History Main / MajorWorldCities

* Nassau, The Bahamas
* The Hague, Netherlands

* Belo Horizonte, Brazil
* UsefulNotes/{{Florence}}, Italy
* Toulouse, France
* Bremen, Germany
* UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, Tennessee, United States

* Nagoya, Japan
* Providence, Rhode Island, United States
* Linz, Austria
* UsefulNotes/LasVegas, Nevada, United States
* Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
* Birmingham, Alabama, United States
* León, Mexico
* Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
* George Town, Malaysia
* Memphis, Tennessee, United States
* Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
* Hanover, Germany

* Bern, Switzerland
* Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
* Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
* Alexandria, Egypt
* Bordeaux, France
* Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
* Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

* Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
* Montpellier, France
* Córdoba, Argentina
* Graz, Austria
* UsefulNotes/{{Jerusalem}}, Israel / Palestine
* UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, Louisiana, United States
* UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, New York, United States
* Nice, France
* Busan, South Korea
* Christchurch, New Zealand
* Recife, Brazil
* Hamilton, Bermuda
* Reykjavík, Iceland
* Naples, Italy
* Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
* Ludwigshafen, Germany
* Kingston, Jamaica

* İzmir, Turkey

* Chisinau, Moldova

* Labuan, Malaysia

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Nairobi}}, Nairobi County, UsefulNotes/{{Kenya}}:''' Capital and largest city of Kenya, as well as the largest in eastern Africa, founded by the British as a trading post between Uganda and the Indian Ocean coast.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Seville}}, Andalusia, Spain:''' State capital and largest city of Andalusia and fourth-largest in Spain. Its inland fluvial port once launched Spain's imperial pursuits during the 16th century.

* '''Skopje, Greater Skopje, UsefulNotes/{{Macedonia}}:'' Capital and largest city of Macedonia, inhabited since at least 4000 BC but not defined as a city until Roman times as "Scupi".

!!Highly Self-Sufficient
* '''Southampton, England, United Kingdom:'''
* UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, Indiana, United States

* Tijuana, Mexico

* Lille, France

* Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
* Poznań, Poalnd

* Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom

!!Self-Sufficient

* Pretoria, South Africa

* Aarhus, Denmark
* [[UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas San Antonio]], Texas, United States

* Sacramento, California, United States

* Jacksonville, Florida, United States
* Puebla, Mexico
* Kaohsiung, Taiwan

* Phnom Penh, Cambodia

* Windhoek, Namibia
* Dammam, Saudi Arabia

* Tashkent, Uzbekistan

* Johor Baharu, Malaysia

* Yerevan, Armenia

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Utrecht}}, Utrecht Province, The Netherlands:''' Capital and largest city of the same-named province and fourth-largest in the Netherlands, once the most important city in medieval Netherlands and remains the religious capital of the nation.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, Oregon, United States:''' Largest city of Oregon and a pocket of liberal politics in an otherwise conservative state, being a center of cultural diversity and a hotspot of outdoor activities.
* '''UsefulNotes/LaPaz, La Paz Department, UsefulNotes/{{Bolivia}}:''' Third-largest city and de facto capital of Bolivia, as well as the highest national capital in the world at 3,600 m (12,000 ft).

* '''Abuja, Nigeria:''' Capital of Nigeria and currently one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

* Curitiba, Brazil

* Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

* Cali, Colombia

* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Cracow}} Kraków]], Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland:''' Second-largest city of Poland and one of its oldest, originating as a hamlet atop Wawel Hill and is best known for its historic city center and the center of ministry of a certain Archbishop Karol Cardinal Wojtyla before he became Pope John Paul II.

* Porto Alegre, Brazil

* Curitiba, Brazil

* Hartford, Connecticut, United States

* Querétaro, Mexico

* Abuja, Nigeria

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, Wisconsin, United States:''' Largest city of Wisconsin, famous for its brewing industry and the home of Harley-Davidson.
!!Gamma-

* '''Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany:''' Second-largest city of Franconia and fourteenth-largest in Germany, as well as unofficial capital of the Franconia region, famous for its market but also infamous for being the birthplace of the Nazis.

