Dortmund | |
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State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
Country | Germany |
Capital | |
Population | 600933 |
Dortmund (German: [ˈdɔʁtmʊnt] (listen); Westphalian Low German: Düörpm [ˈdyːœɐ̯pm̩]; Latin: Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 603,609 inhabitants as of 2020. It is the largest city (by area and population) of the Ruhr, Germany's largest urban area with some 5.1 million inhabitants, as well as the largest city of Westphalia. On the Emscher and Ruhr rivers (tributaries of the Rhine), it lies in the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region and is considered the administrative, commercial, and cultural center of the eastern Ruhr. Dortmund is the second-largest city in the Low German dialect area after Hamburg.
Founded around 882, Dortmund became an Imperial Free City. Throughout the 13th to 14th centuries, it was the "chief city" of the Rhine, Westphalia, and the Netherlands Circle of the Hanseatic League. During the Thirty Years' War, the city was destroyed and decreased in significance until the onset of industrialization. The city then became one of Germany's most important coal, steel and beer centres. Dortmund consequently was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The devastating bombing raids of 12 March 1945 destroyed 98% of buildings in the inner city center. These bombing raids, with more than 1,110 aircraft, hold the record to a single target in World War II.The region has adapted since the collapse of its century-long steel and coal industries and shifted to high-technology biomedical technology, micro systems technology, and also services.
Biratnagar | |
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State | Eastern Development Region |
Country | Nepal |
Capital | |
Population | 166674 |
Postcode | 56613 |
Biratnagar (Nepali: विराटनगर) is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital city of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also serves as the headquarters of Morang district. Biratnagar is located 399 km (248 mi) east of the capital, Kathmandu and 6 km (3.7 mi) north of the bordering town of Jogbani in the Indian state of Bihar. The highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, is located 174 km (108 mi) north of the city.
Biratnagar was declared a metropolitan city on 22 May 2017, thus pushing the total population to over 240,000 making it the fourth most populated metropolitan city in the country after the urban agglomeration of Kathmandu and Lalitpur, Pokhara, and Bharatpur.