Infrastructure: Belesia

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While the region’s five major countries have a significant number of rural residents, Belesia has over 80 percent of its population living in urban areas. The country contains a mixture of modern cities and primitive rural villages. Modern utilities are found predominantly in the major cities and at reasonable levels throughout the rural countryside.

Rapid urbanization is stressing the Belesian infrastructure. However, certain aspects are still among the best in the world in regards to services provided. Belesia has a robust mass transit system. Several bus companies provide transportation in major cities and to rural areas. Airports range from large international airports that can handle almost any aircraft currently, to small, unimproved dirt strips. Seaports are modern and can handle any modern cargo vessel; most have several dolphin platforms for the offloading of petroleum. The country suffers from high levels of pollution in the urban areas and the government has made policies to combat pollution in urban environments and water supplies

Construction Patterns

Urban areas contain skyscraper buildings at least 100m tall, large apartment complexes, and residential suburbs. There is a shortage of available housing that meets the minimum standards causing some of the poorest residents to construct makeshift dwellings. This is predominately in the outskirts of the major urban areas. The local governments are actively creating new low income housing areas. Typical rural construction is low quality wooden houses with corrugated roofs. The Belesian government is investing heavily in modernizing. They are expected to take decades before completion.

Construction patterns in Belesia’s urban areas are similar, with the high-rise construction and low cost public housing (requiring modernization due to age). City planners, however, have extensive knowledge of strategic and sustainable city planning. Building materials typically consist of concrete, steel, and rebar. In areas prone to flooding, houses are built on pilings to prevent flooding.

Military operations in urban areas will initially benefit from modern electricity, water, sewage, and other utility services. As the size of the force increases however, it will further stress the grid and could cause catastrophic failure. Urban areas provide additional networks of subterranean and vertical construction that will provide cover and concealment for the enemy and possible refuge to civilians in times of conflict. Because of its expansive metropolitan population, any military operation in Belesia will involve intensive urban operations.

Major Belesian Cities and Urban Zones

Note: Belesian convention adds the term "city" following the municipality name to disambiguate it from other administrative regions or islands that might share the same name. Also, some city names - e.g. Naga - are used in more than one municipality.

Davao City

Davao City (1.6 million) is the capital of Belesia. It is also Belesia's largest city both in territory and population. The larger metro area of Davao City, Tagum, Panabo, Samal, and Digos combines for a total population of 2.5 million. Urban development is even more condensed than Cebu City, with over 75% of the population living and working within 15% of Davao City's land area.

Cebu City

Cebu City (922,611), serves as Belesia’s major port in the center of the Belesian archipelago. Metropolitan Cebu is made up of Cebu City, Carcar, Danao, Manuaue, Naga, Talisay, and Lapu-Lapu, with a combined population of 2.8 million. It is the most populous metro area in Belesia. Development is condensed to less than 20 percent of the terrain due to steep forested mountain ranges running parallel to the coastline. The city also boasts one of the largest and most sheltered harbors in Belesia. The buildings in the main urban areas consist of high-rise buildings, single family and duplex dwellings, and high-rise apartment buildings. On the periphery are the government tenement housing and shantytowns. A well developed city core serves as an intermixed commercial and institutional center, with a larger residential zone on the surrounding periphery. Major shipping and ship repair facilities dominate the waterfront on the city's northwest coastline.

Zamboanga City

Zamboanga City (861,799) sits at the extreme western end of Mindanao Island at the bottom of a pensinsula straddling the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea. As with the other major Belesian cities, it boasts a good deep water port. However it is more known as a commercial fishing port and seafood processing center than a trade port. Construction is high density mid-rise with orderly block-style development within the city core. Government, industry and commerce are mixed in the central district surrounding the city pier. Development streteches primarily in an east-west fashion following the coastline. It transitions to more random, residential and low-rise construction radiating out from the city center.

Cagayan de Oro City

Cagayan de Oro City (675,950) sits on the north side of Mindandao Island on the center of the Macajalar Bay coastline and is bisected by the Cagayan de Oro River. Seven other rivers also flow into this bay within a 10 mile stretch of coastline. It is bounded by Mt. Mangabon 35 Km to the east, and Mt. Katanglad 35 Km to the south. The port and industrial facilities are east of the river, with residences, resorts and agriculture dominant on the west side. Construction is densely concentrated mid to low rise buildings surrounded by green space and agriculture. Construction patterns are mostly orderly, accounting for the irregularities dictated by the river courses. Government and other institutions are distributed on both sides of the river, mostly in the city center away from the shoreline. The terrain becomes extremely sloped within 10 kilometers of the shoreline where development abruptly ends.

