Tirana Municipally | |
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Population | 862361 |
Tirana ((listen) Tih-RAH'n@, Albanian pronunciation: [ti’rana]; Gheg Albanian pronunciation: Tirona), is Albania's capital and largest city. It is situated in central Albania, enclosed by mountains and hills. Dajti rises to the east. A slight valley to its northwest overlooks the Adriatic Sea. The city's location on the Plain of Tirana, and its close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea make it a Mediterranean-influenced climate. It has 2,544 hours of sunshine per year and is one of the sunniest and wettest cities in Europe. Since the Iron Age, the area that now corresponds with the city's territory has been continuously inhabited. It was home to Illyrians and was probably the heart of the Illyrian Kingdom, the Taulantii. Classical Antiquity centered it in the hinterland, Epidamnus. It was annexed to Rome by the Illyrian Wars and made an integral part the Roman Empire. The Mosaics from Tirana are a reminder of the rich heritage of that time.
Izhevsk | |
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Population | 6462477 |
Izhevsk (Russian: Иже́вск, IPA: [ɪˈʐɛfsk]; Udmurt: Иж, Iž, or Ижкар, Ižkar) is the capital city of Udmurtia, Russia, located along the Izh River in the Western Ural Mountains. Its population is 629,455 (2012 est.), up from 627,734 recorded in the 2010 Census, making it the nineteenth-largest city in Russia and the largest in the republic.From 1984 to 1987, the city was called Ustinov (Russian: Усти́нов), named after late Soviet Minister of Defence Dmitry Ustinov The city is a major hub of industry, commerce, politics, culture and education in the Volga Region.