Coruscant

Overview

Coruscant (pronounced /'kɔɹəsɑnt/ or, more rarely, /kəˈɹʌskənt/^[30]), originally called Notron, also known as the Queen of the Core Worlds, The Jewel of the Core Worlds, or Imperial Center under the Galactic Empire and as Yuuzhan'tar under the Yuuzhan Vong, was a planet located in the Galactic Core. It was the ancient homeworld of the Taung and Zhell species, and it was generally also believed to be the original birthplace of Humans. During most of galactic history, Coruscant was the most politically important world in the galaxy. At various times, it was the capital of the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, the New Republic, the Yuuzhan Vong empire, the Galactic Alliance, Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire, and the Galactic Federation Triumvirate. In controlling Coruscant, these governments controlled most of the galaxy in the process.

Over the centuries, Coruscant had developed into an ecumenopolis, with a total of 5,127 levels of city built up from the crust by the time of the Clone Wars. The actual planet-wide metropolis of Coruscant was called Galactic City. Under the Galactic Republic, the names Republic City or the City of Spires were also used to reference the city. It was also called Imperial City under the Galactic Empire, and New Republic City under the New Republic. However, in practice, Galactic City and its other names were sometimes applied to the Senate District, the central government center and de facto capital of Coruscant.

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Surface

Geologically, the planet was composed of a molten core with a rocky mantle and a silicate rock crust. At its poles were huge ice caps that were popular spots for tourists. The entire surface of Coruscant was covered by sprawling kilometers-high ecumenopolis, and boasted a population of over a hundred billion to several trillion, depending on the era. Following the end of the Clone Wars, an official census noted 1 trillion official permanent residents. The statistics did not include transients, temporary workers, unregistered populace, nor residents of orbital facilities. Because of these omissions, the actual population of Coruscant was estimated to be three times the official record.

Coruscant was known to have the tallest buildings in the Galaxy. Coruscanti skyscrapers dwarfed all the original natural features, including mountains, as well as floors of oceans which once covered a large portion of Coruscant's surface. Areas of Galactic City were broken up into 5,127 levels which were then divided into megablocks, blocks, and subblocks.^[34] Coruscant itself was divided into quadrants, which were divided into zones.^[35] Below the skyscrapers was Coruscant's undercity, where sunlight never reached. Artificial lighting illuminated these lower levels and advertisement holograms could be seen everywhere. There were numerous establishments for entertainment, catering to a myriad of alien species. The residents were collectively referred to as Twilighters.^[24]

Coruscant was once a world mostly covered in oceans.^[36] However, all natural bodies of water were drained and stored in vast caverns beneath the city as a result of years of overpopulation. The only body of water visible was the artificial Western Sea, with many artificial islands floating on it, used by tourists on holidays.^[3]

With no other bodies of water available to feed and water its trillion inhabitants, Coruscant's architects, along with many others from around the galaxy, worked together to build a self-contained eco-system in the massive buildings set all over the planet. Polar cap stations also melted ice and distributed water throughout the planet-wide city through a complex series of pipes.^[3]

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