcohol factory still runs, although consumption through drink has plummeted (not entirely disappeared). Instead, it manufactures and distills alcohols for other uses, such as sanitizers, portable heat sources, cleaners, rubbing alcohol, and gasoline additives.

Most people in Vologda prefer to communicate in the four official languages, especially Russian. There is no additional official state language.

Cherepovets / Череповец / Tšerepovets / Cserepovjec
UA abbreviation: CHP

"The Russo-Uralic Pittsburgh" is the nickname given to this city, which prior to its secession from what is now called Vologodski Rayon, was the largest city in that state, and is still the largest city in the de facto region Western Uralica (which also includes Karelia and Sapmi). The reason it has this nickname is for its massive production of metals, especially steel, and under Uralican rule, Severstal has become the world's #1 steel-producing company by tonnage, with its headquarters and most productive factory complex in this city, and subsidiary factories in every Uralican city over a six-digit population without exception. In spite of the name, Severstal's operations are not limited to iron or steel, although certain other metals have greater output from different companies (Bolak Corp., for example, is more dominant in quarrying, copper production, and nickel production, while Magyar Independent is more dominant in work with titanium and tin). Severstal's spinoff company, Severfram, is the largest tungsten-based metallurgy company in the Eastern Hemisphere. It too has its headquarters located in Cherepovets. Upgrades to industrial technology have changed Cherepovets from the second-most-polluted city in pre-Robertian and even early Robertian Russia to a city that is well within international environmental standards.

Also, there are a few tourist attractions. "Cherepovchanye" love their sports, and the sports club "Severstal" has a team in just about every top-level sports league in Uralica! There are many theatres, museums, artisan shops, and restaurants in the downtown core, and some beautiful old churches that have been restored fairly recently. It is also home to a Veps Cultural Centre, as a decent number of Veps people have moved south into Cherepovets. Not surprisingly, Veps is an official language of this urban authority, but a bit more surprisingly (not really if you look at the census), so too is Estonian.

Surgut / Сургут / Surkut / Szurgút
UA abbreviation: SRG

The most recent urban authority of the lot, having been made official in mid-2011, Surgut is the largest city in Uralican Siberia (that is, Yugra and Yamalia) and second only to Yekaterinburg in population of cities east of the Urals. It is considered an oil boomtown, and the economy is still largely driven by fossil fuels and electric power production (in both of which it ranks #1 in Uralica). For overall industrial output by dollar value, only Perm' is higher overall, and not by much. There are smaller portions of just about every sector on the books here as well, although much of the mining is left to cities closer to the Urals. 

But just because it was founded as an industrial city doesn't mean it is lacking in culture, right? This is Uralica we're talking about. There's always something. That "something" is more substantial that one would expect if you judged it by cities such as Perm' or Ukhta. Even though the monuments to communist giants such as Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin have been removed, there are many monuments to historical Russian, Russian Empire, and Uralic figures, including Taras Shevchenko, the father of Ukrainian literature, and more recently, to the great Russian composers of years gone by. Recent buildings have also reflected a cultural shift from Russian to Hungarian, giving the city a very unique East-meets-West flavour, and there is nowhere in Uralica that more promotes Hungarian culture than Surgut. Heck, they went so far as to erect a statue of Franz Liszt next to the conservatory that bears his name! 100% of the population speaks both Hungarian and Russian, and code-switching is frequent.

Surgut is also home to the largest Khanty and Mansi communities in Uralica, and the number of people that speak those languages in this city is more than any other city in Uralica. They each run a cultural centre and language school within Surgut, which has government financial backing because those two are state-level official languages.

There are some cities that are being considered for urban authority status, although the maximum number that will be allowed (per government decree) is twenty. The current list is:

• Cheboksary / Чебоксары / Supaskari / Súpasvár (code would be CHB)
  
• Yoshkar-Ola / Йошкар-Ола / Joskar-Ola / Joskár-Olá (code would be YSH)
  
• Saransk / Саранск / Saranos / Szárán-Os (code would be SAR)
  
• Murmansk-Severomorsk / Мурманск-Североморск / Muurman-Vajenga / Murmanszk-Vájenga (code would be MMS)
  

Uralica has 185 cities. The prerequisites for a city are as follows:

• Must have at least 20 000 people.
  
