Havana | |
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Population | 0 |
Havana (; Spanish: La Habana [la aˈβana] (listen)) is the capital city, largest city, province, major port, and leading commercial center of Cuba. The city has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of 781.58 km2 (301.77 sq mi) – making it the largest city by area, the most populous city, and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region.The city of Havana was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century and due to its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Spanish galleons returning to Spain. The King Philip II of Spain granted Havana the title of capital in 1592. Walls as well as forts were built to protect the old city. The sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana's harbor in 1898 was the immediate cause of the Spanish–American War.The city is the center of the Cuban government, and home to various ministries, headquarters of businesses and over 100 diplomatic offices.
Kishinev | |
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Population | 590631 |
Chișinău ( KISH-ih-NOW, also US: KEE-shee-NOW, Romanian: [kiʃiˈnəw] (listen)), also called Kishinev (Russian: Кишинёв, tr. Kishinjóv [kʲɪʂɨˈnʲɵf]), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the center of the country, on the river Bâc, a tributary of the Dniester. According to the results of the 2014 census, the city proper had a population of 532,513, although the inhabitants of the Municipality of Chișinău (which includes the city itself and other nearby communities) was 700,000.