Game Information | The Towns of Final Fantasy VII

by BlueJay

In order to write this article, I have gone deep into analysis of FF7. Each town or city will be described in order of appearance.

Midgar
Kalm
Fort Condor
Junon
Costa del Sol
North Corel
Gongaga
Cosmo Canyon

Nibelheim
Rocket Town
Wutai
Bone Village
City of the Ancients
Icicle Inn
Mideel

Midgar
Description
This is where Aeris grew up since she was captured from Icicle Inn when she was 20 days old. Midgar is the largest and most populated city in the game. It sits in the middle of a peaceful, grassy plain on the Eastern Continent. However, the area around Midgar has been distorted and drained of natural life by the constant running of mako reactors. It currently is the headquarters of the Shinra Electric Power Company (it was once a weapons manufacturer.) The city is divided into eight numbered sectors. Each sector has two cities; one on ground called the Slums, and on a plate above ground. The plate houses middle and high class people and the slums house the lower class. The plate is 50 meters high and supported by a main column. Further support is provided by eight pillars, one in each sector. The city is powered by eight mako reactors, one in each sector. Midgar also supplies the nearby town of Kalm with power (see Kalm section for explanation). Midgar is also the headquarters of the revolutionary group, AVALANCHE.
History
As told by Jessie, Midgar was once eight different towns. They merged eventually. However, the names of the towns were forgotten long ago. It is rumored that after the towns joined, Midgar became the capital of the Eastern Continent's government. Midgar also appeared to have been supplied with weapons from Shinra long ago. Eventually, the government lost all power to Shinra. Ifalna and Aeris were brought here by Shinra. Ifalna died here, specilically in Sector 7. Jenova was transferred here from Nibelheim. Somewhere around Midgar, a member of SOLDIER 1st Class, named Zack, was killed. This same location, is where Cloud Strife obtained Zack's sword, the Buster Sword, and became a mercenary. He then takes his first job with AVALANCHE. This is where the story begins...
Defense
Surrounding area: The surrounding area is mostly roamed by thugs and Devil Ride gangs. Still it has a small defense grid of Sweepers, a favorite robot of Shinra.
The reactors: The reactors are protected by several robots including 1st Rays (Mounted lazer cannons), proto machine guns, rocket launcher, and Guard Scorpians. The grunt and its superior, special combatant (higher class soldiers with beam guns) also protect the reactors. Additionally, the reactors were test sites for Shinra's robot, the Sweeper.
The slums: The slums are not protected, but reinforcement Military Police (see plate defense section) and Aero Combatants (higher class soldiers that use propellers as weapons and transportation) can be called in.
Shinra's HQ: Heavilly defended by robots such as moth slashers, hammer blasters, and hundred gunners. It is also defended by mighty grunts (higher class soldiers with guns and claws) and the grenade combatants (high class soldier). Even the famed organizations the Turks and SOLDIER (3rd Class) defend it.
The plate cities: The cites are defended heavily by robots such as Crazysaws and Grosspanzers. It also has a airforce. Cromwells (tanks), MPs (The lowest class soldier. They are around on foot and motorcycles.), and guard hounds make up the human force. This is the site of Shinra's best defense, SOLDIERs of the 1st class.

Kalm
Description
Kalm is on the edge of the badlands of Midgar. It is populated by the workers of the Mythril Mines, but work has stopped since monsters appeared in the mines. The residents talk of Shinra and mako making life easier. The only close power source is Midgar and its reactors. This is the source of Kalm's electricity. There is no known defense or history for Kalm.

Fort Condor
Description
Fort Condor is the site of a rebel group which is located on the lower east side of the Eastern Continent. The fort sits on top of Mt. Condor. The mountain and the surrounding area has been drained of life due to the use of the reactor. On top of the reactor, a rare bird called the Condor is warming its eggs. Shinra is still trying to kill the rebels, remove the Condor, and take the huge materia from the reactor. The power source of Fort Condor is the Mt. Condor Reactor. There is no history about Ft. Condor. Defense
The fort is protected by mercenaries hired by the rebels (who actually get the money from AVALANCHE).