• Must have at least six arts schools per 20 000 people, of which no fewer than two must involve music and no fewer than one each must involve visual arts and other performing arts (dance or acting).
  
• Must have at least one campus of the State College of Uralica. Joint campuses between two or more cities up to a maximum of five are allowed.
  
• Must have a sufficient commercial district - subject to the inspection of a representative of the Uralican Infrastructural Standards Committee.
  
• Must have sufficient road infrastructure - subject to the inspection of a representative of the Uralican Infrastructural Standards Committee.
  
• School classes must not average over 27 children per classroom. (Uralica's teacher-training programs are always packed for this reason!)
  
• Must have their city charter approved by the High Council.
  
• Must have access to a numbered highway.
  
• Must have an airport within 40 kilometres. (Not saying it has to be a big one )
  

By rank, here they are (with population; English names only):

1. Yekaterinburg, Greater Yekaterinburg - 7.31 million
   
2. Perm' - 2.88 million
   
3. Izhevsk - 2.14 million
   
4. Kirov - 1.69 million
   
5. Syktyvkar - 1.63 million
   
6. Nizhny Tagil - 1.59 million
   
7. Surgut - 1.41 million
   
8. Zapadnaya Yekaterinburg, Greater Yekaterinburg - 1.2 million
   
9. Cheboksary, Chuvashia - 1.1 million
   
10. Cherepovets - 912 thousand
    
11. Vologda - 800 thousand
    
12. Saransk, Mordovia - 753 thousand
    
13. Arkhangel'sk, Viena Delta - 738 thousand
    
14. Murmansk, Sapmi - 723 thousand
    
15. Berezniki, Solikamsk-Berezniki - 604 thousand
    
16. Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El - 593 thousand
    
17. Nizhnevartovsk, Yugra - 487 thousand
    
18. Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Greater Yekaterinburg - 452 thousand
    
19. Petroskoi, Karelia - 402 thousand
    
20. Juganvar (formerly Nefteyugansk), Yugra - 389 thousand
    
21. Solikamsk, Solikamsk-Berezniki - 366 thousand
    
22. Ukhta, Ukhta-Sosnogorsk - 363 thousand
    
23. Kamensk (formerly Kamensk-Uralskiy), Southeast Uralica - 265 thousand
    
24. Glazov, Udmurtia - 206 thousand
    
25. Kungur, Permski Rayon - 194 thousand
    
26. Pervouralsk, Southeast Uralica - 176 thousand
    
27. Kotlas, Viena - 165 thousand
    
28. Vorkuta, Komiland - 158 thousand
    
29. Severodvinsk, Viena Delta - 154 thousand
    
30. Sarapul, Udmurtia - 140 thousand
    
31. Khanto (formerly Noyabrsk), Yamalia - 134 thousand
    
32. Novy Urengoy, Yamalia - 126 thousand
    
33. Novouralsk, Southeast Uralica - 124 thousand
    
34. Chaykovsky, Permski Rayon - 123 thousand
    
35. Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirovski Rayon - 121.6 thousand
    
