Ham Year

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Ham Year

萩谷

CountryQgam
Foundedc. 100 BCE
Government
 • mayorJi Mow
Population
 (2017)
 • Total641,848
Demonym(s)Ham Year lo
Time zone-2

Ham Year (Qgam Dzwo: 萩谷,  /xʌm jeəɻ/) is the capital and largest city of Šmuoy Kruo Province in Qgam. It is located along the strait between Ham Year Bay and Woĝ lake.

Its proximity to the mouth of the Smaa River has historically made it an extremely important location for domestic trade, leading to Ham Year's mix of northern and southern cultures. Additionally, the Port of Ham Year being the warmest and southernmost Qgamic port, it typically remains unfrozen year-round and is in closer proximity to southern nations, making it the most important Qgamic port for international trade and shipping.

Etymology

The name Ham Year literally means "reed valley" and is likely nothing more than a reference to the general appearance of the area.

History

Ham Year was originally settled by the Nuar some 2,000 years ago under the name Hos Hjul, which became the centre of the Hos Hjul Nuar city-state. It formed some alliances with other Nuar states in the west, in present-day Seang Pe. Eventually, the settlement was conquered by Qgamic Kingdom in the 7th century CE. It remained under the name Hos Hjul (Hos Hyur in Old Qgam) for some centuries before eventually being renamed Ham Year.

Geography

Ham Year is located on the southern shore of the Ham Year Strait, which connects Woĝ Lake and Ham Year Bay.

Climate

The climate of Ham Year is Warm-summer humid continental, meaning that Ham Year has pleasantly warm summers, but rather cold winters. Unlike the northern ports of Qgam along the Gelög Sea, the Port of Ham Year does not freeze in winter, meaning that icebreakers are not needed to keep the port operating year-round.

Cityscape

Culture

Though Ham Year is a fairly northern city, its culture is highly influenced by southern, Nuar-influenced customs and traditions as a result of the influx of traders who traditionally travelled along the Smaa River.

One example is yaaĝ, or deep fried meat pie, which is a popular food in Ham Year that has its origin in southern cooking.

Another example is the caci field games, a type of informal or semi-formal athletic competition that is held in the summer months. The caci field games have been a tradition in southern Qgam for many centuries, but only gained popularity in the northern regions in the past hundred or so years. Like in the south, they have been a traditional part of summer activities in Ham Year for many centuries.


Economy

The economy of Ham Year is reliant on the shipping and trade industry and its peripheral businesses. As the only shipping lane must pass through two straits through Seang Pe, the Qgamic navy frequently patrols the area to ensure unrestricted access to this valuable shipping lane.

Government

Demographics

As with most of Qgam, the majority of the population is ethnic Qgam. However, Ham Year has a notably high proportion of ethnic Nuar given its northern location.

The Ham Year dialect itself fits into the southern group of dialects, but bears the sign of northwestern influence, as it displays vocalic variation after palatal consonants, a feature only found in northwestern dialects.

International Relations