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Berlin | |
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State | |
Country | Germany |
Capital | |
Population | 3440441 |
Postcode | 10117 |
Berlin (; German: [bɛʁˈliːn] (listen)) is the capital and biggest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3,769,495 inhabitants as of 31 December 2019 make it the most populous city of the European Union, according to population within city limits. The city is also one of Germany's 16 federal states. It is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg, and contiguous with Potsdam, Brandenburg's capital. The two cities are at the middle of the Berlin-Brandenburg capital region, which is, with about six million inhabitants and an area of over 30,000 km2, Germany's third-largest metropolitan region after the Rhine-Ruhr and Rhine-Main areas.
Berlin straddles the banks of the River Spree, which flows to the River Havel (a tributary of the River Elbe) from the western borough of Spandau. Among the city's main topographical features are the numerous lakes in the western and southeastern boroughs formed by the Spree, Havel, and Dahme rivers (the biggest of which is Lake Müggelsee). Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. About one-third of the city's area is composed of woods, parks, gardens, rivers, canals and lakes. The city lies in the Central German dialect region, the Berlin dialect being a version of the Lusatian-New Marchian dialects.
First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417--1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701--1918), the German Empire (1871--1918), the Weimar Republic (1919--1933), and the Third Reich (1933--1945). Berlin in the 1920s was the third-largest municipality in the world. Following World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious nations, the city was divided; West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961--1989) and East German territory. East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany, while Bonn became the West German capital. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany.
Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media and science.
Baku | |
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State | Absheron |
Country | Azerbaijan |
Capital | |
Population | 2275772 |
Baku (US: , UK: ; Azerbaijani: Bakı, Azerbaijani: [bɑˈcɯ] (listen)) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level. Baku lies on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, alongside the Bay of Baku. At the beginning of 2009, Baku's urban population was estimated at just over two million people. Officially, about 25% of all inhabitants of the country live in Baku's metropolitan area. Baku is the sole metropolis in Azerbaijan.
Baku is divided into twelve administrative raions and 48 townships. Among these are the townships on the islands of the Baku Archipelago, and the town of Oil Rocks built on stilts in the Caspian Sea, 60 kilometres (37 miles) away from Baku. The Inner City of Baku, along with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.