36. Sysert, Southeast Uralica - 121.2 thousand
    
37. Votka (formerly Votkinsk), Udmurtia - 120 thousand
    
38. Serov, Southeast Uralica - 118 thousand
    
39. Krasnokamsk, Permski Rayon - 116.8 thousand
    
40. Viipuri (formerly Vyborg), Karelia - 116.4 thousand
    
41. Nizhnyaya Tura, Southeast Uralica - 116 thousand
    
42. Beryozovski, Greater Yekaterinburg - 115 thousand
    
43. Asbest, Southeast Uralica - 114 thousand
    
44. Polevskoy, Southeast Uralica - 113 thousand
    
45. Chusovoi, Permski Rayon - 111.9 thousand
    
46. Lysva, Permski Rayon - 111.3 thousand
    
47. Severomorsk, Sapmi - 110.8 thousand
    
48. Yulser-Ola (formerly Volzhsk), Mari El - 109 thousand
    
49. Revda, Southeast Uralica - 108 thousand
    
50. Sosnogorsk, Ukhta-Sosnogorsk - 107 thousand
    
51. Punaturjala (formerly Krasnoturyinsk), Southeast Uralica - 105 thousand
    
52. Apatity, Sapmi - 104 thousand
    
53. Verkhnyaya Salda, Southeast Uralica - 102.5 thousand
    
54. Orozai (formerly Ruzayevka), Mordovia - 102.1 thousand
    
55. Nyagan, Yugra - 101.7 thousand
    
56. Pechora, Komiland - 101.4 thousand
    
57. Montsa (formerly Monchegorsk), Sapmi - 100.6 thousand
    
58. Sokol, Vologodski Rayon - 100 thousand
    
59. Mozhga, Udmurtia - 98 900
    
60. Nevyansk, Southeast Uralica - 96 300
    
61. Aramil, Greater Yekaterinburg - 96 000
    
62. Kogalym, Yugra - 94 200
    
63. Raduzhnyy, Yugra - 93 400
    
64. Alapayevsk, Southeast Uralica - 92 700
    
65. Kanash, Chuvashia - 92 300
    
66. Yugrakar (formerly Khanty-Mansiysk), Yugra - 92 000
    
67. Nyadem (formerly Nadym), Yamalia - 90 800
    
68. Chernushka, Permski Rayon - 90 550
    
69. Plesetsk, Viena - 90 200
    
70. Vaahruše (formerly Vakhrushi), Kirovski Rayon - 90 000
    
71. Kachkanar, Southeast Uralica - 89 750
    
72. Tavda, Southeast Uralica - 89 200
    
73. Salyakharad (formerly Salekhard), Yamalia - 89 000
    
74. Lyantor, Yugra - 88 500
    
75. Megion, Yugra - 87 800
    
76. Koryazhma, Viena - 87 000
    
77. Usinsk, Komiland - 86 100
    
78. Ulator (formerly Alatyr), Chuvashia - 84 700
    
79. Langepas, Yugra - 83 800
    
80. Käddluhtt (formerly Kandalaksha), Sapmi - 83 300
    
81. Sredneuralsk, Greater Yekaterinburg - 82 600
    
82. Irbit, Southeast Uralica - 81 400
    
83. Isoustiuki (formerly Velikiy Ustyug), Vologodski Rayon - 80 300
    
84. Dobryanka, Permski Rayon - 79 900
    
85. Rezh, Southeast Uralica - 79 100
    
86. Krasnoufimsk, Southeast Uralica - 78 500
    
87. Veliski (formerly Vel'sk), Viena - 78 200
    
88. Novodvinsk, Viena Delta - 76 400
    
89. Urai, Yugra - 76 000
    
90. Viche Alan (formerly Vyatskiye Polyany), Kirovski Rayon - 75 500
    
91. Pyt-Yakh, Yugra - 75 300
    
92. Muravlenko, Yamalia - 75 000
    
93. Sukhoy Log, Southeast Uralica - 74 850
    
94. Segezha, Karelia - 74 600
    
95. Pazhga, Komiland - 73 900 (OOC: MUCH larger than its RL counterpart)
    
96. Bogdanovich, Southeast Uralica - 73 200
    
97. Yugorsk, Yugra - 72 800
    
98. Slobodskoy, Kirovski Rayon - 71 500
    
99. Kushva, Southeast Uralica - 68 500
    
100. Vuktyl, Komiland - 67 000
     
101. Karpinsk, Southeast Uralica - 66 500
     
102. Artyomovsky, Southeast Uralica - 65 900
     
103. Omutninsk, Kirovski Rayon - 64 400
     
104. Gubakha, Permski Rayon - 64 000
     
105. Osa, Permski Rayon - 63 200
     
106. Shumerlya, Chuvashia - 61 600
     
107. Onega, Viena - 61 100
     
108. Kudymkar, Permski Rayon - 59 900
     
109. Kondupohju (formerly Kondopoga), Karelia - 58 400
     
110. Käkshär (formerly Kotelnich), Kirovski Rayon - 56 900
     
111. Naryan-Mar, Nenetsia - 55 000
     
112. Nyandoma, Viena - 54 300
     
