Iași vs Tirana Municipally

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Iași (UK: YASH-ee, US: YAHSH(-ee), Romanian: [ˈjaʃʲ] (listen)), also referred to as Jassy (UK: YASS-ee, US: YAH-see), is the second largest city in Romania, and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life. The city was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia from 1564 to 1859, then of the United Principalities from 1859 to 1862, and the capital of Romania from 1916 to 1918. Known as The Cultural Capital of Romania, Iași is a symbol in Romanian history. The historian Nicolae Iorga said "There should be no Romanian who does not know of it". Still referred to as The Moldavian Capital, Iași is the main economic and business centre of the Moldavian region of Romania. In December 2018, Iași was officially declared Historical capital of Romania.At the 2011 census, the city proper had a population of 290,422 (making it the fourth most populous in Romania at the time).

With 500,668 residents (as of 2018), the Iași urban area is the second most populous in Romania (after Bucharest), whereas more than 500,000 people live within its peri-urban area.Home to the oldest Romanian university and to the first engineering school, Iași is one of the most important education and research centres of the country, and accommodates over 60,000 students in 5 public universities. The social and cultural life revolves around the Vasile Alecsandri National Theater (the oldest in Romania), the Moldova State Philharmonic, the Opera House, the Iași Athenaeum, a famous Botanical Garden (the oldest and largest in Romania), the Central University Library (the oldest in Romania), the high quality cultural centres and festivals, an array of museums, memorial houses, religious and historical monuments. The city is also known as the site of the largest Romanian pilgrimage which takes place each year, in October.

Source: Wikipedia

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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.

This site was also used as a location for an Early Christian basilica that was constructed in the 5th-6th centuries. The Byzantine Empire, which succeeded the Roman Empire, took control of most of Albania and built Petrele Castle under Justinian I. It was a small city until the Congress of Lushnje declared it Albania's capital in the 20th century. This was after the Albanian Declaration of Independence of 1912. Tirana, a gamma world-city, is the largest economic, financial and political centre in Albania. This is due to its central location and modern air, maritime and rail transportation. It houses the Government of Albania's seat of power, as well as the official residences for the President and Prime Minister of Albania and the Parliament of Albania. It was named the European Youth Capital in 2022.

Source: Wikipedia