Junon
Description
Junon sits on the west side of the Eastern Continent. The surrounding area has been drained of life due to the use of the Underwater Reactor. Junon is made of a town on the ground, and a city on the plate above. The town is poor because Shinra's pollution has killed all the fish. The city above is Shinra's main military base. It is the site of Shinra's Super Gun, submarine pen, shipping industry, and an execution site. Junon's power source is the Underwater Reactor.
History
Long ago, Junon was a small fishing village. Eventually, Shinra gained power and declared war on the Western Continent. Junon was declared Shinra's new military base. A plate was built over the town. The dock, super cannon, military barracks, and sub pen were built. When the war ended, it became the Eastern Continent's port. This is where the story begins...
Defense
Lower Junon: No defense.
Upper Junon: Many soldiers are stationed here. The main ones are Attack Squads (I believe they were the main soldiers, beside SOLDIER who fought Wutai. They have many weapons including a machine gun, grenades, and a smoke piece on the gun to knock out the enemy. The ultimate regular soldier.) Several machines such as slaloms and roulette cannons also roam the city. Death Machines, the greatest class of Sweepers put up great defense with machine guns, needles, matra magic, smoke, and and a flamethrower. The Turks and SOLDIER (2nd Class) also keep the city in one piece. There is also an airforce.
Underwater Reactor/Sub Pen: Subs are the greatest defense. The soldiers here are Underwater MPs (Promoted from Midgar work I guess.), marines (High class amphibious soldiers), and Senior Grunts (Promoted from reactor work I guess.) There are some robots as well, such as hard attackers, gun carriers, and carry armor.

Costa del Sol
Description
Unexplainably hot. It is a tropical resort on the east side of the Great Continent. People from all over the world would come here for vacation. President Shinra even has a ville here! It's power source is unknown. No history.
DefenseThe Shinra can get its airforce here quickly for defense.

North Corel
Description
It is Barret's hometown. Or... it was. It is now just a small group of tents on the edge of Mt. Corel on the northern side of the Great Continent.. It is near the coal mines and railroad. What little power it needs comes from the nearby reactor. I think this is so because the lights around the reactor are on. It has no defense.
History
Corel was once a small coal mining town. Barret lived here with his good friend Dyne. Eventually, Shinra proposed Mako instead of coal for the power source. Corel accepted. When Barret and Dyne were gone, a fire started in the reactor. Shinra felt Corel did it on purpose. Shinra burned Corel to the ground, but not before shooting Barret and Dyne's hands off. Barret found Marlene, Dyne's daughter, and moved to Midgar with her, enraged at Shinra. He got his arm grafted with a gun, and started AVALANCHE after finding out the truth about Mako. This is where the story begins...

Gongaga
Description
Gongaga is a little village that suffered a mako reactor explosion 7 years ago. It is wrecked. No defense.
History
Gongaga was Zack's hometown. He left for SOLDIER several years ago. On top of that, Gongaga's mako reactor exploded. It has survived by collecting junk. This is where the story begins...

Cosmo Canyon
Description
This cozy place is Nanaki's hometown. His mission is to protect it. It is the site Barret was going to bring AVALANCHE after Shinra is destroyed. History
Long ago, Nanaki's parents protected Cosmo Canyon. Then, another tribe in the canyon, the Gi, attacked Cosmo Canyon. Although the Gi were destroyed, Nanaki's parents were killed. Many years later, Nanaki was out in the world. Shinra caught him and began experiment's on him in the Shinra HQ. This is where the story begins...
Defense
Nanaki!