The major cities of the world and their appearances in fiction. This page is based on the 2012 classifications and rankings of the [[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/ Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC)]] think tank group from Loughborough University in England, the earliest group to attempt such a categorization from way back in 1998. Expect some of these to show up in a WorldTour.[[labelnote:*]]It should be noted, however, that the index has long been outdated and some changes have happened among the cities in the list, so for anybody who wants to know the details, this list is obsolete and [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city you're better off]] [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_centre searching]] Wiki/TheOtherWiki.[[/labelnote]]

* '''UsefulNotes/HongKong, UsefulNotes/{{China}}:''' The largest economic powerhouse in the Far East. Formerly a part of UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire until 1997, Hong Kong remains an enclave of capitalism in an otherwise communist state (an example followed by Macau 2 years later), while the British experience bequeathed the island-city with a unique culture and government system.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Paris}}, Île-de-France, UsefulNotes/{{France}}:''' Capital and largest city of France, and a global leader in culture and business. Its historical experiences also shaped the modern world through such events as UsefulNotes/TheEnlightenment and UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution. Today it is home to some of the most visited museums and landmarks in the world.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Singapore}}:''' The powerhouse of Southeast Asia, the modern island-city-state of Singapore was founded by the British in 1819 as a trading post for the East India Company and later grew as a center of commerce and multiculturalism under a rather conservative democracy.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Shanghai}}, China:''' Most populous city in the People's Republic of China and its financial powerhouse. Strategically located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, Shanghai was among the first Chinese cities opened to foreign trade, enjoying a period of prosperity before going into a slump when trade was limited to other communist countries, then made a resurgent comeback during the Deng Xiaoping years.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Tokyo}}, UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}:''' Arguably the [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse center of the universe]], capital and largest city of Japan, and center of the world's most populous metropolitan area (at 37.8 million), as well as a center of business and culture.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Sydney}}, New South Wales, UsefulNotes/{{Australia}}:''' The largest city in Oceania and the oldest colonial settlement in Australia, originally founded on a natural harbor as a penal colony before transforming into the premier financial center of the Asia Pacific region.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Mumbai}} (Bombay), Maharashtra, UsefulNotes/{{India}}:''' The "Pearl of the Arabian Sea", the largest city in India and its unofficial second capital. Patched together from seven islands by a British reclamation project, Mumbai grew into the financial heart of Southern Asia, and is also the center of India's entertainment industry (UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}}).
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Milan}}, Lombardy, UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}:''' Second-largest city in Italy, as well as the financial and industrial heart of northern Italy. Milan is also the world's fashion and design capital.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Moscow}}, UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}:''' Capital and largest city in Russia, as well as the northernmost and coldest metropolis in the world. Moscow is, for centuries, both the heart of Russian culture and politics, the latter which ruled Russia from the imposing Moscow Kremlin.
* '''UsefulNotes/SaoPaulo, Sao Paulo State, UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}:''' Largest city in the Americas, a financial powerhouse in South America, and land of capricious weather. It is famous for its culinary delights, the largest fleet of helicopters in the world, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick its insane traffic jams]].

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}, Ontario, UsefulNotes/{{Canada}}:''' The largest city in Canada and, surprisingly for a city in the interior, a hotspot of ethnic diversity, with almost half of its 2.6 million residents coming from outside Canada.
* '''UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, California, United States:''' Second-largest city in the USA and a hotbed of multicultural diversity. The city is both a powerhouse of West Coast finance and the home of Hollywood, the birthplace of modern television and film industry.

