| Gatineau | |
| |
| Country | Tybalteva |
| State | Archeviers |
| Mayor | Felix Michel |
| Population (2017) | 3,833,509 |
| Demonym | Gatinese |
| Postal code | 500 |
| Website | gatineau.ty |
Gatineau (pronounced /gæ-ti-nɔ/ gah-tee-noh) is the capital of Tybalteva and the largest city of the state of Archeviers. Gatineau has a population of 3.8 million people, and forms the heart of the Glèàm Lùnarej Areèaa (Green Lung Area) with the surrounding forêts profondes (deep forests).
Strategically located along the Léonine River, Gatineau's history stretches back to over two thousand years, when Karmelitic tribes started settling down in the area in the first century. Most of the buildings and landmarks of the city were built over the ancient settlements during the Middle Ages and Arthur Aedan's conquest due to a significant influx of merchants coming from the coastline seeking a safer place to live in. The city was later designated the capital of Tybalteva under Arthur's reign.
Due to its strong medieval heritage, Gatineau contains several sites protected by the National Tybaltevan Heritage Conservatory (NATYCO), including the fortress, the Arène des chevaliers morts au combat (arena of fallen knights), the Golden Hall, the Hotel du Repos du Guerrier ("well-earned rest" inn), the Grand Cathedral and the Royal Castle.
Gatineau received 11 million international visitors in 2019, making it the most visited Tybaltevan city to date. It constitutes the historical and political center of Tybalteva, whereas Joekeong is the business and financial hub of the nation.
Etymology
The city has successively been known under the names Artarane and Artan-sur-Léonine, before taking its present name at Arthur Aedan's instigation in the 17th century.
"Gatineau" means "Golden Fortress" in old Tybaltevan and was said to be the name of a prominent city of the kingdom of Tridenter, where Aedan was allegedly born. Tales suggests it was likely that particular reference to the cradle of the royal line was made out of superstition.
Geography
Gatineau is located in the center of Tybalteva and roughly bisected into northern and southern halves by the Léonine River.
Fortress of Gatineau, photograph, 2020.
In the North, the fortress area (called "Vieux Gatineau" or Old Gatineau) - surrounded by pastures and woods - is the most ancient part of the city. Within its battlements, the Vieux Château (the old castle) must not be mistaken for Gatineau Royal Castle - the Tybaltevan royal family's dwelling - situated on a hill 1km north of the capital.
Gatineau Royal Castle, photograph, 2016.
In the south, the rest of the city - built as the population grew - mainly comprises half-timbering houses and market places linked to each other through a web of alleys that has not been touched since the Middles Ages.
Gatineau is the only city in Tybalteva devoid of suburbs: a decree meant to preserve its architectural integrity was adopted in 1795, when Hadrian Aedan ascended the throne, thus stopping its expansion. The only existing contemporary buildings - built on the edge of the city in accordance with the local urban masterplan - are the railway station "Gervais De Lycorne", the music venue Tertre Arena, and the TYBC1 headquarters.
Demographics
As of the end of 2017, 3.83 million citizens lived in the city. This was a 0.24% decrease from the end of 2010. The population of Gatineau has been dropping since the early 1990s, the reason being the rising costs of living due to limited housing opportunities and little turnover. Recent studies showed that first-time buyers and households with dependent children prefer living in the surrounding towns mainly because of the difficulty to find a suitable property and the substantial financial means required to acquire it.
Rue de l'ambre, Gatineau. Photograph, 2019.
As of 2015, the number of foreigners living in Gatineau was 285,200, being 12.4% of the total foreign population in Tybalteva. Among the most represented nationalities, 186,631 foreigners were Griffin citizens, 29,901 were Tanoirians, and 8,717 were from Gvozdmost.
Prior to the strict ban enforced in 2013 during the territorial dispute between Kamandé and Tybalteva, Gatineau was home to roughly 35,000 inhabitants of Kamandéan descent. Nationwide, a total of 114,000 Kamandéans were compelled to leave for their country of origin that year. To this day, the situation of Kamandéan-Tybaltevan mixed-race people is still a taboo subject in Tybalteva.
| Rank | Name | State | Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gatineau |  Archeviers |
3,833,509 |
| 2 | Joekeong |  Tàesegu |
3,448,737 |
| 3 | Nev Joàrk |  Sunaflowerù |
890,451 |
| 4 | Màgarti |  Asciùdaz |
746,052 |
| 5 | Latha-Rone | Tàesegu |
738,394 |
| 6 | Okast |  Petrà |
502,881 |
| 7 | Sagebois | Sunaflowerù |
494,313 |
| 8 | Menhir-Dong | Tàesegu |
466,615 |
| 9 | Càpae | Asciùdaz |
259,241 |
| 10 | Diamondunù | Sunaflowerù |
209,073 |
Transportation
The transportation network of Gatineau is recent. While it is possible to travel within the city by bus, vehicle traffic in general remains marginal since there are few streets large enough to be taken by modern cars. Parking lots are also scarce, as most areas - like the fortress - are de facto pedestrian. National and international destinations are served by train or plane.
Bus
Gatineau's bus system is operated by the Gatineau Transport Company (GTC), with four primary bus configurations available covering most of the city. Gatineau has many intercity bus terminals: these buses connect the capital with towns throughout the state of Archeviers. The four operational lines are the following:
- N°1: Carmésie-Ingle (North-South axis; stops at the fortress and Gatineau Royal Castle)
- N°2: Pille-Vertelot (East-West axis; stops at the Grand Cathedral and the Royal Museum)
- N°3: Ouros-Antigemme (Diagonal axis; stops at Temple of Savant Knights and Tertre Arena)
- N°4: Framboise-Hélirond (Diagonal axis; stops at forêts profondes park and TYBC1 headquarters)
Train
Gatineau is connected to most major cities in Tybalteva by rail, via the TYB high-speed train, which has a normal operation speed of more than 300 km/h. Major railroad lines include:
- A: Joekeong-Màgarti
- B: Nev Joàrk-Okast
- C: Gatineau-Gvozd (direct line to the capital of Gvozdmost)
Airport
Gatineau is served by one of the two international Tybaltevan airports - Christof De Rouvert International Airport - the other, Park Ssinhwa International Airport, serving the economic hub Joekeong.
Christof De Rouvert International Airport handles short international flights to Ansèth, Gvozd and Kralingslæting, as well as domestic flights to isolated cities such as Càpae, Diamondunù and Latha-Rone.
On the other hand, Park Ssinhwa International Airport - located in Joekeong - is responsible for major international flights and is the main stopover for long-distance flights coming from Blackmere, Trollheimr and Vylkuzeme. In 2012, it was Galea's second busiest airport in terms of passengers. In 2017, 37,765,397 passengers used the airport. The airport opened two additional terminals on January 18, 2018.
International relations
Since the historical agreement signed on April 9, 1956, between Griffin Empire and Tybalteva, the exclusive sister city of Gatineau is:
Kralingslæting, Griffin Empire.
Furthermore, close links were forged with the following capitals:
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