New Hanover

**New Hanover** is one of the five American territories in *Red Dead Redemption 2* and currently the largest territory after New Austin.

## Description

The territory is characterized by varied biomes and it comprises three regions. Northeast is where the densely forested Cumberland Forest is located. Right at the center is the prairie plains of The Heartlands. To the east is the hilly and foggy Roanoke Ridge.

There are notable towns and villages situated within the territory. As such, a significant presence of outlaws and bandits roam around the area. Much like New Austin, the territory is in the process of colonization. Regardless, there are still patches of land where there are no settlers, so the presence of local wildlife is expected.

## Geography

New Hanover is bordered by Flat Iron Lake to the southwest and the Dakota River separating Ambarino and New Hanover to the northeast, Lemoyne to the south and Grizzlies East to the east, bordering Cumberland Forest and Roanoke Ridge.

Cumberland Forest lies less elevated compared to Grizzlies East, although, it serves as a transition between the mountainous woodlands from the plains. The region is one of the smallest in the game.

The Heartlands is characterized by rolling hills and plains. There is not much high elevation compared to other regions aside from the buttes in the heart of the area, and the riverbanks near Dakota River. It is reminiscent of the high plains of Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado particularly the eroded chalk bluffs of Pawnee National Grassland.

Roanoke Ridge lies near the Lannahechee River and is characterized by densely packed woodlands often surrounded by fog and mist. The Kamassa River lies within this region. There may be precious minerals lying beneath the area since Annesburg is located north-east of the region.

## Background

### *Red Dead Redemption 2*

New Hanover opens after the Van der Linde gang relocates to Horseshoe Overlook after "Eastward Bound". The gang stays within the regions for a short while until they move southward towards Lemoyne.

Camilla and Maggie's moonshine shack is located in The Heartlands region of New Hanover.

## Trivia

* New Hanover takes its name from the real life city of Hanover, Germany.
	+ The name is possibly a reference to the large diaspora of Germans that settled in America during the westward expansion of the country. The town of Annesburg has a German name. Even today, many people living in the real-life American Midwest are of German descent.
* Much like New Austin, New Hanover takes inspiration from several real-life American States:
	+ The Heartlands are based upon several real-life plains states in the rocky mountain and midwestern regions of the U.S. The most prominent influences are Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas, with some elements of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and the Dakotas
	+ Cumberland Forest is based upon the foothills region of the Rocky Mountains in Eastern Colorado.
	+ Roanoke Ridge is based upon the Ouachita and Ozark regions, which include eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southern Missouri.
	+ Overall, despite mixing many elements of frontier states, New Hanover's geographic placement roughly corresponds to that of Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
* New Hanover has the most number of newspapers running in the state, with three being spread across Valentine, Annesburg, and Van Horn Trading Post.
* New Hanover was established in 1796. This makes it the oldest established area in the game.
* New Hanover was the 31st state admitted to the union. In real life, California was the 31st state admitted.