Bimhjar

Bimhjar Provinsi Bimhjar مقاطعة بيمهجار
Province
The New Bimjagarta Mosque, which was completed in 2015
Flag
Nickname(s):  Abode of Peace, The Peacock Province
Country	Slokais Islands
Establishment	01 January 1970
Capital	Cupertino
Largest city	Bimhjagarta
Official languages	English, Spainsh, Slokasian, Arabic
Demonym(s)	Bimhjarians
Government
• Governor	Irwan Tirto Abdullah (National Alliance)
• Upper house	Bimhjar Senate
• Lower house	Bimhjar Assembly
National representation
• Slokaisian Legislature	18/643
Population
• 2020 census	1,765,230 (14th)
Postal	BI

Bimhjar is a province of Slokais Islands home to 1,765,230 people. Bimhjar's capital city is Cupertino with 243,860 people, yet it's largest and most important city is Bimhjagarta with 550,340 people. Bimhjar was founded in 1970, splitting from Ambonar Province. Bimhjar is well known for it's unique Islamic culture and language and is more economically known for coffee production and quarrying.

History

Bimhjar was originally settled between 30,000 to 40,000 years ago predating the arrival of much of indigenous peoples of the rest of Slokais by several thousands years. These settlers also inhabited much of the Slokasian islands, however in other area's were wiped out around 5,000 years ago. In Bimhjar, the Koah survived due to remoteness living in general isolation until the Kamjanian introduced Proto-Zindism around 500 BCE. Built during this time, were multiple Zindist temples which have survived and continue to be practiced by Zindist minority. However the Kajanian Empire collapsed in the 900s and was replaced by the Tedaya Kingdom which largely traded with interior Koah for wood and metals. In 1310, Islam was introduced by the Kaijanese Sultanate who quickly spread it along the coastal regions with adherence growing quickly. This led to a general seperation between the Koa and the new Bimhj ethnic group. Bimhjagarta was built in the 1400s as a secondary trading port for Kaijan as cross-cultral exchange occurred between Arabic traders and Bimhj locals. Eventually, a sultanate was established in 1508 by Sultan Riahan Al-Mohamed with Bimhjagarta as it's capital. Bimhjar Sultanate would soon be the one's to began trade with Costeno as they had landed and founded Islas Dolphines nearby. Eventually, Bimhjar would be forced to grant the southern section of the island to Costeno directly in-exchange for not spreading Catholicism to the people of Bimhjar.

Provincehood

In 1968, the Bimhjar Front, a rebel group declared there intent to rejoin Slokais Islands only if a separate province was created from the existing Islas Dolphines Province. Although being initially denied by the Provisional Government, Bimhjar was created as a state for the Bimhj people with a start date of January 1st 1970. As the day approached there was violence as ethnic Costenos and Mescaldos who were moving south of the border clashed with Bimhj locals. To prevent this a miltary operation began to facilitate travel, with some Bimhj radicals even targeting the miltary with terrorist acts. Another issue with Provincehood was the status of Cupertino which had a mixed Bimhj-Mescaldo population. Cupertino was eventually split into two separate city's on each side of the dividing line, which was drawn to reflect local ethnic boundaries.

Geography

Bimhjar is the northern 2/3rds of Islas Dolphines Island, with a border with Islas Dolphines Province following the Rio Tinto into the mountains before following the 1608 Conversion Line until the city of Cupertino were it follows Pre-1970 ward boundaries until reaching the sea at the Friendship Bridge. Bimhjar also includes several outlying islands such as Sumnep Islands located directly to the north and Kanegara Island located between Bimhjar and Kaying-Ko Province.