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.
Shimonoseki | |
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Population | 266129 |
Shimonoseki (Japanese: 下関市, Hepburn: Shimonoseki-shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region. It is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu facing the Tsushima Strait at the entrance to the Kanmon Straits (also known as the Straits of Shimonoseki) across from the city of Kitakyushu and the island of Kyushu.