113. Hiipinä (formerly Kirovsk), Sapmi - 53 600
     
114. Severouralsk, Southeast Uralica - 51 850
     
115. Kostamus (formerly Kostomuksha), Karelia - 50 500
     
116. Lapyt-Nank (formerly Labytnangi), Yamalia - 47 900
     
117. Tráty (formerly Trakt), Komiland - 44 000 (OOC: MUCH bigger than its RL counterpart)
     
118. Kuiksk (formerly Sovetsk), Yugra - 43 800
     
119. Inta, Komiland - 42 200
     
120. Krasnouralsk, Southeast Uralica - 41 800
     
121. Kizel, Permski Rayon - 41 000
     
122. Kamyshlov, Southeast Uralica - 40 750
     
123. Käkisalmi (formerly Priozersk), Karelia - 40 300
     
124. Orlov, Kirovski Rayon - 40 100
     
125. Zarechnyy, Southeast Uralica - 39 300
     
126. Igra, Udmurtia - 39 000
     
127. Vereshchagino, Permski Rayon - 38 900
     
128. Öskölömi (formerly Ust'-Kulom'), Komiland - 38 700
     
129. Tsykmä (formerly Kozmodemyansk), Mari El - 38 400
     
130. Talka-Halya (formerly Tarko-Sale), Yamalia - 38 200
     
131. Mikun', Komiland - 38 050
     
132. Konosha, Viena - 38 000
     
133. Sortavala, Karelia - 37 900
     
134. Kirovgrad, Southeast Uralica - 37 750
     
135. Gubkinsky, Yamalia - 37 500
     
136. Aleksandrovsk, Permski Rayon - 37 200
     
137. Nytva, Permski Rayon - 37 000
     
138. Ägerce (formerly Agryz), Udmurtia - 36 750
     
139. Poykovsky, Yugra - 36 500
     
140. Koutero (formerly Kovdor), Sapmi - 36 400
     
141. Karhumägi (formerly Medvezhegorsk), Karelia - 36 200
     
142. Chetyrgoroda, Yugra (merger of Alyabyevsky, Pionersky, Malinovsky, and Yubilyeyny) - 36 000
     
143. Enso (formerly Svetogorsk), Karelia - 35 500
     
144. Uva, Udmurtia - 35 200
     
145. Fyodorovsky, Yugra - 35 000
     
146. Emva, Komiland - 34 900
     
147. Krasnovishersk, Permski Rayon - 34 650
     
148. Beloyarsky, Yugra - 34 250
     
149. Nizhnyaya Salda, Southeast Uralica - 34 050
     
150. Turinsk, Southeast Uralica - 33 900
     
151. Balezino, Udmurtia - 33 500
     
152. Sernur, Mari El - 33 200
     
153. Usolye, Solikamsk-Berezniki - 32 800
     
154. Talitsa, Southeast Uralica - 32 600
     
155. Gryazovets, Vologodski Rayon - 32 300
     
156. Lashma (formerly Kovylkino), Mordovia - 32 150
     
157. Zheshart, Komiland - 32 000
     
158. Kizner, Udmurtia - 31 650
     
159. Izluchinsk, Yugra - 31 200
     
160. Usovuori (formerly Usogorsk), Komiland - 30 450
     
161. Troitsko-Pechorsk, Komiland - 30 000
     
162. Tsivilsk, Chuvashia - 29 500
     
163. Ochyor, Permski Rayon - 29 400
     
164. Kuálõk (formerly Kola), Sapmi - 29 200
     
165. Verkhny Tagil, Southeast Uralica - 28 900
     
166. Sheksna, Vologodski Rayon - 28 600
     
167. Kargopol, Viena - 28 500
     
168. Murmashi, Sapmi - 28 300
     
169. Degtyarsk, Southeast Uralica - 27 700
     
170. Olenegorsk, Sapmi - 27 000
     
171. Vienankemi (formerly Kem), Karelia - 26 750
     
172. Maskasola (formerly Medvedevo), Mari El - 26 200
     
173. Kukarka (formerly Sovetsk), Kirovski Rayon - 25 500
     
174. Sentervorri (form. Mariinsky Posad), Chuvashia - 25 200
     
175. Polar Dawns (form. Polyarnye Zori), Sapmi - 24 900
     
176. Vytegra, Vologodski Rayon - 24 400
     
177. Krasnoslobodsk, Mordovia - 23 100
     
178. Etĕrne (form. Yadrin), Chuvashia - 22 900
     
179. Kolosjoki (form. Nikel'), Sapmi - 22 500
     
180. Baranchinsky, Southeast Uralica - 22 000
     
181. Igrim, Yugra - 21 800
     
182. Kirssi (Russ. Кирс), Kirovski Rayon - 20 700
     
183. Provoi (form. Zvenigovo), Mari El - 20 500
     
184. Kükeś (Russ. Кукесь Kukes', form. Kugesi), Chuvashia - 20 100
     
185. Pokachi, Yugra - 20 000
     

[Jarkko]

PHEW! That took way too long.

