Pacifica

Pacifica, officially the Commonwealth of Pacifica, is a state of the Federal Kingdom of Lower Columbia. It is home to Kendall, the federal capital, as well as Nyhaven, the kingdom's largest city. Both cities are part of the eponymous Nyhaven–Kendall Metropolitan Area, which spills over into the adjacent states of Willamette and Puget.

Geography


Pacifica is divided into eleven counties. The coastal and riverside counties contain most of the state's population; Wahkiakum County, home to the city of Nyhaven and located on the Columbia River, is the state's most populous county.

Terrain
Pacifica is split roughly in half by the Columbia River Estuary, which begins south of Nyhaven with the splitting of the Columbia into two separate (but interconnected) channels. After turning north past downtown Nyhaven, the river turns west and widens into a large bay several miles across. The federal capital of Kendall and the state capital of Astoria both lie on the south bank of the estuary, roughly 20 miles apart. Other major rivers in Pacifica include Grays River, the Netul River, and the Elochoman River, the last of which passes through metropolitan Nyhaven.

Much of Pacifica consists of the Coast Ranges, a series of rugged mountain chains which run roughly parallel to the Pacific coastline. None of the peaks in these ranges reach more than 3,000 feet (900 meters) in elevation, but they have made development in the state difficult. In particular, the Willapa Hills that run east of central Nyhaven have presented a serious challenge to developers and engineers alike, and have largely restricted development in the metropolis to the valley floors. However, past efforts to protect Nyhaven from flooding and expand the available usable land area have resulted in many of the lower hills being heavily excavated.

Climate
Most of Pacifica lies within 40 miles of the open ocean, resulting in a mild and rainy climate year-round. Evergreen forests dominate the landscape outside the cities, and many of these forests are protected as national, state, or municipal parks. The entire state is considered to have an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb), due to its lush vegetation, high annual precipitation, and mild temperatures year-round.

Government


The state government of Pacifica meets in the city of Astoria, the oldest city in Lower Columbia. Its legislature, the Pacifica Commonwealth Assembly, has 288 members, more than any other state legislature in Lower Columbia.

Federal representation
Due to its large population, Pacifica has the third-highest number of Federal Assemblymen, with a total of 58. Twenty-seven of those Assemblymen are Conservatives, making them the largest party in Pacifica's delegation. There are also 23 Libertarians, four Progressives, two Republicans, and two Firsties.

Transportation


Pacifica is home to Lower Columbia's largest container seaport, Port Brunsmjöd, which is just north of Kendall. The nation's busiest airport, Nyhaven International Airport, is also within the state's borders. In addition, a network of ferry routes links cities and towns along the Pacific coast and on the major bays and inlets of the state. In some areas, ferries are critical transport links, due to the impracticality of building bridges or tunnels in these locales; Willapa Bay is especially notable for its ferry system. Lower Columbia's oldest railroads were built in Pacifica, connecting the state's major cities. Trains remain a popular mode of transit in the state, due in part to its cities' extensive commuter rail systems and express inter-urban train services.



Several important ricsways cross Pacifica, including four of the major east-west ricsways. The state also has a robust network of state highways, some of which were built to freeway standards.