Nubia/Legends

Nubia was a small, temperate world located in the Nubus system on the outer edge of the Core Worlds. It was the headquarters of Nubian Star Drives, Inc., developers of parts for starships, including the hyperdrive for the Naboo cruisers. It also was headquarters for Industrial Automaton, TradeCo, Inc., and the massive PharmCorp. Although not heavily urbanized and with a relatively rural landscape and economic backbone (by the standards of the heavily developed Core Worlds), Nubia was always considered a deserving member of the title of 'Core World' and all its associated connotations. It was viewed as a planet whose population appreciated great beauty (as symbolized by their graceful starships) and a close relationship with the natural environment of their world, as well as enjoying the cosmopolitan lifestyle and pursuits of their counterparts on planets such as Coruscant or Kuat. Nubia may have been the homeworld of the ronto. Its capital was Nuba City.

Geographic features
Shallow oceans separated Nubia's two landmasses, which consisted of rolling fields split by massive mountain ranges. Nubia was a world nurtured into self-sufficiency and abundance. The surface lacked for water, but giant underground aquifers were pumped to the surface, allowing for irrigation of the otherwise arid fields. The planet's warm temperatures and long growing season supported immense agricultural farms. The mountains, rich with ore deposits, including bronzium, were filled with small mining towns and attracted business and manufacturing from around the galaxy. Dry areas unsuitable for farming or mining were utilized for urban sprawl.

Culture


Nubians, mostly Human, were hardworking, like their colonist ancestors. Their world was a beehive of business, cultivating natural resources, and manufacturing. To relieve the stress of the long, hard workday, Nubians also played hard. The urban sprawl was dotted with entertainment outlets of all sorts: gambling parlors, cantinas, theaters, swoop- and podracing tracks, and venues for two uniquely Nubian sports: ronto racing and grav-ball. Nubia was a bastion of appreciation in the Core Worlds for the high-adrenaline sport of podracing, considered barbarous by the other civilized, central worlds of the galaxy, and usually confined to the Outer and Mid Rims. The largest and most famous ronto racetrack was the Tallera Downs. There was also a vast public transportation system (supplemented by private enterprise) of cloudbuses, airspeeders that carried several dozen people at a time between the isolated mining towns, immense farms, sprawling cities, and orbital stations.

History
Nubia was colonized by hardy Human settlers approximately 22,000 BBY, after the discovery of large subterranean aquifers below the planet's surface. Installing massive pumps to bring water to the surface, they created an instantly habitable world: 'Just add water.' This soon encouraged colonists to settle. In just a few decades Nubia became an agricultural powerhouse. An organized democracy was soon established to rule the planet. Few cared to admit the government was corrupt, with puppet officials appointed through rigged elections. The true leader was the head of PharmCorp, a Hutt by the name of Prall. Over time, many planets coveted Nubia's resources, but they had to contest with the shadow government that ruled the world.

When the Galactic Empire rose to power, it coveted Nubia's massive grain production to fuel their war efforts. The Empire also feared that Nubia Star Drives Inc. might be utilized by the Rebel Alliance to manufacture ships, so they placed an Imperial-class Star Destroyer in orbit over the planet and instituted martial law on the surface. Within hours, stormtroopers patrolled the streets and an Imperial governor assumed authority.

When the Empire was defeated, the New Republic returned Nubia to its original government and gave the planet a council seat on the Senate. However, the New Republic tried to remove all Imperials in the system, making some believe the New Republic was worse than the Empire.

Behind the scenes
In The Phantom Menace, the Royal Naboo Starship is referred to as a "Nubian", leaving many fans to assume that "Nubian" was an alternate adjectival form of "Naboo". Later sources, however, identified Nubia as its own separate planet, and the homophonic similarities between the two worlds are coincidental.

On Earth, Nubia is a region in southern Egypt and northern Sudan on the banks of the Nile, also known as Kush. Interestingly, while the planet is renowned for its gorgeous silver and chrome spacecraft, the ancient region was Egypt's main source of gold. Indeed, the ancient Egyptian word for gold was "nub". Nubia, and the highlands of Ethiopia above, were sources of the two branches of the Nile river, which gave life to Egypt. The planet has "life-giving" water below the surface.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace junior novel
 * Jedi Apprentice Special Edition: The Followers
 * CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 15:2:29 Edition
 * Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 15:3:02
 * The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web
 * Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
 * Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 15:3:02
 * The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web
 * Star Tours: The Adventures Continue