THE EXPANSION
REGION
The Expansion Region is one of the galaxy's primary
I regions for manufacturing and heavy industry. The
region underwent extreme corporate development
and extensive mining over the centuries. With a signif-
icant percentage of the mines played out, the region
has suffered economically for the past few centuries.
The Expansion Region has an irregular shape, with a
very thin band in the northern reaches of the region
and a wider bulge in the eastern and southeastern
areas. The population density of the region is far less-
than the Core Worlds, or even the Inner Rim.
While the Inner Rim was still developing, explorers
and corporate opportunists surged into the Expand-
ed Rim. A boom was well under way before it was
officially opened for colonization. They quickly estab-
lished major mining colonies and industrial complex-
es on the worlds they seized. The operations were so
disruptive they distorted the shape of the Inner Rim
region, producing its northeastern bulge.
ECONOMIC FLUX
Eventually renamed the Expansion Region, further
exploration and development became an experiment
in corporate governance and control. Mega corpora-
tions and guilds controlled entire star systems and
clusters, efficiently stripping them of any usable ma-
terial for direct shipping back to the inner regions, or
to local industrial and manufacturing complexes.
Wars were also a concern in the early years. The
conflicts changed the exploration and settlement ef-
forts, pushing them further westward in the region.
Eventually, these more successful and diverse sectors
sought to culturally distance themselves and-called
their area the Trailing Sectors.
The northern sectors lagged in development. In re-
sponse, the Republic granted their development and
governing rights to the Expansionist Oligarchy. The
corporate conglomerates that made up the Oligarchy
severely abused their power, reducing the citizenry to
near-poverty conditions. Once the scandal broke, the
Senate removed the Oligarchy from power. Similar situ-
ations played out across the Expansion Region over
the centuries. Corporate control gave way to Republic
representation in most systems, though the companies
still exert extensive influence. The experiment led to the
development of the Corporate Sector (see page 352).In recent centuries, the mines of the original colonies
in the Slice region played out, plunging the area into
an unstoppable economic decline. The systems andcorporations struggle with what
remains and they are unlikely to regain the"
industrial power they once enjoyed.
During the Clone Wars, large areas of space in the
southern and Slice sectors became Separatist holdings.
Able to take advantage of the economic troubles, the
Separatists made significant inroads in regional politics..
After the establishment of the Empire, an influx of im-
migrants and refugees from the Inner Rim has created
new opportunities for the citizenry. Unfortunately, they
also add to the economic woes and unemployment is-
sues already rampant. After the war, the Empire moved
to stabilize the economic situation by creating major
staging areas for Imperial cargo and military fleets. This
included efforts to relocate portions of the population,
as well as to take advantage of Inner Rim refugees. The
economic revival in those areas helped draw support for
the Empire among the population. However, the Rebel
Alliance has found the disused mining operations and
abandoned worlds are ready-made for secret opera-
tions. The Rebels are making inroads with those suffer-
ing the worst of the economic situation.NOTABLE LOCATIONS
The following are areas of interest within the Expan-
sion Region, at or before the rise of the Empire.
Bacrana: Bacrana is home to one of the Imperial
Navy's largest regional staging areas, as well as one of
the megacorporations that controls many of the local
systems. The Rebels are highly active in the sector,
with a secret base and training facility. They have tak-
en increasingly bolder action since the Battle of Yavin.THE GALAXY
EDGE OF THE EMPIRE