Inland Empire

The Inland Empire is a province located in southwestern Sierra which encompasses most of the as well as portions of the. It is the fourth most populous and the fifth largest province in the Kingdom. The Inland Empire's capital and largest city is Riverside, which serves as the central hub for the province's economy, education, population, and politics. The official 2010 census population was 6,307,895. The province is the 12th province to be admitted into the Kingdom, and was formally incorporated on October 22, 1886 after sections of the Gold Coast and Central Valley were partitioned.

The province was named for its vast and expansive geography, which reflected the widespread availability of cheap land offered by the federal and local governments. Historically, the region supported and sustained a large indigenous population that included the, the , the , and the before European exploration and settlement. Due to its largely desert composition, it received insignificant attention and development under the Spanish colonial and Mexican systems as the area was unsuitable for the Spanish missionary system. As a consequence, the Inland Empire remained very sparsely inhabited well into the late 19th-century under the Kingdom of Sierra. Before it became a province, the Inland Empire was administered as the easternmost, interior region of the Gold Coast and Central Valley respectively, and was primarily allocated to established ranches and families.

The establishment of transcontinental railroad systems and telegraph lines spurred economic development in the province significantly and generated a large population boom. The development of a robust immigration system and the importation of citrus crops, particularly the and  varieties, encouraged thousands of farmers to emigrate to the province, and spawned the establishment of numerous communities along the southwestern section of the Inland Empire. The commercial success and viability of citrus farming made the Inland Empire a major center for citrus production. Further diversification in the economy including rice farming and dairy production strengthened the province's economic growth. Continued development into the 20th century with the Interprovincial and K.S. National Highway systems facilitated the means for real-estate developers to develop hundreds of suburban neighborhoods and communities in order to meet consumer demand for affordable housing outside Porciúncula.

The Inland Empire is considered a part of the Southwest Corridor. It shares borders with nine neighboring provinces–the most in the country–which are: Orange, Gold Coast, and Kings to the west; Central Valley and Clark to the north; Mohave and Maricopa to the east; and Laguna and Imperial to the south. It and Imperial are the only Southwest Corridor provinces which do not have a coastline in the Pacific Ocean, and are completely landlocked.

Much of the Inland Empire features a desert climate, characterized with very hot summers and mild winters. The dominates nearly all of the province. It features a number of mountain ranges, some of which supports pine forests and even snow at higher elevations, including the and the. The is the highest peak in the province, at 11,503 feet (3,506 m). The commercially and geographically significant defines a section of the Inland Empire's eastern boundaries. The, another major river, originates and flows out of the Inland Empire towards Orange.

Since the Sierran Cultural Revolution and, the Inland Empire continues to enjoy one of the fastest growing population rates in all of Anglo-America and one of the highest GDP per capita in the Kingdom. The province is a major center for the logistics, defense, transportation, education, information technology, mining, government services, and real estate industries. In addition, it is a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation and other significant venues. Although it suffered a period of increased gang violence and production during the 1970s and 1980s, the province has made significant improvements in public health, public safety, and economic inequality issues. The Inland Empire has the 5th highest median average income and has ranked high on a number of metrics measuring overall health, happiness, economic success, lifestyle, and spirituality. Residents from the Inland Empire are called Inlanders.

Etymology
The name "Inland Empire" was first documented in 1843 by several local newspapers that used the term to refer to the province's area. With other regions naming themselves appeasing names such as the "Gold Coast" or "Orange", developers in the area adopted the name in order to capitalize on the region's unique geographic features and economic potential. Since the westernmost parts of Inland Empire is 60 miles shy from the, the name "Inland" reflects its location. "Empire" was likely used to illustrate the sense that the vast amount of land available in the region was ready for economic and urban development, one that would lead to a highly successful area. When the province was admitted into the Kingdom on November 28, 1858, the official name of the province would read the "Province of the Inland Empire". Since then, the Inland Empire has always been officially and colloquially written and spoken with the article "the" preceding immediately before it.