[Jarkko]

MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUES OF URALICA

As hinted at before, Uralicans love sport enough that there is a professional league for a great number of different sports.

As it was in pre-Robertian Russia, the two most popular sports in Uralica are football (that is, soccer) and ice hockey.

Football

The Uralican football pyramid is quite expansive, with every incorporated settlement having a football team somewhere in the system - in the case of villages and smaller towns, more likely to be in the sixth-level Vitonen, fifth-level Nelönen or the fourth-level Kolmonen, all split into numerous geographical divisions. But the top level is the Bolakliiga, which even during the Robertian Era ranked in the top ten of leagues in the world, and the second highest of any calendar-year league behind Transvaal's. The current 20 Bolakliiga teams (for the 2019 league, whose season starts in March) are as follows:
 

• Sihtiukarin Palloseura (also called SiPS Syktyvkar or just SiPS) - the only Uralican team to have participated in the prestigious Liga Mundo, a Robertian-Era tournament that was disbanded when FIFA was re-established in 2015.
  
• SK Dinamo Arkhangel'sk - one of two Uralican teams to have won an international league title, having won the Valonliiga within The Order of Light in 2009.
  
• FK Zavod Ural Solikamsk - the other of the two; won the Siberian Tiger League Division I in 2009.
  
• FK Amkar Perm' - a former Russian Premier League Team (OOC: found out their RL counterparts were dissolved earlier this year for licensing issues)
  
• FK Fakel Kirov (formerly Dinamo Kirov)
  
• FK Sheksna Cherepovets
  
• FK Mordovia (Saransk)
  
• FK Ural (Yekaterinburg)
  
• FK Udmurtia Izhevsk (formerly Gazovik Izhevsk)
  
• SK Karelia Petroskoi (was in the Kolmonen in 2009 and got promoted three straight seasons to land in the Bolakliiga by 2012)
  
• SK Spartak Yoshkar-Ola
  
• FK Uralets Nizhny Tagil (formerly Fortuna Nizhny Tagil)
  
• FK Chuvashia Cheboksary (promoted from 2018 Ykkönen)
  
• FK Khimik Koryazhma
  
• Surgut FK (promoted from 2018 Ykkönen, won playoffs)
  
• FK Dinamo Vologda
  
• FK Berezniki (promoted from 2018 Ykkönen)
  
• FK Bolak Ukhta (formerly Turan Ukhta, GazProm TransGaz Ukhta) 
  
• GFK Yekaterinburg
  
• GFK Vorkuta
  

Last season, FK Sever Murmansk, Ferencváros LK Surgut, and FK Kotlas were relegated.

Championship history:

2008: SiPS (runner-up Dinamo Kirov)
2009: SiPS (runner-up Gazovik Izhevsk)
2010: SiPS (runner-up Dinamo Arkhangel'sk)
2011: Dinamo Arkhangel'sk (runner-up SiPS)
2012: Udmurtia Izhevsk (runner-up Ural Yekaterinburg)
2013: SiPS (runner-up Ural Yekaterinburg)
2014: Ural Yekaterinburg (runner-up SiPS)
2015: SiPS (runner-up Ural Yekaterinburg)
2016: SiPS (runner-up Amkar Perm')
2017: Dinamo Arkhangel'sk (runner-up SiPS)
2018: SiPS (runner-up Fakel Kirov)

The all-time leading goal-scorer in league play is SiPS' Joni Rasimus with 329 goals in 370 appearances. A close second is Dinamo/Fakel Kirov's Khavkuk Shlomov (nephew to Dr. Ovdey Shlomov), who has 324 in 361. The assists leader is much more distantly in front, as SiPS' Hessu Öörni has more than an assist per game, tallying his 400th (in 339 appearances) on a goal by Alexander Kudymov in the very last game of the 2018 season, a 4-1 victory against Uralets Nizhny Tagil. This is over 100 assists more than second place, as Dinamo Arkhangel'sk's Iosif Kosov has 284 in 372 appearances. There is also a cup competition, the Kanslerinkilpi:

2009: SiPS (runner-up Dinamo Kirov)
2010: SiPS (runner-up Kirovin JK)
2011: Zavod Ural Solikamsk (runner-up SiPS)
2012: SiPS (runner-up Udmurtia Izhevsk)
2013: Ural Yekaterinburg (runner-up Mordovia Saransk)
2014: Dinamo Arkhangel'sk (runner-up SiPS)
2015: Dinamo Kirov (runner-up SiPS)
2016: SiPS (runner-up Fakel Kirov)
2017: Fakel Kirov (runner-up SiPS)
2018: SiPS (runner-up Ural Yekaterinburg)

After the reintegration of FIFA and its constiutent confederations after the Dispersion, Uralican teams have been able to play in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Because of its reputation, Uralica were granted an immediate three spots in the Champions League and an additional three in the Europa League.

2017-2018 (from 2016's season) - (CLG) SiPS, (CLG) Amkar Perm', (CLQ) Ural Yekaterinburg, (ELG) Fakel Kirov, (ELQ) Udmurtia Izhevsk, (EL-Cup) Zavod Ural Solikamsk (KK semis; winner SiPS in CL, runner-up Fakel Kirov and other semifinalist Udmurtia Izhevsk in EL.)

- SiPS made the CL final knockout round, being eliminated by FC Barcelona from Catalonia in the quarterfinals after beating Zenit Sankt-Peterburg.
- Amkar Perm and Ural Yekaterinburg both finished third in their group, therefore being dropped down to the Europa League knockout stage; Amkar made it to the semifinals, and Ural to the finals, both losing to eventual champs Inter Milan.
- another Uralican team that did well in the 2017-18 EL was Fakel Kirov, who lost to Ural in the semis!
- Udmurtia and ZavU were eliminated in the first round of knockouts, the former by Beşiktaş and the latter by CL drop-downs Lyon.

2018-2019 (from 2017's season) - (CLG) Dinamo Arkhangel'sk, (CLG) SiPS, (CLQ) Fakel Kirov, (ELG) Amkar Perm', (ELG) Mordovia Saransk, (EL-Cup) Udmurtia Izhevsk (KK semis; winner Fakel Kirov and runner-up SiPS were both in Champions League, and other semis loser Bolak Ukhta lost by more.)

- Dinamo Arkhangel'sk and SiPS are in the Round of 16 and will face each other! (OOC: Alternate timelines. Ya gotta love 'em ) 
- Fakel Kirov has dropped down to the Europa League along with Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan, FC Copenhagen, Benfica, Lyon, Borussia Dortmund, and Zenit Sankt-Peterburg. They face Arsenal in the opening round of Europa League playoffs.
- Mordovia Saransk faces Tottenham Hotspur, having finished second in their group.
- Udmurtia Izhevsk failed to qualify for the knockouts.

2019-2020 (from 2018's season) - (CLG) SiPS, (CLG) Fakel Kirov, (CLQ) Dinamo Arkhangel'sk, (ELG) Amkar Perm', (ELG) Zavod Ural Solikamsk, (EL-Cup) Ural Yekaterinburg (KK runner-up).

Ice Hockey

Unlike the KHL before it, the Uralican Ice Hockey League has promotion and relegation within its system. It has grown quite a bit since its early days - in 2010 the whole system had 64 teams, whereas now it has over three hundred. The top two divisions have 32 teams each. Here are the 2018-2019 teams from the Vysshaya Divizion, the top division of the UIHL.

Eastern Conference
Southeast Division

• Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
  
• Sputnik Nizhny Tagil 
  
• Molot-Prikamye Perm
  
• Energiya Chaykovsky
  
• HK Kungur
  
• Ural Pervouralsk
  
• Chernushki Turki
  
• Votka Lightning (form. Votkan Salamat)
  

Northeast Division

• Avangard Kogalym (promoted from last season) 
  
• HK Surgut
  
• Yugra SK (Yugrakar)
  
• HK Vorkuta 
  
• Kristall-Yugra Beloyarsky (promoted from last season) 
  
• Yamal Khanto 
  
• Ukhta Jets (formerly CSKVS Ukhta)
  
• Vuktyl Wolves (formerly HK Vuktyl)
  

Western Conference
Central Division

• Udmurtia Izhevsk
  
• HK Syktyvkar
  
• CSKA Kirov
  
• Cheboksary Horde (formerly HK Cheboksary)
  
