Devereaux

This is an article related to the Commonwealth of New Duveland

Devereaux Pōike-Pāmu (Māori)
Province
Flag Seal
Location of Devereaux in New Duveland
Country	New Duveland
Established	25th March 1963
Seat	Toulon
Government
• Type	Provincial Legislature
• Premier	Jean Dubois (Liberal Party)
Area
• Total	214,069 km2 (82,653 sq mi)
Population  (2023)
• Total	5,549,212
• Density	26/km2 (67/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Deveraussien Deverotian (English)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+11 (NDST)
ISO 3166 code	DVR

Devereaux (abbreviated as DVR) is one of the eight provinces and territories of New Duveland. Located on the eastern central portion of Motu Matua (New Duveland's 'mainland'), the province shares land borders with Lapérouse to the North and North-west, Tasman to the west, New Ulster to the south and a small portion of New Munster in the Province's extreme south west. They also share a coastal border with Norfolk, with the remote Norfolk Island just off the province's north east coast. Devereaux is the second largest province by area, at 135,891 km2 (92,650 sq mi), and the fourth largest by population, with 5,549,212 people. Devereaux's population centre is an outlier from the rest of New Duveland, as the urban core is located inland up the Devereaux river, and is also one of two provinces in the country where less than half the population is located in the capital and largest city, Toulon.

Devereaux's official language is French, English and Māori, with French being the most prevalent with 82.1% of the province's population reporting knowledge of the language. The local French spoken is similar to Lapérousean French, with some minor local variety, although their accent is notably different from Lapérouse. Among other things, Lapérouse is known for producing nearly 60% of the world's Nickle, for its comedy, and for making rugby one of the most popular sports in New Duveland. Devereaux shares many similarities with it's northern sister province, Lapérouse, largely sharing unique and vibrant culture, celebrities, literature, music/songs, films, TV shows, festivals, folklore, art, and more.

Originally organised as a French overseas region, within the Realm of Lapérouse, the Deveraussien population grew eager to have a larger say in local politics, which was granted when they, alongside Lapérouse voted to form a union with the English provinces of New Duveland in 1963. The former "Realm of Laperouse", was formally split into three, with the southern portion, east of the Northern Tasman Ranges and south of Lake Laval following the Devereaux River separated to become Devereaux. This was done more so in a way that Lapérouse could not dominate the new commonwealth union, and also to convince the local population of greater opportunities to be governed by Toulon, instead of from Espérance.

Devereaux's economy has since diversified and flourished into a post-industrial economic powerhouse. While they did not benefit from the rich Nickle reserves in Lapérouse, the remaining other natural resources were notably exploited in hydroelectricity, forestry, and mining, have also long been a mainstay. The province's 2021 output was USD$138.5 billion, making it the fourth largest New Duveland province or territory by GDP, and taking up just over a tenth of New Duveland's total economy.

Etymology

Devereaux is named after the Devereaux river, which is the longest river in New Duveland. The name "Devereaux" is a literal translation from French of "banks of the river," reflecting the river's influence throughout the Province. The Devereaux river was a prominent landmark in the region and played an important role in the establishment and growth of the province of Devereaux. The province was named in honour of the river, and the river continues to be a vital part of the local ecosystem, providing water for agriculture and supporting a variety of plant and animal life. Thézan itself was a prominent colonial town that was established by the French during the Realm of Lapérouse colony. The town played an important role in the development of the region and served as a hub for trade and commerce. Today, Thézan is a popular tourist destination, known for its historical architecture and scenic natural beauty.

The Māori name for Devereaux, Pōike-Pāmu, can be translated as "bountiful/abundance of farmland". This name highlights the agricultural abundance of the region, which is fed by the numerous rivers and creeks that run through it, including the Devereaux river, the largest river in New Duveland. The fertile land in and around the many rivers are capable of supporting a variety of crops and livestock, making it an important agricultural region. The name Pōike-Pāmu reflects the close relationship that the Māori people have with the land and their recognition of its importance to their way of life.

History

Early contact periods and European settlement

Remains of the penal colony in Lacaze.

Geography

Geothermal activity within the Tuamarino Valley.

Upstream aerial view of Devereaux.

