Irkutsk vs Guatemala City

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Irkutsk ( eer-KOOTSK; Russian: Иркутск, IPA: [ɪrˈkutsk]; Buryat and Mongolian: Эрхүү, Erhüü) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is the 25th largest city in Russia by population, the 5th largest in the Siberian Federal District, and one of the largest cities in Siberia. Located in the south of the eponymous oblast, the city proper lies on the Angara River, a tributary of the Yenisei, about 850 kilometres (530 mi) to the south-east of Krasnoyarsk and about 520 kilometres (320 mi) north of Ulaanbaatar. The Trans-Siberian Highway (Federal M53 and M55 Highways) and Trans-Siberian Railway connect Irkutsk to other regions in Russia and Mongolia.

Many distinguished Russians were sent into exile in Irkutsk for their part in the Decembrist revolt of 1825, and the city became an exile-post for the rest of the century. Some historic wooden houses still survive. When the railway reached Irkutsk, it had earned the nickname of "The Paris of Siberia." The city was the center of bitter fighting in the Russian Civil War of 1918–20. Afterward, in the Soviet period, its architecture was dominated by the mandatory squared-up style. The city became a major centre of aircraft manufacture. The historic centre of Irkutsk is located on UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites.

Source: Wikipedia

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Guatemala City (Spanish: Ciudad de Guatemala), locally known as Guatemala or Guate, formally Ciudad de Guatemala (art. 231 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala), is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous metropolitan area in Central America. The city is situated in the south-central portion of the country, nestled in a mountain valley named Valle de la Ermita (English: Hermitage Valley). It is projected that its population is about 1 million. Guatemala City is also the capital of the Municipality of Guatemala and of the Guatemala Department. Guatemala City is the site of the Mayan city of Kaminaljuyu, based around 1500 BC. Following the Spanish conquest, a new city was established, and in 1776 it was made capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala.

In 1821, Guatemala City was the scene of the declaration of independence of Central America from Spain, and it became the capital of the newly established United Provinces of Central America (after the Federal Republic of Central America). In 1847, Guatemala declared itself an independent republic, with Guatemala City as its capital. The town was almost entirely destroyed by the 1917--18 earthquakes. Reconstructions following the earthquakes have resulted in a more modern architectural landscape.Today, Guatemala City is the political, cultural, and economic center of Guatemala. It is served by La Aurora International Airport.

Source: Wikipedia