Twilm

Twilm (IPA: /tʍɪɭm/) is one of the fifteen states of Gfiewistan. It takes it name from the word ‘Twi’ for snowfall and ‘lm’, an archaic augmentative suffix. It is located in the south of Gfiewistan, bordering the state of Ghaklmbu in the northwest, the state of Tanla in the far north, the state of Kauslat in the east, Galsnio in the southeast, Osteria in the south and south southwest and the state of Hemmswill in the west.

Geography

Twilm is a geographically diverse state, containing, aside from a sea coast examples of most of Gfiewistan's major biomes, rivers in the north and northwest, plains in the west and far north, and gently rising hills spread across the state.

Aside from the Takenfa, the most prominent river of Kauslat, and the source of the tributary Wilfilmt, two other tributaries flow through Twilm, the Lausrf and the Bofoxiwjed.

Economy

Originally primary agricultural and pastoral with a sizable logging industry, tourism has been in recent years on the rise and overtook other sectors as the state gains a popularity as a destination for vacations and sabbaticals. Furthermore, a cottage industry of book and magazine publishing glorifying life in the countryside and geographical and geological non-fiction works has appeared.

Demographics

Twilm, like Galsnio, doesn’t have many large towns and has a similar amount of comparatively low urbanization, with a small population of just 61,762 people. However, things are changing and the capital broke the 20,000 mark some time ago. It is called Ejodfatel (/ɛʝodwatəɭ/, 23,457 people, from ‘ejo’ boat and ‘dfatel’ market) and situated where the Eastern National Highway crosses the Takenfa. Two other towns have now more than 5,000 inhabitants, Sfirf (/ʂwɪɹf/, 5,985 people, from ‘sui’ clean and ‘rf’ creek) located at the shores of the Bofoxiwjed and Zwjawrofalne (/ʒʍʝɐʍɹofaɭnə/, 8,621 people, from ‘zwjawrofa’ taiga and ‘alne’ village) south of Ejodfatel.

Currently the state still has the second lowest population at 61,762 people, but this number will likely raise significantly. Due to both the state and population having a good reputation as nice and hospitable as well as the unique landscapes it has maintained a very high net migration rate (1.58 %), the second highest in the country and the highest immigration rate (4.77 %) in the republic. At the same time, emigration is high with the rate being the second highest (3.19 %) in the country, right after Galsnio, and for similar reasons. Despite this, it still has the second highest net population change rate (2.03 %), beaten only by Bjuwag with the popular city of Slakkariew. In part this is also due to the state having an above-average birth rate (1.34 %) and the lowest death rate nationwide (0.89 %). The capital remains the most important destination for immigrants, both internal from other towns and villages in the state, as well as for the numerous immigrants from other states.

Transport

Ejodfatel also is the major traffic hub of the state, having both access to the national highway going to Dillariewis and Hatariew as well as a ferry connection to the cities of Dillariewis in Hemmswill and to Weishriew in Kauslat. A ferry also stops Sfirf and in Fojalne, a small town (/foʝaɭnə/, 1,784 people, name from ‘foj’ sheep + ‘alne’ village) near the smaller tributary of the Takenfa, the Lausrf. Twilm is one of three states with no railway stops.