Szotoprona

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**Szotoprona** is a major city located in the Ezermodye province of Salva, with an estimated 2021 population of *1,137,242*. The city was formerly known as *Sardabad* from 1991 to 2007, when city legislation renamed it to Szotoprona to support Salvanian independence in the region.

The city is located on Lake Szotoprona and is the seat of Marsa Kilod.

Szotoprona is the second most populous city in Salva, behind Salvadoro, and the most populous city in Western Salva. Szotoprona is a major education and healthcare hub for the region, with several government agencies, military bases, and private institutions being based in the city or in the surrounding area. The city is also a center of Salvanian manufacturing, mining, business, and trade, with several international businesses based in the city or having their regional offices in it. Oil is a prominent business in the city, due to the large oil fields in the region.

The city was first named *Khorrabad* from 1720 to 1920, later being changed to *Rosengrad* in 1920 after the Soviet Union gained control of the region. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Iranians gained control of Salva and the city was renamed to Sardabad, and the city's name was finally changed to Szotoprona in November of 2007 after rising tensions of the Salva-Iran crisis to attempt to decrease Iranian influence in Salva.

The city is an important transportation hub, with several major highways in Salva passing through the city, such as the SN-13 and the Salva Superlink. Szotoprona is located on the shores of Lake Szotoprona, a large artificial reservoir and the second largest lake in Salva, after the Mingecevir Reservoir. The lake was created in the 18th century when a dam was constructed on the River Agh Gol. The lake has many coastal and inland townships, and is used for both domestic water supply as well as electricity generation.

The Marsa Dam is the largest dam in Salva and produces a large portion of the country's electricity. The dam also provides a large amount of drinking water for the city.

The city is divided into six districts, being Downtown, Liransk, Cherya, Geyizheli, Varnakhuta, and Masin.

Each of the districts has its zoning specialization, with Liransk, Cherya, and Masin being the primary residential regions of the city. Varnakhuta, the business and industrial area, has strict rules on residential and non-industrial land use. Geyizheli is a major business area just outside of Downtown, with many highrises and apartments located in the district. The city is served by several airports located in the surrounding area.

The closest international airport is located across Lake Szotoprona (roughly 8km north), being Gabilan International Airport (GIA). Gabilan is the largest and second busiest airport in Salva.

## History

### Ottoman Empire (1720-1918)

#### Safavid settlers

In 1720, a group of unknown Safavid settlers founded a city named Khorrabad, which was situated on a large plain in the northern portion of the Safavid Empire. The city grew slowly at first, as the city was not a important one in the Empire.

During the Second Russo-Persian War, the town was destroyed and rebuilt by Salvanian and Persian settlers in 1722 as conflict raged across the Empire, which was then under Ottoman control.

#### Irrigation and Russian immigrants

Irrigation was used to expand the city's food output in the 1720s, which resulted in a dam being built on the River Agh Gol that would later result in the creation of Lake Szotoprona. With the construction of the dam in the early 1730s and a growing need for the domestic market, the town started to experience a large increase in population. The city started to expand in both size and importance during the late 1730s under Ottoman control.

Following the invasions of Peter the Great in 1722 and 1723, a number of Russian settlers made the area home, including the first known mayor of the city, Philip Lebedev, who led the growing city from 1746 to 1752.

The city saw a large amount of population growth during this time as a number of Russians made the city their permanent home. An estimation shows that Khorrabad had reached a population of 45,000 by 1740.

During the 1800s, the city experienced moderate growth, with a number of settlements being established in the area. Few records survived the 1800s, but it is known that Khorrabad remained an important city in the area.

### Soviet occupation (1922-1991)

At the time of the expansion of the Soviet Union in the 1920s, Khorrabad was renamed to Rosengrad after the Soviet annexation of the region. The city continued to be an important production center for the region, and by the late 1920s saw a sizable increase in population to over 126,000. By the late 1930s, the city saw a decrease in population as many were forced to live in exile following Joseph Stalin's harsh policies in the region.

#### World War 2

During World War 2, Rosengrad became a major Soviet arms production city, with over 30 military plants in the city by the war's end. The city grew substantially after the war, as it started becoming a core part of the USSR's heavy industry.

By the 1970s, over 300,000 people lived in the city. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the drastic collapse of the USSR as a whole, with the city suffering an economic decline due to privatization and a general drop in manufacturing.

### Salvanian Revolution (1991-1997)

Iranian control of the region, which would later become modern day Salva, sparked riots and protests across the region as nationalism for a new state of Salva grew following the USSR's instability. The city was renamed to Sardabad by the order of Hamidreza Bahadori's infamous "purification" of Salva and the Caucasus region. In 1995, increasing aggression of the Iranian State in Salva sparked violence and a revolt against the Iranian control in the region that would later become the Salvanian Revolution.

Nationalists from Salva had taken armed control of the city in 1996, with Asiman Hajiyev, the leader of the revolution, designating Sardabad as the major border station for the region, having multiple military bases set up against the Iranians from 1996 to 1997. Joseph Niblisima went on tour throughout Salva in late 1996, to keep morale high and push further for freedom and liberty for Salva, where he also passed through Sardabad and gave a series of speeches. As the war for the heart of Salva escalated, the nationalistic fervor reached its peak, with a call to all Salvanians to join the revolution.

### Modern day (1997-present)

In 1997, Salva had formally declared independence from the Iranian State after Asiman Hajiyev had drafted the new constitution and gained military control over the region.

Backed by the United States and other NATO members during the revolution, Salva was recognized as an independent entity by the United States in January of 1997, which sparked other nations to follow.

#### Renaming and growth

Szotoprona maintained the name of Sardabad until late 2007, when the city legislation formally renamed the city to what was described as "the final and rightful name" of the city.

