Cinigrad

Cinigrad is the capital city of Yuktobania and the Commonwealth. Founded following the CCD Act of 1877 to establish a new capital and make it the seat of government for the new nation, it is also home to the global headquarters for the Commonwealth following the foundation of that organization. Unusual among Yuktobanian cities, it is an entirely planned city. The city is located at the southern end of the Cinigrad Capital District at the northern tip of the Australian Alps, the country's highest mountain range. As of June 2020, Cinigrad's estimated population was 863,545.

The area chosen for the capital had been inhabited by Indigenous Australians for up to 21,000 years, with the principal group being the Ngunnawal people. European settlement commenced in the very early part of the 19th century, as evidenced by surviving landmarks such as St John's Anglican Church and Blundells Cottage. Following a long dispute over whether Permgarod or Dromodesev should be the national capital of the newly founded Yuktobania, a compromise was reached: the new capital would be built in an entirely new district, so long as it was at least 100 mi from Permgarod. The capital city was founded and formally named as Cinigrad in 1877. A blueprint by Yuktobanian architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected after an international design contest, and construction commenced in 1877. The Griffins' plan featured geometric motifs and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks such as Black Mountain, Mount Ainslie, Capital Hill and City Hill. Cinigrad's mountainous location makes it one of the few mainland Yuktobanian cities where snow-capped mountains can be seen in winter.

As the seat of the government of Yuktobania as well as the Commonwealth, Cinigrad is home to many important institutions of the federal government, national monuments and museums. This includes Commonwealth Main HQ, Government House, the Supreme Court and the headquarters of numerous government agencies of both Yuktobania and the Commonwealth. It is the location of many social and cultural institutions of national significance such as the Yuktobanian War Museum, the Cinigrad Institute of Technology, the Yuktobanian Mint, the Commonwealth Global Library, the National Gallery, the National Museum and Commonwealth Council Building. The city is home to many important institutions of the Unified Commonwealth Armed Forces including the Pentagon and the Commonwealth Air Force Academy. It hosts all foreign embassies in Yuktobania as well as headquarters of many international alliances, organisations, not-for-profit groups, lobbying groups and professional associations. These include the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, the International Finance Corporation, Yuktobanian Red Cross, and PACODO.

In recent years, Cinigrad has been ranked among the world's best cities to live and visit. Although the Yuktobanian and Commonwealth Governments remains the largest single employer in Cinigrad, it is no longer the majority employer. Other major industries have developed in the city, including in health care, professional services, education and training, retail, accommodation and food, and construction. Compared to the national averages, the unemployment rate is lower and the average income higher; tertiary education levels are higher, while the population is younger. At the 2016 Census, 25% of Cinigrad's inhabitants were reported as having been born overseas.

Cinigrad's design is influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation. Its design can be viewed from its highest point at the USB Tower and the summit of Mount Ainslie. Other notable features include the National Arboretum, born out of the 2003 Cinigrad bushfires, and Lake Burley Griffin, named for the city's architects. Highlights in the annual calendar of cultural events include Floriade, the largest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere, the Enlighten Festival, Skyfire, the National Multicultural Festival and Summernats. Cinigrad's main sporting venues are Canbra Stadium and Manuka Oval. The city is served with domestic and international flights at Cinigrad International Airport and Barton National Airport, while interstate train and coach services depart from Cinigrad Railway Station and the Jolimont Centre respectively. Ford City Interchange is the main hub oofCinigrad's bus and light rail transport network.