Maes Canolog

As well as containing the national capital, Maes Canolog (literally translated as 'Central Province') is geographically the central province of Bettia, making it the hub of national transport and industry. From Gabalfa, it is possible to travel by road to Nedalia, Hypocria and Bedistan, and to Spruitland via a daily rail service.

Gabalfa International Airport provides daily international services to Nedalia, Hypocria and Lamoni. A serene, albeit slow boat service is run down the river Balfa to Porthbalfa to conect to international ferry services.

Industries

Many of Bettia's largest commercial enterprises are based in this province. One of the largest is the Foyle's Old Yellow Natural Lemon Soda company (or FOYNLS) - which produces Bettia's most popular soft drinks, as well as owning a 2nd Division football club of the same name. FOYNLS is best known for it's isotonic sports drink Arorade, although it has recently gone into the sportswear business producing the national football kits for Bettia, Kylaai and Shearer Heaven.

Bettia's fast growing IT sector is largely based in the town of Whitchurch, earning it the nickname of the Motherboard. Major comanies include Impeccable Computers and Brace-Ellisa.

One local business which has recently emerged as a centre for excellence is MapStar, Bettia's foremost map producer. They have produced the national maps for the governments of Bettia and Hypocria with further possible projects in the pipeline.

Places of Interest

Gabalfa

Capital city of Bettia, Gabalfa is at the heart of political, economic, sports and social activity. It's extensive parklands, massive Blue Arora shopping centre and tourist sites attract large numbers of visitors from throughout the country and increasingly from outside Bettia.

Places of interest within Gabalfa include:

Grand Shura Debating Chambers
Designed by acclaimed minimalist architect Taha Evans, the recently-completed debating chambers provides a home for the ruling Grand Shura of Bettia and its associated adminstration. Nicknamed 'The Big Table', its main structure is comprised of four large steel pillars supporting a flat roof slab, from which a vast expanse of glass is suspended. The whole building is set at the top of a stepped plinth.

Grand Central Mosque
Set in one corner of Gabalfa Gardens, this magnificent place of worship has dominated the Gabalfa skyline for centuries, even surviving the recent war of independance and the wholesale move to Atlantian Oceania. Its most striking features are its striking green dome and matching minerets, mirroring the mosque's verdant surroundings. This along with the muted yellow of it's sandstone walls has led some historians to speculate that this is the reason why Bettia's flag is green and yellow. The main prayer hall can hold 10000 men on the ground floor, with 5000 women accomodated on its mezzanine level.

The Rambles
A vast curved street set into an otherwise regular grid-plan of streets in the centre of Gabalfa, now used as the main shopping and socialising area. The Rambles was originally two separate streets built around 130 years ago to accomdate the new northern railway line. Around 40 years ago, the then government took the decision to take the railway line running through the centre of Gabalfa and move it underground, but decided against reinstating the regular street grid. They instead chose to develop this new space, a choice that proved popular with the locals.

Butetown

Home to a large proportion of Gabalfa's Arab and Jewish populations, Butetown is the home to some of Bettia's largest mosques and synagogues as well as it's nationally reknowned open-air market. Here, all manner of goods, clothing, exotic foods and knick-knacks can be bought and bartered for.

Environment

The province is situated at approximately 500 metres above sea level, with the predictable effect that average temperatures are slightly cooler than coastal parts, especially during the winter. Being a mainly urban area, Maes Canolog is often warmer than other areas at a similar altitude.

Being an urbanised area, air quality is predictably poorer in comparison to more rural areas due to the increased traffic and industry. The provincial council has taken some steps to alleviate this, including heavy investment in public transport and studies into alternative fuels and energy sources (including an ambitious ten-year program of installing solar panels on every house in the region).