Nicknames
The official provincial nickname is "The Navel Province", which features prominently on provincial vehicle registration plates, welcome signs, government websites, and tourism advertisements. The nickname highlights the major significance of the, which played a significant role in the Inland Empire's historic citrus industry, which was one of the world's largest and was nearly single-handedly responsible for the province's initial economic development and population growth. The province's relatively mild climate and advanced irrigation system allowed the cultivation of oranges in wide-scale orange groves and ranches, and contributed to the meteoric rise of the province during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The orange has become a prominent symbol that has represented the Inland Empire as a whole. King Lewis I, during a visit to Riverside in 1925 remarked, "Without the navel orange, the Empire would have remained nothing more than barren desert."

The "Yellow-Blue" is a popular unofficial nickname for the province. It first came into usage during the 1940s, in reference to the Inland Empire's simply-designed two-band flag, which features the colors, yellow and blue. The flag appeared on the license plates of vehicles registered there and reflected the rapid population growth the province experienced. The prevalence of Inland Empire-registered cars driving throughout Sierra's automobile-dominated society made the province all the more apparent, and residents from the provinces were sometimes derogatorily referred to as the "Yellow Blues". Since most residents were former citizens of the Gold Coast and Orange, which suffered from urban crowding, the term reflected a growing sense and awareness of a provincial identity for the Inland Empire.

Other nicknames for the province include "The Desert Province", "The Empire", "The Land of Sand and Snow", "The Joshua Tree Province", and "The Come-There Province".

The official provincial motto is : "Contendunt excellentiam", which means "Strive for excellence".

Overview
The Inland Empire is located in the southwestern interior region of Sierra. It shares its northernmost boundary with Central Valley, which runs along a line just above and parallel to the, before running diagonally from northwest to southeast with Clark along the historic California–Nevada regional line. The historic confluence of the defines the eastern border between the Inland Empire and the neighboring provinces of Mohave and Maricopa. The southern border generally follows across near the halfway point of the and  between the Inland Empire and its southern neighbors, Imperial and Laguna. The guides most of the border between the province and Orange, while the majority of the border with the Gold Coast follows a varied, alternating line that uses  as a reference point and divider, with the exception of the, which extends towards the southwestern extremity of the Mount Baldy line, near the valley separating the aforementioned hills and the start of the Santa Ana Mountains. With a total area of 27,298 square miles (70,699 km$2$), the Inland Empire is larger than and, but slightly smaller than. It is the 7th largest province in Sierra. , at 11,503 feet (3,506 m) is the highest point in the province, while at –236 feet (–71.9 m)  is the lowest point.

Topography and terrain
The Inland Empire is almost entirely within the, which features interlinked and isolated mountain ranges which punctuate the landscape and are scattered throughout the area. The Mojave Desert is divided into two main regions, based on elevation: the, which includes the desert areas between the elevations of 2,000 feet and 4,000 feet (609.6 m to 1,219.2 m), and the , which includes the desert areas below 2,000 feet. Generally speaking, the High Desert dominates the Inland Empire region to the north of the, whereas the Low Desert includes the Mojave Desert sections to the southeast of the San Bernardino Mountains, as well as portions of the (itself a subsection of the larger ) in the province. The two areas are distinguished by from differences in latitude, elevation, climate, local fauna, and.

At the southwestern base of the Inland Empire is the Riverside–San Bernardino–San Antonio metropolitan area where there are a series of valleys, basins, and hills. Over three-fourths of the province's population lives in this area, and features one of the fastest growing regions in the entire North American continent. It is dominated by two major mountain ranges: the and the, which are predominantly localized as the San Bernardino Mountains and the  respectively. A small section of the straddle the westernmost end of the province near the city of. Between the southern base of the San Bernardino Mountains and eastern base of the Santa Ana Mountains lies, the , and the , three areas where the province's populations are centered in. Other significant geographic features within this section of the province include, , the , and the (including the province's second highest peak, , with a height of 10,834 feet, or 3,302 meters). The geological composition of the southwestern Inland Empire is dominated by, which originated from the ancient  that formed the , and characteristic of the Peninsular Ranges geomorphic province it falls under. Several protected areas and forests in this region include the and the.