At 2,672m Sommet de Whakaki is the tallest mountain in Devereaux

Much like the other provinces on New Duveland's mainland, the centre of the Province is dominated by the Great Tasman Ranges, while the coastal areas have smaller ranges from north to south. The centre of the province is heavily influenced by the Devereaux River, the nation's longest and largest river in terms of total outflow.

Climate

Köppen climate types in Devereaux.

Demographics

At June 2021 Devereaux had a population of 2,709,212. The New Duveland Bureau of Statistics estimates that the population may well reach 3.5 million by 2050.

Similar to Lapérouse, Devereaux's roots started as the base for free settlers in the region, away from the northern penal colonies. The founding French population has been supplemented by successive waves of migrants from Western, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia and, most recently, Africa and the Middle East. Devereaux's population is ageing in proportion with the average of the remainder of the New Duveland's population.

About 79% of Deveraussien are New Duveland-born. This figure falls to around 60% in Toulon but rises to higher than 90% in some rural areas in the north of the Province. Roughly 17% of Lapérouseans identify themselves as Māori.

More than 50% of Deveraussien live in the province's capital, Toulon, located roughly in the centre of the Province. The greater Toulon metropolitan area is home to an estimated 1,546,889 people. Urban centres outside Espérance include Blois, just upstream of Toulon along the Devereaux River, Millau, Lavenay, Tannum, Grenoble, Rezé, Lacaze, Laval and Angers.

Urban areas

Toulon, the province capital, is home to just over half of all Deveraussien.

Largest cities or towns in Devereaux New Duveland National Statistics
	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
Toulon Blois	1	Toulon	Toulon	2,146,889	11	Grafaudeix	Centre de Devereaux	74,435	Lavenay Millau
	2	Blois	Blois	514,985	12	Otautu	Devereaux supérieurs	65,240
	3	Lavenay	Lavenay	263,105	13	Lannes	Lac Royal	64,433
	4	Millau	Millau	225,121	14	Tannum	Vallée de Tongaporutu	63,846
	5	Pokapūtaki	Pokapūtaki	186,966	15	Rezé	Est de la baie de Devereaux	49,332
	6	Turiwhate	Devereaux supérieurs	124,635	16	Cazouls	Centre de Devereaux	48,235
	7	Grenoble	Côte centrale	109,440	17	Tuateawa	Côte nord	42,779
	8	Tuamarino	Vallée de Waimauku	89,936	18	Lacaze	Est de la baie de Devereaux	42,690
	9	Matukuroa	Côte nord	80,332	19	Laval	Haut Pays du Nord	37,927
	10	Noyal	Centre de Devereaux	78,192	20	Topuni	Vallée de Tongaporutu	30,754

Ethnic groups

Devereaux shares it's ethnic makeup with The vast majority of Lapérouse, due to the shared heritage and formally being within the same 'nation state'. Deveraussien of European descent are people are of French origin. Notable French immigration waves include those who fled Alsace and Lorraine following the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Creole people from Réunion who fled during the sugar crisis of the 1860s and 1870s, merchants and ship owners from Bordeaux and Nantes drawn to the region at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries by economic opportunities, and colonists from the Nord and Picardy regions. Other French people who settled the area included sailors and adventurers from Normandy and Brittany, as well as settlers from the poorest regions of France in what is now the Empty diagonal. However, there were also a large number of Paddon and Cheval colonists of British and Irish origin (many of the latter having fled Ireland during the Great Famine) who came to the region via Australia, and make up a larger portion of the total European population when compared to Lapérouse, which explains the larger presence of English knowledge within the province. There is also a sizeable number of Italians, Germans, Belgians, Swiss, Spaniards, Croatians and Poles.

Transport

Railways

Toulon and Blois are connected by a shared metro network.

Regional trains within Devereaux have recently all been converted to electric

Trams

Toulon maintains a fleet of historic trams that are intergrated into the main network.

Modern trams make up a larger portion of Toulon's tram network

Ferries

Ferries are an important mode of transport along the Devereaux River, which is navigable by boat up to the border with Lapérouse.

Historic Paddle steamers are a common sight along the Devereaux river.

Sport

Skiing at Mont Cabane.