By the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, the city had experienced its largest growth spurts to over 300,000 and is continuing to experience large growth. Szotoprona currently sits at a population just over 1.1 million, having spiked in the late 90s and early 2000s following Salva's independence and Hajiyev's promise of freedom in the region. While the city's economy is primarily based on industry and machine building, growth has recently been expanding into the service sector. Szotoprona has been trying to re-invent itself as a modern, up-to-date city and is still trying to shed its oppressive Soviet past. This has included managing to attract a few high tech jobs from the nearby factories which has allowed for the beginnings of a high end services sector.

#### Greenback Disaster

Following the Greenback Disaster in September of 2015, Szotoprona sent emergency aid to the regions affected. A week after the initial disaster, several power generators had been installed in cities near the landslide, which kept the cities from going completely dark.

## Geography

Szotoprona is located on Lake Szotoprona, a large reservoir in the region on the western outskirts of the Kyruz Lowlands. Szotoprona is primarily flat due to this, allowing the city to expand easier and decrease population density in the region. To the west of the city, the southern Caucasus range takes over and cuts off the lowlands.

Located 50 minutes south of the city is the Iranian border, resulting in Szotoprona having the highest amount of military presence in Salva, hosting SCB Kur-Araz, the largest military base in Salva.

### Cityscape

#### Downtown

Szotoprona has the highest number of skyscrapers exceeding 100 meters in Salva, at a total of 52. Most skyscraper construction has been concentrated in the last decade due to its growth as an important economic hub and the fact that most of the older buildings are designated as historic.

Despite the large number of skyscraper buildings, a majority of the buildings are still designated as office space. There are few residential buildings, with those mostly being located on the edges of the city in residential districts.

#### Districts

Szotoprona has 3 residential districts, being Liransk, Cherya, and Masin, and one industrial district, Varnakhuta, one commercial district Downtown, and one hybrid district, being Geyizheli which hosts both commercial and residential districts, for a total of 6 districts in the city.

#### Transportation

##### Railway

Szotoprona lies on the former main line of the Salvanian State Railway, which runs from the city state of Lankaran in the south, to Mingecevir in the north, Szotoprona in the west, and Salvadoro in the east. Few railroads remain active in the city today.

##### Highways

Three major highways run through Szotoprona, being the SN-11, the SN-13, and the Salva Superlink, the national highway loop. Traffic throughout the city is rather consistent, with heavy traffic on highways and light traffic on city roads.

##### Airports

###### Gabilan International Airport

Szotoprona is home to the Gabilan International Airport, the largest and second busiest airport in Salva. Gabilan is used both by commercial airlines and the Salvanian Air Force, though primarily the former. Since 2017, the have been plans to expand the airport to accommodate more commercial flights from more countries and airlines.

###### Marsa Kilod Airport

Szotoprona has a smaller, non-international airport called the Marsa Kilod Airport, located just outside of the city which was built in 1952 and later replaced by Gabilan. Marsa Kilod Airport remains active, however due to its age it is not open to outside air travel. The airport is primarily used by the Salvanian Air Force and the military for training exercises.

### Climate

Szotoprona has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: *BSh*) or under the Trewartha climate classification a *Cshk* climate (*Subtropical climate with dry summer, very hot summer and cool winter*). Szotoprona is the hottest major city in Salva, with an August average high of 38.0°C (100.4°F), and the hottest month on average at 30.9°C (87.6°F).

The highest temperature recorded in the city was 51.0°C during a severe heatwave in August of 1998. The lowest temperature was −15.7°C (3.7°F) during a cold snap in November of 1993.

Szotoprona experiences cool to mild winters and severely hot summers. Typically, January or February is the coldest month, and August is the warmest due to the moderating influence of the nearby Caspian Sea delaying the seasons by a month on average.

Szotoprona receives an average of 349 mm (13.74 in) of precipitation annually, with December being the month with the most precipitation at 42 mm, and July being the driest month receiving only 6 mm of rain on average. Due to the influence of the Kyruz Lowlands, Szotoprona experiences heavy seasonal temperatures ranging from 2.9°C (37.2°F) in January to 38°C (100.4°C) in August on average.

Temperatures above 40°C (104.0°F) are common during the summer and can be expected. Extreme heatwaves occur once per decade on average, sometimes leading to temperatures slightly above 50°C (122.0°F). Extreme cold is practically unheard of in Szotoprona, with the lowest temperature being −15.7°C (3.7°F) in an unusual weather pattern in November of 1993.

### Parks and recreation

Sentinel Park is the largest park in Szotoprona, located on the shore of Lake Szotoprona hosting a variety of gardens. Other major parks in the city include Hajiyev Park, Lebedev Park, and Independence Park. Smaller parks can be found across the city. Sentinel Park hosts a variety of plant species from across the world in its gardens, ranging from Pine trees to Dracaena trees. In the early mornings and late nights, birds can be commonly heard or seen in the park. The park is the largest non national or provincial park in Salva, also hosting a variety of events and activities such as a playground, a concert stage, and a number of statues and monuments.

## Politics

Szotoprona itself is a fairly liberal city, though conservative values are common in the outskirts of the city. The mayor of the city, Andrii Sydorovych, a member of the Liberal Coalition, is elected at-large, and the city is fairly centrist in its political views. Szotoprona is regarded as a fairly safe seat for the Liberal Coalition, and has not been heavily contested since Azad Gasimov's presidential victory in 2003. In August of 2020, President Mirzÿ Amirbeyzov held a campaign rally in Szotoprona, the first president to do so since Gasimov in 2003. In 2021, Andrii Sydorovych was re-elected unopposed for a second term as Mayor of the city, winning an impressive 88.9% of the vote.

Mayors of Szotoprona
 Aslan Vasilievich
 Andrii Sydorovych