If each player starts in a corner then one player has an advantage by having three connecting provinces instead of two.
Otherwise it's a great two or four person map.
Yep, however it is still balanced, since 2 out of those 3 are small provinces. [low income & resources]
"Training is principally an act of faith. The athlete must believe in its efficacy: he must believe that through training he will become fitter and stronger, that by constant repetition of the same movements he will become more skillful."