Bilbao | |
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State | Autonomous Community of the Basque Country |
Country | Spain |
Capital | |
Population | 343430 |
Bilbao (, also US: , Spanish: [bilˈβao]; Basque: Bilbo [bilβo]) is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain, with a population of 345,141 as of 2015. The Bilbao metropolitan area has 1,037,847 inhabitants, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in northern Spain; with a population of 875,552 the comarca of Greater Bilbao is the fifth-largest urban area in Spain. Bilbao is also the main urban area in what is defined as the Greater Basque region.
Bilbao is situated in the north-central part of Spain, some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of the Bay of Biscay, where the economic social development is located, where the estuary of Bilbao is formed. Its main urban core is surrounded by two small mountain ranges with an average elevation of 400 metres (1,300 ft). Its climate is shaped by the Bay of Biscay low-pressure systems and mild air, moderating summer temperatures by Iberian standards, with low sunshine and high rainfall. The annual temperature range is low for its latitude.
After its foundation in the early 14th century by Diego López V de Haro, head of the powerful Haro family, Bilbao was a commercial hub of the Basque Country that enjoyed significant importance in Green Spain. This was due to its port activity based on the export of iron extracted from the Biscayan quarries. Throughout the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, Bilbao experienced heavy industrialisation, making it the centre of the second-most industrialised region of Spain, behind Barcelona.
Barrie | |
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State | Ontario |
Country | Canada |
Capital | |
Population | 141434 |
Barrie is a city and manifesting regional centre in Central Ontario, Canada, located on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. The city is located geographically within Simcoe County, however it is a politically independent single-tier municipality. It is within the historically significant Huronia region of Central Ontario, and is part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, a densely populated and industrialised sub-region of Ontario. As of the 2016 census, the city's population was 141,434 making it the 34th largest in Canada in terms of population proper. The Barrie census metropolitan area (CMA) as of the same census had a population of 197,059 residents, making it the 21st largest CMA in Canada. The city itself has seen significant growth in recent decades due to its emergence as a bedroom community for Toronto. The affordability of housing and robust job market perhaps contribute to a Toronto buyer's appeasement with Barrie. GO Transit offers daily service to and from the Greater Toronto Area from two stations in the city. Barrie is located 85 kilometres (53 mi) north of Toronto, 355 kilometres (221 mi) northeast of Detroit and 335 kilometres (208 mi) west of Ottawa. This represents the city's highly centralised and historically advantageous situation, providing an ease of access to major centres and airports across the region.The Barrie area was first settled during the War of 1812 as a key supply depot for British forces.