East of the Riverside–San Bernardino–San Antonio metropolitan area is, a desert valley which extends from the eastern base of the San Bernardino Mountains to the northern shore of , and is bounded from the rest of the Mojave Desert from the to the east. The valley itself is the northernmost section of the interprovincial, a large  which extends further south into Laguna, Imperial, and Pacífico Norte. Significant communities in this area include and Pawnee, which lies just north of the San Jacinto Mountains. Elevations throughout the valley vary (between 1,600 feet to 250 feet below sea level), while the surrounding mountains peak at around 11,000 feet (3,400 m) and average between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500 to 2,000 m). serves as the most prominent between the Inland Empire core cities and Coachella Valley.

The Inland Empire is a geologically active region subject to frequent s and other ground disturbances. The infamous, a prominent boundary between the and  s, runs through the Inland Empire. A number of smaller, minor faults branch out from this fault, and several independently running faults exist, most of which are concentrated in the southwestern Inland Empire. The San Andreas Fault system is a significant source of the earthquake activity in the region and has been responsible for several major earthquakes, including the 2017 Pawnee earthquake, which caused extensive damage and casualties throughout the Southwest Corridor.

Climate
The Inland Empire predominantly features a semi-arid ( Csa/BSh ) with hot, dry summers and mild, relatively wet winters in the southwestern region. Most of the province which features a desert biome has instead, an arid (Köppen climate classification BWh) which has hot, dry summers, and cool, dry winters with infrequent precipitation. The province is generally sunny year-round.

is extremely rare in the valleys but commonly occurs in the mountains and high lying deserts during the wintertime. Southwest Inland Empire is subject to local weather phenomena from (a ) to the  to s.

Flora
With much of the Inland Empire either a or desert region, the native flora is well adapted to extremely hot and dry conditions. With the exception of shrub and grass, most natural vegetation is spread out in a uniform fashion across the desert floor. Notable species of flora include the native ' (Joshua tree) and ' (Cholla cacti) which are both well-suited to the province's arid conditions. Other plants include the ' (Sierra sagebrush), ' (Fremont's cottonwood), the ' (coyote willow), and the ' (blue oak).

Fauna
Home to a diverse community of animals, including native, endemic species, the desert landscape of the Inland Empire features species adapted and well-suited for the dry, arid environment. Among these include the ' (Stephens' kangaroo rat), the ' (Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard), the  (kit fox), and the Suricata suricatta serra (Sierran meerkat). Avian species such as the ' (Gambel's quail), the ' (Western scrub jay), and the  (cactus wren) add to the biodiversity of the province.

History
Prior to European exploration and settlement in the region, present-day Inland Empire was inhabited by, the and the  Indians. The majority of the native population resided in the more hospitable southwestern corner of the province near the and the.

, a Spanish explorer, led the first European exploration of the region in 1774. In search for an adequate land route connecting southern Mexico to, de Anza transversed through modern-day and crossed the  en route to.

The first European settlement in the province was a farm (estancia) affiliated with the -based. Development and settlement of the land under Spanish rule was comparatively minimal with the coastal regions. The land was regarded as unsuitable for the establishment of missions and instead, more suited for individual s.

Following, any missions in the area were dissolved and allowed for the further development of ranchos. s from the Mexican province of arrived to the province in 1843, establishing the Inland Empire's future capital and largest city, Riverside as .

The first known American settlement in the region were a group of pioneers who crossed the  and established a community in  in 1851. These pioneers were later joined by other Americans who followed the. The continuous flow of American settlers into Mexican territory would cause tensions that led to the outburst of the Mexican-American War and consequently, the birth of Sierra and the Inland Empire.

