Aleppo vs Sibut

Informations

Aleppo ( ə-LEH-poh; Arabic: ﺣَﻠَﺐ‎ / ALA-LC: Ḥalab, IPA: [ˈħalab]) is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 4.6 million in 2010, Aleppo was the largest Syrian city before the Syrian Civil War; however, it is now the second-largest city in Syria, after the capital Damascus.Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; it may have been inhabited since the sixth millennium BC. Excavations at Tell as-Sawda and Tell al-Ansari, just south of the old city of Aleppo, show that the area was occupied by Amorites by the latter part of the third millennium BC. That is also the time at which Aleppo is first mentioned in cuneiform tablets unearthed in Ebla and Mesopotamia, which speak of it as part of the Amorite state of Yamhad, and note its commercial and military importance. Such a long history is attributed to its strategic location as a trading center between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia. For centuries, Aleppo was the largest city in the Syrian region, and the Ottoman Empire's third-largest after Constantinople and Cairo.

The city's significance in history has been its location at one end of the Silk Road, which passed through Central Asia and Mesopotamia. When the Suez Canal was inaugurated in 1869, much trade was diverted to sea and Aleppo began its slow decline. At the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, Aleppo lost its northern hinterland to modern Turkey, as well as the important Baghdad Railway connecting it to Mosul. In the 1940s it lost its main access to the sea, Antakya and İskenderun, also to Turkey. The growth in importance of Damascus in the past few decades further exacerbated the situation. This decline may have helped to preserve the old city of Aleppo, its medieval architecture and traditional heritage. It won the title of the "Islamic Capital of Culture 2006", and has had a wave of successful restorations of its historic landmarks. The Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016) occurred in the city during the Syrian Civil War, and many parts of the city suffered massive destruction. Affected parts of the city are currently undergoing reconstruction. An estimated 31,000 people were killed in Aleppo during the conflict.

Source: Wikipedia

Informations

Sibut (French pronunciation: ​[siby(t)]), formerly Fort Sibut (French: Fort-Sibut) is the capital of Kémo, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic. An important transport hub, it is situated 188 km (117 mi) north of the capital Bangui and is known for its market. Sibut is located at the Northern end of the paved road coming from the capital, Bangui. At Sibut, two major provincial roads split, one going North to Kaga Bandoro, and the other east towards Bomimi, a thriving agricultural village of 450 people, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Sibut. The town of Sibut sits on the banks of the Kémo, a minor tributary of the Ubangi River about 150 km (93 mi) long.

Formerly an important route of supply and communication between Fort de Possel on the Ubangi and the French settlements around Lake Chad, the river is now non-navigable even with small watercraft. The present city has one high school which also serves as a landing strip, and a market. Local food in street cafes include gozo (cassava) and peanut spinach sauce, along with various species of bushmeat. Local drink includes palm wine and 33 beer. The Peace Corps had volunteers located in Sibut until the coup d'état of 1996.

Source: Wikipedia