Published on April 16, 2022 at 19:08
For the first two and a half centuries of Ivonian history, government was administered from the island's largest settlement at Whitaker. This was sufficient for much of this time, as the island population was initially quite small and grew slowly for the first century or so. However, with the passage of time and an increase in strife on the European continent, the rate at which the Ivonian population grew picked up with several substantial waves of migration coinciding with war and unrest in Europe. By the the turn of the 19th century, Ivonia's population exceeded one million people. At this time, it was felt in administration that it would be beneficial for administrative subdivisions to be created, to aid in government. Thus, the Ivonian Assembly passed the Provinces of Ivonia Act, 1801, which created five provinces of the island.
Southshore is the largest and most prosperous of the five provinces. It contains the island capital of Whitaker along with the city's substantial port facilities. This province is Ivonia's economic and financial center, with a large merchant class as well as the island's primary government and educational facilities. Geographically, Southshore is in the center of Ivonia, to the south of North Bay, the east of Westmoreland, and to the west of South Yorkshire.
North Bay is, as the name suggests, the northernmost of Ivonia's provinces, and contains the territory adjacent to the North Bay. A mostly rocky land, North Bay is dominated by hills and small mountains, and contains limited mining industries. Compared with the other provinces, North Bay is relatively sparsely populated, with the primary settlement being the seaside settlement of Northampton. North Bay is to the north of Southshore, to the east of Westmoreland and the west of New Anglia.
Westmoreland is the westernmost of the Ivonian provinces, and is the island's primary agricultural producer. Westmoreland was, at the time of the province's foundation, the second most populous province on the island just behind Southshore. Westmoreland is to the west of Southshore and North Bay. The provincial capital is at Westgate, with numerous smaller settlements dotting the landscape.
Named for Yorkshire in England, South Yorkshire is the province located in the South East of Ivonia. The provincial capital is at South York, named after the city in England. The provincial economy is mixed between logging, fishing and limited farming. South Yorkshire is located to the east of Southshore and is south of New Anglia.
New Anglia is named for the county in England, and is located in Ivonia's North East. The province is sparsely populated, with the provincial capital at Fort William. Fort William remains a major military installation on the island, guarding the coastal approaches to North Bay as well as the eastern coast. The provincial economy is primarily based on fishing.