Province

In M&T, the world is divided into continents, subcontinents, regions, and provinces. Provinces are the smallest of these divisions.

## Terms & Mechanics

Provinces are the heart of any nation in Europa Universalis IV. They provide income, manpower, and trade goods.

### Population

The Total Population of a province contributes to Manpower Increase, land and naval force limits, supply limit modifier and other local modifiers.

* Rural Population - represent the peasants or free farmers of your province. They supply your cities and towns with vital food.
* Urban Population - represents the city and town dwellers of your province. The larger the Urban Population in the province, the larger the city.
* Upper Class Population - represents the most powerful and influential 5% of society. They are the primary recipients of education.

### Population Growth

* **Innate Fertility** - represents the underlying capacity of the land to support rural population. While you can take many, many measures to increase population and 'modify' Innate Fertility throughout the game to increase a province's population capacity, Innate Fertility is the ultimate anchor. If a province's population is artificially below its Innate Fertility, rural population growth rate will be driven up faster. If a province's population is artificially above its Innate Fertility, rural population growth rates will be driven down."
* **Rural Density** - represents the quantity of rural population living in the province vs the province's capacity to support rural population. Higher density reduces growth, while lower density increases growth."
* **Urban Saturation** - represents urban gravity vs the urban population already living in the province. When there is a large urban population relative to a small urban gravity value, fewer people move to the city. Conversely, when there is a small urban population relative to a large gravity, more people move to the city. Another way to look at it is that Urban Saturation represents the amount of opportunity that exists in a city. If a plague or an enemy army comes and kills a significant amount of population in a city, the Urban Saturation becomes significantly lower, since there are now many jobs vacated by the people that were there before.

### Economic

* **Farming Efficiency** - determines how much extra food each rural population is making. All excess food is shared at the regional level."

* **Rural Production power** - determines how many rural goods are being made in a province. Rural industries, like cities, require excess food to support but are much less vulnerable to warfare and plague, but more vulnerable to famine.
* **Rural Production Maturity** - represents how long a rural industry has existed without being disturbed or damaged. Rural industries take damage when there is famine and war which removes maturity, and the extent to which they rebound depends on how much excess food is in the region. Provinces which have enjoyed long periods of peace enjoy more mature industries, and mature industries generate more rural wealth than immature industries, which generate more goods, but they also consume more food.

* **Urban Infrastructure** - represents the number of buildings present in a city. As Urban Infrastructure increases, the cost of building additional buildings also increases.
* **Provincial Wealth** or **Local Wealth** - represents the number of ducats present in a province. As Provincial Wealth, it becomes more taxable. When Provincial Wealth gets large enough, a new building is constructed. Wealth can be stolen by invading armies if the province is occupied.

### Culture and Religion

Each province has a primary culture and can be split between several religions, with the strongest religion becoming the province religion. Provinces that have foreign cultures or do not share the state religion tend to be more rebellious. Province culture will naturally shift over time.

### Trauma

Province Trauma is a measure of the damage taken by a province and is caused by Natural Disasters and looting. Population and wealth growth will be entirely stunted while province trauma remain. Province trauma increases the risk - and severity - of famines.

Local Rural Goods Produced Modifier
Will last for
0.01
5 years
0.01
10 years
0.01
15 years
0.01
20 years
0.01
25 years

### Weather

Good weather generates better crop yields and thus better nutrition, which improves population growth and reduces the risk of famine. Bad weather generates worse crop yields and worse nutrition, resulting in higher famine risk. Province Trauma and bad weather can both conspire to create an even greater risk of famine.

### Other

* Modifiers: Estuaries and Natural Harbours