Actually, that is a thing to think about.
While the provinces and their electers are all 'equals' some are very much more equal then others.
if we were going to give each a rank among provinces, e.g Miltery/Navy, economy ?/10, Population ?/10, influence ?/10 etc.
where would each one be at.
like, the easy ones are Reikland and Middland, canonically the most powerful ones and Hochland, the smallest and least influential.
but what about the others?
It would take a lot of examination and time spent analysing, but I would actually rate Ostland as the lowest, below even Hochland, because while Hochland is very small, it's not nearly as plagued by problems as Ostland. It's just mediocre and average in most areas, which is a benefit.
Wissenland is very high up there because of Nuln and the place being the industrial centre of the Empire. It's one of the most urbanised areas and provides a ton of the raw materials and minerals needed for maintaining the place.
Middenland is powerful millitary wise but I would like to mention that economy and population wise they wouldn't be leading. Middenland is one of the most road heavy provinces in the Empire, with riverine access not nearly as prominent. Their major city doesn't even have any rivers running up to it, so you have to take one of the four major thoroughfares to get there. Combine that with the harsh conditions of the place and it makes population and economic concerns more significant than usual. Especially with the whole Ulrican self sufficiency thing hampering their development in some areas.
Talabecland is very high up. Incredibly large landmass, one of the tamer forests and tons of natural resources to harvest. Tons of rivers and roads and its central point making it the highway of the Empire. There's a reson the Feurbachs have such a high chance of being Emperors. They also have religous and military prominence. They might lack some of the technological developments of Wissenland and Reikland and the sheer ferocity of Middenland, but they make up for it by being the central landmass integral to travel.
Ostermark has recently had a serious turn in fortunes. It's one of the eastern provinces, which have been historically poor and impoverished in comparison to their western cousins, but the new canal, their connections to Karak Kadrin and High Pass, their connections to Kislev, and their trade prominence provide a significant boost to their status. Combine that with the prosperity of their Veldt making it the most prominent grazing ground for horses in the Empire aside from Averland, and all the minerals and resources provided by the mountains and their vital shipbuilding services, and they're actually pretty up there.
Nordland is extremely unfortunate as of late due to obvious reasons. They're losing the majority of their strengths and even their best towns are on edge at the moment. Their primary saving grace is the Second Imperial Navy and their importance in maintaining the defences of the Empire's shores since Ostland certainly can't do it.
Averland is pretty up there overall. It's less advanced than some other states and it does have to deal with incursions from Black Fire Pass, but their dominance over the route gives them a strong trading presence and they are the breadbasket of the Empire. Combine that with their mining and horse raising and they're one of the most vital provinces for maintaining the Empire's status, albeit an often overlooked one because they're not as "sophisticated" as Nulners and Altdorfers.
We're well acquainted with Stirland. It had a lot of potential, but it was squandered and left to waste and was one of the worst off of the provinces until just recently. Now, it's shaping up to be another crossroads of the Empire similarly to Talabecland, and it's fortunes are likely to be overturned. So far it's pretty middling. Getting better, but not quite there yet.