Iloilo City

Iloilo City (447,992) is the largest city on the Belesian island of Panay. The greater metropolitan population is 946,146. It sits on a large alluvial plain with much of development occuring on low-lying or reclaimed land. The Iloilo and Batiano Rivers in the south form two east-west peninsulas containing most of the old city residences and commerce. T The Jaro Floodway forms the northern boundary of the city's development. The old airport forms the nucleus of a central business district, housing most of Iloilo's high rise construction. The city's oceanfront borders the Iloilo Strait. Resorts and residences dominate the south coast, with traders and heavy industry accounting for most of the northeast coastal development. Construction patterns are mostly dense orderly along the peninsulas and in the central business district, giving way to dense random low-rise construction in the outlying districts.

Population Density

Davao City: 1,700 per square mile

Cebu City: 7,600 per square mile

Zamboanga City: 1,600 per square mile

Cagayan de Oro City: 4,200 per square mile

Iloilo City: 15,000 per square mile

Utilities Present

Power

Belesia's major power generating capacity is 6.1 gigawatts and over 90% of Belsians have access to electricity; 96 percent in urban areas and 80% in rural areas. Of the 45 operational power plants, over half of the generating capacity comes from 12 coal-fired plants and approximately 40% from 12 hydroelectric and geothermal plants. Large interconnection lines provide some measure of stability to the national grid. Getting power to the smaller outlying islands is a challenge. These islands are mainly serviced by small diesel generators (<1MW) operating on a mini-grid. Wind and solar plants are gaining popularity. Those islands close enough to the main grid are connected via undersea cable.

Power Plants

Name	Capacity (MW)	DLat	DLong	Fuel
Belesia Biomass Power Plant No. 1	8.3	10.9844	122.7711	Biomass
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 1	764	13.8932	121.745	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 2	135	11.1872	123.121	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 3	314	10.7235	122.5961	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 4	88.8	10.3871	123.6401	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 5	106.8	10.2185	123.7577	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 6	165	8.7662	124.7685	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 7	232	8.5725	124.7573	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 8	405	8.5601	124.7465	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 9	135	6.3943	125.6173	Coal
Belesia Coal Power Plant No. 10	118	5.871	125.0789	Coal
Belesia Gas Power Plant No. 1	530	13.7717	124.0349	Gas
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 1	234	13.4655	123.6486	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 2	1.5	13.1235	123.8693	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 3	130	13.0547	123.9678	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 4	112.5	11.1308	124.6553	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 5	610.2	11.1308	124.6553	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 6	192.5	9.3031	123.2141	Geothermal
Belesia Geothermal Power Plant No. 7	109	7.0083	125.0894	Geothermal
Belesia Hydro Power Plant No. 1	309	8.1937	124.1915	Hydro
Belesia Hydro Power Plant No. 2	158.1	8.1336	124.1983	Hydro
Belesia Hydro Power Plant No. 3	180	8.0528	124.2709	Hydro
Belesia Hydro Power Plant No. 4	80	8.0046	124.2868	Hydro
Belesia Hydro Power Plant No. 5	255	7.7156	125.0236	Hydro
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 1	32	11.5301	122.3975	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 2	3.4	10.6584	122.5963	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 3	23	10.581	122.8878	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 4	43.4	10.2185	123.7577	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 5	10.9	9.7189	125.5081	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 6	10.5	8.5577	124.508	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 7	10	7.2236	124.2464	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 8	58.7	7.0731	125.6128	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 9	32	7.0731	125.6128	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 10	113	7.0694	122.2014	Oil
Belesia Oil Power Plant No. 11	59	6.1018	125.2905	Oil
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 1	45	11.121	124.9723	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 2	25	10.8055	122.9908	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 3	5.7	10.6163	122.1683	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 4	21	10.5158	123.4351	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 5	59	10.5116	123.4351	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 6	48	10.4249	122.9282	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 7	32	10.4216	122.9348	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 8	60	10.4152	123.6789	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 9	10.5	7.5546	124.9616	Solar
Belesia Solar Power Plant No. 10	28.6	6.7718	125.2853	Solar

Water

Ninety-eight percent of the population has access to potable water. Relatively modern household water distribution systems cover most cities, while the rural population relies on improved wells and boreholes. Though tropical, Belesia is also susceptible to drought, exacerbated on the smaller low-lying atols. The government has invested in desalination projects to service the larger islands.

Sewage

Ninety percent of the population has access to a improved sanitation, predominantly those in the developed urban areas. Even in the cities, this does not always equate to fixed plumbing in residences, but also includes improved latrines.