When Alta California gained independence from Mexico in 1848, the newly formed California Republic organized the Inland Empire into the State of San Bernardino, named after the largest settlement in the region at the time. In 1858, with the promulgation of the Constitution of Sierra, the Kingdom of Sierra was created and the State of Bernardino was reorganized as the Province of the Inland Empire.

The province continued to be sparsely populated and politically irrelevant until the arrival of in 1870. An American and  worker from, North and the  founded the city of Riverside that same year.

In 1873,, a Scottish-American and  commissioned by the Ministry of Finance's Bureau of Agriculture, introduced three  trees from. Saunders, seeking prospective growers, looked to his friend,, a local and  activist, to plant and cultivate the oranges. The trees, which were successfully grown, encouraged farmers throughout the region to grow citrus fruits in the province. The province's rapidly expanded, causing an economic boom akin to the 1849 Gold Rush. Investors and urban developers worked to enlarge existing communities such as Riverside and San Bernardino as well as new communities including, , and.

The introduction of railroads and irrigation from the only further contributed to the economic growth and viability of the province. With growing demand in the Gold Coast, other industries, especially that of. The establishment of (which was later rerouted as Interprovincial 66 in 1956 before being retired in 1979) brought thousands of tourists and migrants to the province on a daily basis.

Following, the Inland Empire moved away from its citrus farming in favor of real estate and , an economic development that has characterized the province and persists in the province in the present-day. The continued development of the freeway system alongside the ballooning growth of jobs in the Gold Coast and Orange fueled people to settle in the Inland Empire's new homes and neighborhoods. Today, the province's economy mostly specializes in tourism, warehousing, retail, and logistics although Riverside has become a growing financial center in recent years.

Demographics
The Sierra Royal Bureau of Census estimates that the population of the Inland Empire in June 2015 is 6,556,008. In the 2010 census, 6,307,895 people were counted as citizens of the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire's population growth have generally been s from neighboring provinces, particularly the Gold Coast and Orange where the cost-of-living is increasing. The province, which is famous for its tract housing, provides an attractive real estate market with large amounts of expendable land. Some immigrant groups, particularly those from and  have arrived to the Inland Empire with similar reasons to domestic migrants. About 22% of the population were foreign-born.

The Inland Empire consistently ranks as one of the "greatest places" to live in the Kingdom according to polls with an average of 76% of respondents rating their areas favorably. According to a majority of respondents, the climate, housing, and community area are common reasons for the rating. However, the province has also earned its recognition as the second most province in the Kingdom (where 30.8% of the province are obese or ), after the Gold Coast. In fact, one of the province's largest cities, Pawnee, is ranked the fourth most obese city in the country. Other negative indicators include the concern of the province's notorious and crime.

The fifth most populous province in the Kingdom after the Gold Coast, Laguna, Orange, and Maricopa, the Inland Empire is home to three of the 20 largest cities in Sierra: Riverside (4th), San Bernardino (13th), and Palm Springs (20th).

Racial and ancestral makeup

 * 61.8% (3,898,279)
 * 40.4% (2,548,389)
 * 11.8% / (744,331)
 * 7.5% (473,092)
 * 18.9% Other or (1,192,194)
 * 43.9% of any race (2,769,165)

The Inland Empire has the highest concentration of Sierran, the fourth largest Hispanic and Asian populations, the second largest concentration of blacks, and the third largest non-Hispanic white population.

Culture
Due to its intermediary location and large presence of Hispanic people, the culture of the Inland Empire is heavily influenced by Sierran and culture. Its association with suburbia and citrus farming have also contributed to the culture and understanding of the province. An ideal location for families, youth, and the elderly, the Inland Empire is often portrayed as a getaway destination and a land for opportunity and freedom from the confines of the urban life.

The Inland Empire, home to a bustling, growing population, has allowed the arts and innovation to flourish in the province. The province includes over 35 museums, theaters, and art centers including the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the, the , the , and the.

The province is also known for its prevailing culture and influence on local Sierran music. Various bands and individuals originate from the Inland Empire and the worldwide famous is held annually.

