- For the state of the same name, see: Marbella (state)
A street in downtown Marbella.
Marbella (sometimes incorrectly called Marbellea) is the capital of New Shetland, and the biggest city. The sprawling city counts three million inhabitants and besides being the main port, it is a centre of innovation and political activity. The city is known for its liberal city council and the consequent civilian freedom within the state borders. This remarkable feat contrasts with the mainly conservative and protestant rest of the country. It is the richest area in the whole of New Shetland and an economical hub. Important roads and railways cross the city, and the two biggest airports, Marbella Airport en Greenwich Airport, are situated in the state.
The agglomeration Marbella and the surroundin areas count 3.5 million inhabitants, a substantial part of the New Shetlandian population. The area is culturally and demographically diverse but experiences many ethnicity-related incidents. A division along the lines of ancestry is clearly visible in the town. Other problems include pollution and drugs-related crime. However, the city ranks among the top cities in the world to live in, because of high life standards and a beautiful, serene inner city that lacks the crowds normally found in cities this size.
The city is subdivided in six districts, that -together with a seventh, non-urban district- make up the oldest state of New Shetland, the eponymous state of Marbella.
Geography[]
Marbella lies at the west coast of New Shetland, in the eponymous state of Marbella. The city is built on hilly grassland cut through by small rivers. The city is built around the Marbella Bay, a large water body of which the ends are marked by Point Johnson and Cape Beatrice. The many rivers and creeks flowing through the city are crossed by numerous low bridges, create gaps between otherwise proximate neighborhoods and contribute to a low-density, car-centered environment.
Cityscape[]
The development of skyscrapers over 300 feet (92 meters) started in 1935 with the construction of the Johnson Apartment Hotel. Nowadays, 29 buildings reach higher than 92 meters, including many company headquarters and large hotels, as well as three governmental buildings rising to respectively 340, 322 and 308 feet. The straight coastline allowed the creation of a two-mile long seaside boulevard that passes along all the highest buildings.
Housing, facilities and infrastructure[]
The street plan is mostly irregular with the notable exception of the newer parts of Marbella City. The sprawling suburban neigborhoods of Hastings and South Marbella, located around the city center, are composed of mostly upper middle class houses. Franklin Hill consists of mostly large villas and is one of the richest areas in the whole of New Shetland. Housing in New Portsmouth, south of the city centre, but north of South Marbella, varies considerably between some suburbs having state owned housing in the lower income neighbourhoods, to palatial waterfront estates.
East Marbella is a low-density, suburban neighborhood with the lowest population density of the city. The mostly middle class housing estates are far apart and separated by hills and ridges. The neighborhood accounts for the largest number of parks and is much larger in size than the other middle class neighborhoods of Hastings and South Marbella.
Water is supplied to residents by the Water Department of the City of Marbella. Gas and electric utilities are provided by Marbella Gas & Electric. With the automobile being the primary means of transportation for over 80 percent of its residents, Marbella is served by a network of freeways and highways. Several regional transportation projects have been undertaken in recent years to deal with congestion, most aiming at public transport. This way, the Marbella government hopes to cut C02 emissions as the city is one of the most polluted of New Shetland.
Landmarks[]
Famous landmarks within the Marbellan urban area include several forts, museums, governmental buildings, gardens and several high-end houses. There are two forts that can be visited, Fort Cooper and Fort Rotterdam. Both are the only two forts that are still almost completely intact. Other forts, such as Fort Brooks, Fort Carter and Fort Williams were destroyed in the early twentieth century to make way for modern structures such as road overpasses and the Franklin Railway Station.
The Royal Garden is the largest botanical garden of New Shetland. It houses thousands of species of plants, both indigenous and from overseas. The Kings Road Library and the adjacent, smaller National Library maintain a massive collection of letters, books and miscellanous writings such as manuscripts, maps and pamphlets. The Marbella Zoo is the largest zoo of the country, and, together with the Yarmouth Zoo, the only one that has an oceanium. The northern part of Marbella City houses many museums, such as the Wilberforce Gallery, the Thatcher & Polk Museum of Modern Art, and the Marbella Museum of Contemporary Arts and Crafts.
Subdivisions[]
The Marbella Parish is subidivided in six districts:
Marbella City is the central, oldest part of the city. It is surrounded by Franklin Hill in the north, Hastings in the east, and New Portsmouth in the south. East Marbella is situated east of Hastings, and South Marbella south of New Portsmouth.
Climate[]
Marbella has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters. Under Köppen's climate classification, the city has an oceanic climate.
Economy[]
Marbella's commercial port and its status as federal capital make international trade an important factor in the city's economy. The largest sectors of Marbella's economy are international trade, tourism and research/manufacturing, respectively.
Top employers[]
The top employers of Marbella are mostly state-funded institutions with the exception of Shetcom, a large port company that exploits many of the Marbella port facilities and earns its turnover in a number of sectors.
| Employer | Number of employees |
|---|---|
| Marbella School District | 41,237 |
| Shetcom | 35,789 |
| UH Marbella Health System | 33,239 |
| Marbella Parish | 32,610 |
| Marbella Gas & Electric |
Culture[]
Music and nightlife[]
In the late 80s and the early 90s Marbella was home to the influential MarbellaRAVE movement centered around Apocalypse Club. Nowadays, many musicians and DJ's still tour the nightclubs, but the prospering rave movement declined after 1995.