Orto, home of the blue, trunked Ortolan species, is a frigid world in the Outer Rim. Its location makes it a popular refueling point for spacers as they make their way deeper into the Outer Rim. Most of the population resides near the equator where the temperature gets warm enough to grow crops during a brief growing season. When not farming for survival, most of the native population works in the planet's many mines. The planet has been a member of the Republic, and now the Empire, for a little over a thousand years, though the Empire's pro-human policies have greatly diminished its already minor role in galactic politics.
Planet Name: Orto
Location: Sluis sector, Outer Rim
Rotation Period: 23 hours.
Orbital Period: 383 local days.
Climate: Arctic or temperate
Primary terrain: Snowy forests, arctic plains, and tundra
Official Language: Galactic Basic Standard, Ortolan
Population: 4 billion sentients
Capital City: Merrgo
Merrgo serves as Orto's largest city and seat of government. The city was founded as a market surrounding incoming trading vessels, but as the native Ortolans flocked to the traders, a real city began to form around the market. Many of the vessels from the city's early years remain in the center of the city, their abandoned hulks now occupied by a seedier crowd. Merrgo is moderatly segregated, with the Ortolans keeping to themselves in the outer suburbs while the immigrants and traders reside near the more centeral spaceports and markets.