Transportation Architecture

Roads are the primary intra-island transportation method.  Although air travel is gaining popularity, surface transport by boat, ferry, or coastal freighter is the primary inter-island mode of transport. The rail network of the country is currently being upgraded to support mass transit and become more reliable and thus viable means of transportation.  Most roads, especially rural roads, are in poor condition at best, due to lack of maintenance. While Belesia has no operational railway, tentative plans envision initial construction around the capital city of Davao, eventually expanding out with 2,000 km of coverage throughout the entire island.

Road Systems

Overall, Belesian roads are below US standards.  Driving is extremely hazardous and even more so at night and during the rainy season.  In general, drivers fail to obey traffic laws and their vehicles do not meet Belesian minimum safety standards. However, over 92 percent of Belesia's roads are paved and almost all of the unpaved roads are have a gravel road bed. The network consists mainly of three types of national roads: Primary, secondary, and tertiary.  Primary roads connect three or more major population centers of 100 thousand or more. Secondary roads connect major population centers to smaller cities and tertiary roads are any other maintained by the national government. The Belesian government maintains over 1,200 permanent bridges.   

Road maintenance projects will stress military traffic flow as road construction projects typically work on one direction, creating single lane travel alternating direction.  As anywhere else in the world, these projects often take several months to complete.

Bus

The larger the city the more likely it is to be a hub for bus traffic.  The bus companies are independently owned and operated.  The buses run both in the major metropolitan areas and to the more rural areas.  Due to relatively low cost of other methods of public transportation buses are typically used to longer distance travel between major urban areas and rural towns and villages.

Buses operate throughout Belesia, providing mainly long distance travel to the civilian population.  Very few Belesians use them for local travel, as there are other more efficient and reliable ways to move around the congestion in the major metropolitan areas. The buses used by the private companies do not come from any predominant company. For the smaller companies that cannot afford to purchase new buses many are refurbished and updated.  Many of the buses have air conditioning, which require passengers to pay an additional fee to ride.   Many of the major bus companies originate their lines from the major metropolitan areas and then run to the more rural areas.  Typically, the routes traveled are limited to only a few companies to each area.

Any military operations in the country that affect the bus system may cause strain on the transportation system and cause extended delays resulting in a decreased perception of military forces by the civilian population.  Military operations in Belesia would involve inspecting buses for contraband and illegal weapons .

Rail

Belesia has no operational railway system. Rugged terrain, adequate roads and plentiful water transport challenge the feasibility for a capital-intensive rail system. Initial work is proceeding on a 150 km prototype line in Davao City on Mindanao Island. If successful an eventual 2,000 km system is planned to cover the entire island.

Air Transportation Systems

Belesia's airport infrastructure can support major military operations.The two major international airports are located at Davao City on Mindanao Island, and Cebu City on Cebu Island, though most major island have an international airport serving as a first port of entry. Belesia's network of airfield, fixed base operators, and maintenance facilities can accommodate most intermediate and some depot-level maintenance for its civil air fleet.

Paved Runways

• Over 10,000 feet: 0
• 8,000 to 10,000 feet: 0
• 5,000 to 8,000 feet: 0
• 3,000 to 5,000 feet: 1
• Under 3,000 feet: 0

Airlines

Belesia Airlines is the flagship carrier, flying internationally to 15 countries worldwide. It maintains a fleet of well-maintained short and long-haul airliners. Many smaller scale commercial air carriers are registered for inter-island and short haul international charter routes.

Ports/Sea/River Transportation Systems

Water transport is the primary mode of passenger and cargo transport within the Belesian archipelago and with its neighbors. The NGA World Port Index identifies over 50 ports significant ports, 10 of which are capable of handling ships over 150m in length and an additional 38  accommodate ships up to 150m. Large interisland ferries run 24/7 scheduled service to the main islands, and most others have daily service from one of the major gateway ports. Cargo traffic is mostly containerized or break-bulk with the ports of Davao and Cebu serving as the main entry points for scheduled liner services to the major container hubs in mainland Asia. 

Belesia has relatively large merchant marine and fishing fleets operating globally. Belesians are skilled navigators and it is common to see very small vessels operating at great distances offshore. These craft can be seen in the hundreds of smaller ports and anchorages that are not listed in the mainstream commercial port directories.

The Belesian Ministry of Transport assigns the administrative responsibility for ports, waterways, merchant and fishing fleets to the Belesian Maritime Authority. Enforcement of Belesian laws in Belesian territorial waters and exclusive economic zone enforcement falls to the Coast Guard and Revenue Service of Belesia, also under the overall authority of the Ministry of Transport.

Pipelines

To be published.

Telecommunications Architecture

To be published.

Agriculture

To be published.

Industry

To be published.

Oil/Gas

To be published.

Defense Industries

To be published.

Nuclear

To be published.

Space

To be published.

Pollution

To be published.

Summary

To be published.