• Delta Force (Arkhangel'sk)
  
• HK Mordovia Saransk 
  
• Solikamska-Berezniki Bliznetsy (Twins)
  
• Spartak Yulser-Ola
  

Far West Division

• Severstal Cherepovets (defending champions)
  
• Torpedo Vologda
  
• Viipuri Blues
  
• Murmansk Red Wings (formerly Dinamo-GPS Murmansk) 
  
• JKK Karjala Petroskoi
  
• HK Sokol
  
• Sapmi Montsa
  
• Isoustiukin JKK
  

Last year's relegations were Zenit Mozhga (last place, Western Conference), HK Glazov (15th place, Western Conference), Juganvar HK (last place, Eastern Conference), Pechora River Kings (15th-place, Eastern Conference), and HK Salyakharad (14th-place, Eastern Conference).

The top 8 teams of each Vysshaya Divizion conference during the regular season play a best-of-7 playoff run, with the top two of each division getting home ice advantage. The UIHL playoff winner receives the Kurri Trophy, named after Finnish legend Jari Kurri. The all-time scoring leader is "The Mari Gretzky," Matvey Kolpakov, who in 11 seasons with HK Syktyvkar and later Severstal Cherepovets (the first two being shortened) has amassed 613 goals and 828 assists in 838 games! While he hasn't cracked the 200-point mark in the regular season like Gretzky did, his consistency is remarkable - he has never once missed a 50-goal or 100-point season! He really shone in the opening season, showing NHL-like skill in a less developed league and scoring an astonishing 109 points in just 40 games - 52 goals and 57 assists! Although the league's skill level has increased dramatically, Kolpakov still dominates, and he's expected to have at least another decade in him as he was just 19 when turning pro 11 seasons ago! With the NHL being refounded in 2016, there has been talk of Kolpakov going to North America, but at this point, he has said it's just talk.

Uralica's league system is considered the second-best overall from the Former Soviet Union and Europe (after Russia's; the Nordlander Elitserien and Finnish SM-Liiga are also close), and a UIHL All-Star Team clobbered the AHL All-Star Team in a cross-league match in Chicago in early 2018, to the tune of 14-5. Strictly a domestic league until the end of 2013-2014, they began letting foreigners play in the top three divisions the following season and have since had a number of players from various hockey nations, including bigger names like Nordland, Germany, Baltica, Russia, Novgorod, New Polar Canada, the New United States, Cascadia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Ural-Altai, and Siberia, or smaller hockey markets such as Transcaucasia, Bashkorto-Tatarstan, Israel, Japan, Buryatia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and Francoist China.

Other Sports

Uralica has team leagues in many other sports, but how good they are varies from sport to sport. For example, the Uralican cricket league really isn't that good when weighed against the likes of the South Asian powers (Bharat, Dravidia, Punjab, Sindh, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh), Australia, New Zealand, or England. There is a fledgling baseball league as well, but it is primarily played in the flatter parts of the country and where weather better permits, which limits it to the south-central and southwest parts of the country.

On the other hand, the Uralican Basketball League is decent enough that the teams get taken somewhat seriously abroad; the winners since its foundation have participated in the FIBA Champions League, and four-time champion BK Ural Yekaterinburg currently plays in two leagues as they have been invited to play in Russia's VTD United League as of 2017. The UBL is the top tier of a six-level system, although there is no promotion or relegation except between the top two levels.

Uralica has a league system in team handball with three professional divisions. The best team is HBK Mordovia Saransk, who have won the league six times since its inception in 2010. They are also the only country in the world to have a professional Rugby Sevens league, and they also have full Rugby Union and Rugby League bodies (they tend to do better in the former). The season is considerably shorter than it is in many rugby nations, but in spite of this, they still manage to do decently in the sport. Finally, bandy (best described as a cross between ice hockey, football, and field hockey) is popular in Uralica and has a professional bandy league as well as several amateur leagues.

[Kyng]

Whew, that took me a while to read through!

Of the urban authorities, Solikamsk-Berezniki sounds like a place I'd fit into: we have salt towns not too far from here, and the other aspects of the place just sound quirky . 

Quite a list of cities too! Around how many settlements gain or lose city status each year?

SiPS really do seem like a force to be reckoned with: I see that in the Championship, they were winners or runners-up every year except for 2012. So, what happened then?