Home to the and the, the Inland Empire offers residents and tourists alike the option for , , , recreational driving, and dirt bike riding. During the winter, destinations such as offer  and. , although illegal in the province, is permitted at casinos in Indian reservations including the  and. The Inland Empire's is frequently traveled by Sierrans in the southwestern region including the province itself to travel to  in the neighboring province of Clark.

Religion
About 78% of Inland Empire residents identify themselves as with 39% as  or, 36% , 2% , and 1% another denomination or church. The largest religious Christian denomination by number of adherents is the with 36% of the province. The Church's local body is represented by the. The next largest churches are the independent Evangelical churches,, , , s.

The next largest group are the (which includes, , , and ) who comprise of 14% of the population. The largest non-Christian religion is Canaanism at 3% with the Sanctuary of Isachul accounting for more than 80% of the Canaanite population. accounts for 2% of the Inland Empire residents and the remaining 2% include, , , and others.

Languages
The official languages of the province include the nine languages recognized nationally (,, , , , , , , and Serran), thus requiring all official government documents in the province to be published with all of the aforementioned languages.

Approximately 68% of the population (4,289,368) spoke English as their at home. The second most commonly spoken language at home was Spanish. The Inland Empire has the second largest concentration of, , and ; and the third largest concentration of , , , and ; the fifth largest of Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese speakers in the country.

Economy


Due to the large expanse of unoccupied, cheap land, its location between Porciúncula and Las Vegas/Phoenix, and access to transportation links, the Inland Empire has prospered in the industry. Much of the Kingdom's largest companies base their logistical and distributive operations in the Inland Empire. The distribution centers act as intermediaries between goods received in the Gold Coast's seaports and buyers from eastern Sierra, Brazoria, Wabash, and the. The Inland Empire's shipping sector accounts for over 80% of the movement and distribution of goods and products.

The Inland Empire has historically relied primarily on citrus farming but following, citrus fields were plowed in favor of urban housing. As more agricultural jobs moved to Central Valley and Imperial, the became the dominant agriculturally-related sector in the province. The dairy industry is especially prominent in and. The Inland Empire still produces about 10% of the province's total agricultural produce however with much of the crop being s,, s, s, s, and.

Although the Inland Empire has generally consisted of and s, where residents would reside in the province but work outside, cities such as Riverside have begun developing a local services and financial sector. Aided by local retailing, public utilities, and liberal business laws, local corporations and businesses have been encouraged to start business in the province. A relatively new entry to the national financial sector, the Inland Empire has attracted the attention of emerging banks, hedge funds, and insurance firms interested in branching out or migrating from the traditional sector established in the Gold Coast and Laguna.

Energy
The chief provider in electricity in the province is the Southern Sierran Electricity Corporation (SSEC) while water is managed and provided by the Tri-Provincial Water Authority District. Much of the province's electricity is powered by s or s with other sources of electricity such as s stemming from outside provinces. Water is almost entirely supplied by the through an elaborate water aqueduct system, although a large portion of this water is reserved for the more populous Gold Coast-Orange-Laguna metropolitan area.

Rail
The Inland Empire's public rail and transit system is provided by Sierrail under the management and supervision of the Inland Empire Provincial Department of Transportation. Together, the, , provide  service in the province, allowing residents to commute from the province to the Gold Coast and Orange.

Airports
The (RION) in  is the province's primary  in the immediate area and a secondary airport in the Greater Porciúncula metropolitan area. Two other airports outside the province: the (LAX; Porciúncula) and the  (QAA; ). The former is located in the Gold Coast while the latter is located in Orange.

Several smaller commercial and airports are available in the area is the  (PSP; ),  (SBD; ),  (CNO; ),  (RAL; Riverside),  (VCV; ),   (APV, ), the  (DAG; ),  (RBF; ),  (CCB; ),  (AJO; ),  (RIR; ),  (FVA; ),  (HER; ),  (NED; ),  (REI; ), and  (L67; ).