Nibelheim Description
This is Tifa and Cloud's hometown. It is totally populated by Shinra scientists, actors, and Jenova clones. It has the Shinra Mansion. Powered by Mt. Nibel reactor. No defense.
History
Long ago, a mansion was built where several Shinra officials lived and stored records. Vincent Valentine was put to slepp here later. Also Cloud and Tifa grew up here. One day, Tifa and Cloud was on a bridge in Mt. Nibel. When it broke, Tifa was injured. Cloud was punished and eventually moved out to join SOLDIER. Several years later, Cloud was still not in SOLDIER. He joined Shinra's army and came back on a mission with two other soldiers, Zack (his friend in 1st Class SOLDIER), and Sephiroth (the master in SOLDIER 1st Class.) The mission was to fix the reactor which was malfunctioning. Tifa was the guide. After reaching the reactor, Sephiroth realized that he was different. After reading several books in the Shinra Mansion, Sephiroth went crazy. He set the town on fire and killed most of the people. Cloud's mother was burned to death. Sephiroth then left for the reactor. Tifa's father followed and was slain. Then Tifa followed, and Cloud and Zack. Tifa was wounded. As Sephiroth tried to free Jenova, Zack intervened and was also wounded. Finally, Cloud entered, was wounded, but threw Sephiroth to his death. Hojo did experiments on the survivors and Jenova was moved to the Shinra HQ. Zack and Cloud escaped though, and headed for Midgar. This is where the story begins...

Rocket Town
Description
This is Cid's hometown. It grew around Shinra's failed space project which sits on the northwestern side of the Great Continent. Behind it, Shinra No. 26 leans an inch farther every year. It's power source is unknown. No defense.
History
Rocket Town was getting ready to send Cid into space. As the countdown began, he found that Shera, an engineer, was still in it. He aborted so the rocket's heat would not kill her. Shinra then aborted the space program. This is where the story begins...

Wutai
Description
This is Yuffie's hometown. It is a tourist town in the northern part of the Western Continent. Behind Wutai, on a mountain side, is Da-chao, a statue. The people of Wutai worship Da-chao, Leviathan, and the Five Mighty Gods. The power source is unknown. Although Wutai was warlike, it has no present active defense.
History
15 years ago, Wutai engaged in a war with Shinra. Very little of the details are known. Although, it is believed the war lasted ten years. We also know Elmyra's huspand died in the war, Cloud did not participate in it, and Sephiroth became famous in it. Anyway, Shinra eventually won. Wutai has become a tourist attraction now. Godo(Wutai's leader and Yuffie's father) has lost almost all hope in battle. Yuffie, has set off to try to find materia all over the world. With this, she hopes Wutai could be made powerful again. This is where the story begins...

Bone Village
Description
Bone Village is next to the sleeping forest on the Northern Continent. It is a excavation site, and a great place for nature lovers. Bone Village has no need for power. It also has no history or defense.

City of the Ancients/Forgotten Capital/Forgotten City
Description
As you can see, this city has many names. The Cetra once populated this grand city of shells. It is unclear if all Cetra cities were made of shells, but this one is. No one lives here now (unless you consider the green orbs Cloud talks to as Ancients.) Of course it has no need for defense. Still, when necessary, it seems to draw power from the Planet itself.
History
The Cetra lived here at least 2001 years ago, but we know it was much farther back than that. Eventually, the ancients living here were turned into monsters by Jenova after she "fell from the sky".

Icicle Inn
Description
This is the birthplace of Aeris. Infalna, Aeris's mother lived here as well with Professor Gast. Gast died here 20 days after Aeris was born. Icicle Inn is set close enough to Jenova's landing that the snow never melts. It is a place that adventurers love to come to. Since not everyone has a Highwind, Chocobo, or Tiny Bronco, I'm not sure how they get here though. Icle Inn has no defense and is powered by coal.
History
It is known that Ifalna and Gast, Aeris's parents, lived here about 21 years ago. Gast died here 20 days after Aeris was born at the hands of Hojo of Shinra. Ifalna and Aeris were brought to Midgar after that. Nothing is known about Icicle Inn for the next 20 years. This is where the story begins...

Mideel
Description
Not much is known about Mideel. It is a little town on the largest island of the Southern Islands. We also know it is on very unstable ground. The lifestream has been known to burst from the ground. It has a very good medical staff and contains the only known white chocobo. Power source, defense, and history are all unknown.

Note: I do not think all other sites are towns or cities, including the Golden Saucer.

THE END

Copyright 2000, BlueJay Productions