Mega City One

Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States. Evolved out of a growing urban conurbation stretching from New York to Washington, which took form in the 21st century to cope with the escalating population crisis in America and – due to the high crime rate – led to the introduction of the Judge system. Mega-City One was one of three major areas to survive the nuclear war in 2070, due to an experimental laser missile-defence system built not long earlier. Quickly growing outwards, Mega-City One swelled to hold most of the population of the East Coast, reaching 800 million by the end of the century.

This population was halved by the Apocalypse War of 2104.

Mega-City One has a far greater population density than any city in the present-day world, with a total population of over 400 million people. Most city dwellers (citizens) live in huge apartment blocks (50,000+), though many citizens live a perpetually nomadic existence in vehicular mo-pads (mobile homes) due to inadequate housing provisions. These citizens travel the city via the many public transport routes available, rarely stopping. Some mo-pads are quite luxurious, complete with swimming pools.

Much of the city was destroyed by nuclear warheads in the Apocalypse War. A small part of the city, known as the North West Hab Zone, became separated from the rest of the city by a stretch of radioactive wasteland called Nuke Alley. The Hab Zone is connected to the main city by a bridge. A tunnel is under construction.

For administrative purposes the city is divided into 305 sectors. Sectors 1 to 300 constitute the main city. Sectors 301 to 305 form the Hab Zone. Sector 301 is disparagingly nicknamed “The Pit” due to its high crime rate.