Water
Water, a highly contested and essential resource, has been the source of ongoing political contention within the province and among other provinces. The Inland Empire has had several notable water trade disputes with other provinces, especially Maricopa and the Gold Coast over the usage of the Colorado River and the apportionment of water. As with most of the country, there are periodic s and water shortages that further complicate the already tepid and tense dispute over water rights. The Colorado River Irrigation System is the province's main source of water although other water sources such as and  contribute to water consumption as well. The Inland Empire is also home to part of Sierra's largest lake, the, a saltwater basin. The sea was accidentally created by Sierran engineers in 1905 when they were developing the Colorado River Irrigation System. Since 1994, the Inland Empire and Imperial have worked together in reducing the salinity of the lake, and the amount of waste dumped into it. Two man-made outflows, the Cortez River, and the Chocolate Canal, were created to pump excess water out towards and the  across the Trans-Peninsular Delta.

Government and politics
As a province, the Inland Empire features its own semi- form of government with its own constitution, as well as three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial branch. Led by an elected, the current governor of the Inland Empire is Carlitos Pacheco (R), who was elected in 2012. Other elected executive officers include Lieutenant Governor Henry McFarley, Secretary of State Doug Green, Treasurer Julia Dominguez, Provincial Attorney Obadiah Freedman, Provincial Auditor Christina Sharp, and Provincial Superintendent Rosalina Schultz. All provincial-level elected executive officials serve renewable four-year terms. Like all of other Sierran provinces, the Inland Empire is a subject of the Crown, and the Monarch is represented in the province through the Lord or Lady Superintendent, who fulfills all the roles of the Monarch when the latter is out of the province or otherwise unable to execute their role and responsibilities. The current Lord Superintendent is Sir Kent Burton, who was appointed by Angelina I on March 13, 1987.

The Inland Empire Provincial Legislature is and is one of five provinces in the Kingdom to have this political feature. Composed of 30 members, its members are officially known as Senators and all are elected every two years. The province also allows for provincial-wide s with several citizen-introduced bills included along ballot tickets every electoral year.

The judicial system of the Inland Empire is unified with the Supreme Court as the highest court in the province. Using the English, the Inland Empire legal system also incorporates elements from Spanish common law. Inferior courts include the Superior Courts which act as courts of appeal, and the county/municipal courts. is legal in the province with as the only legal method of execution since 1999.

The province has traditionally leaned towards the right and more sympathetic to positions compared to its coastal neighbors. It has been a large political base for both the Royalist and Libertarian parties. Since 1945, the province has consistently voted for a Royalist prime ministerial candidate.

Education
The scope of education is a provincial issue and is managed by the Inland Empire Department of Educational Services. There are 29 institutions including  (UIR), the, and the. The province has a number of religiously-affiliated universities as well including the and  Universities  and the.

Nine school districts consisting of a collective total of 97 schools are distributed throughout the province with a body of 300,000 students and 28,000 teachers, staff, and faculty. The Inland Empire ranks one of the lowest in terms of test scores, college graduation, and bachelor's degree completion—a fact that has made education a top priority in the province. An elaborate financial aid and grant system is funded to support economically disadvantaged families and students seeking to attend college within the province.

Sports
As the most populous province without a single sports team, the Inland Empire nonetheless has a number of minor league and collegiate-level sports teams. In recent years, efforts to form a professional-level sports team have grown stronger, especially among the baseball-loving community in the province. A source of pride, the Inland Empire has produced over 30 individuals in the past 20 years who have played in professional baseball teams throughout.

The Inland Empire is also home to the, based in , where it hosts the  and the Von Holt 500. Two other racetracks, the and the  have ultimately been closed down due to lack of funding and public support.

, which is ideal in the Inland Empire due to its abundance of golf courses and presence of professional golf clubs, has been the primary sport of choice among residents. The golfing community is especially prominent in. In fact, the city has the most golf courses per capita and in total in the entire Kingdom, where it hosts the 's and King's Royal Palm Tourney.