* '''UsefulNotes/MexicoCity, Federal District, UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}:''' Capital of Mexico, largest city in North America, and the oldest capital city in the New World, built by the Spanish over what was Tenochtitlan, seat of the Aztec Empire.
* '''[[FreestateAmsterdam Amsterdam]], North Holland, UsefulNotes/TheNetherlands:''' Capital (formal; The Hague serves as the seat of government) and largest city in the Netherlands, as well as its commercial and cultural center, famous for a city center lined with canals and a liberal atmosphere which includes legalized prostitution and marijuana consumption.
* '''UsefulNotes/KualaLumpur, UsefulNotes/{{Malaysia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Malaysia (though nearby Putrajaya is now home to the federal executive and judiciary, while KL remains the legislative and royal seat). This little metropolis on the Klang Valley grew from a frontier town built by Chinese tin miners to the heart of the Malay Peninsula, culminating in an economic boom best symbolized by the Petronas Towers, the tallest twin buildings in the world.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Brussels}}, UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}}:''' Capital and largest city of Belgium, the home of sprouts, peeing boys, and the seat of many an international political organization, most prominent of which are the UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion and UsefulNotes/{{NATO}}.
!!Alpha-
* '''{{UsefulNotes/Seoul}}, Seoul National Capital Area, UsefulNotes/SouthKorea:''' The 2000-year-old heart of the Korean Peninsula and capital and largest city of the South. Following the devastation of the UsefulNotes/KoreanWar, Seoul experienced a massive economic boom, culminating in hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics, and is also the birthplace of the [[Main/{{KoreanPopMusic}} Korean music craze]].

* '''UsefulNotes/BuenosAires, UsefulNotes/{{Argentina}}:''' Capital and largest city of Argentina and second-largest in South America. Known as the "Paris of the South", Buenos Aires is also known as a center of commerce and culture.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Vienna}}, UsefulNotes/{{Austria}}:''' Capital and largest city of Austria, home to a fifth of the country's population, and second-largest Germanophone city in the world after Berlin. The city is best-known for its palaces and centuries of musical heritage.
* '''UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, California, United States:''' The cultural and financial hub of northern California, located at the mouth of the Golden Gate. The "City by the Bay" is well-known for its streetcars and its liberal atmosphere, attracting hippies, gay couples and the like.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Zurich}} Zürich]], Canton of Zürich, UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}:''' Largest city in Switzerland, established by the Romans over what used to be a group of prehistoric settlements. It is also home to many of the world's largest banking institutions.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Warsaw}}, Masovian Voivodeship, UsefulNotes/{{Poland}}:''' Capital (and largest city) of Poland, majority of which was built from scratch after it was near-totally flattened by the Nazis during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Much of the city's income comes from heavy industries, a legacy of Soviet influence.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}}, Victoria, Australia:''' Second-largest city in Australia, capital of Victoria state, and Sydney's long-time rival, as well as the first capital of Australia immediately upon independence. Melbourne is also Australia's cultural capital, being the birthplace of Australian dance and film industry.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, Florida, United States:''' The most populous metropolis in the southeastern USA and home to the largest concentration of banks in the Union and the second-largest Hispanophone majority (after El Paso, Texas), most of which were descended from Cubans fleeing Fidel Castro.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Barcelona}}, Catalonia, Spain:''' Second-largest city in Spain and capital of the Catalonia region, famous for its avant-garde architecture and hosting the memorable 1992 Summer Olympics.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, Massachusetts, United States:''' State capital and largest city in New England. Boston is also one of the oldest colonial-era settlements in America, has played a prominent role in the UsefulNotes/AmericanRevolution, and is also home to several prestigious educational institutions, including Harvard University, the oldest institute of higher learning in America.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Dublin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Ireland}}:''' Capital of the Republic of Ireland and largest city in the entire island, as well as a center of education, arts, commerce and industry.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Munich}}, Bavaria, Germany:''' State capital of Bavaria and third-largest city in Germany. Famous for its architecture, a highly-successful football team (Bayern Munich FC) and the original (and largest) Oktoberfest.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Stockholm}}, Södermanland/Uppland, UsefulNotes/{{Sweden}}:''' Capital of Sweden and the largest city in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the home to Swedish culture, media and economy, and is the venue for the UsefulNotes/NobelPrize awarding ceremonies (save the Peace Prize, which is handed in Oslo).
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Prague}}, UsefulNotes/CzechRepublic:''' Capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The city waxed and waned together with the Holy Roman Empire, and the city center largely escaped the ravages of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, which makes for good sightseeing. [[HeyItsThatPlace And filming]].
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, Georgia, United States:''' State capital and largest city in Georgia, as well as the unofficial capital of the "New South", being a center of racial tolerance (being the heart of the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement -- Martin Luther King, Jr. was born there and served as a local Baptist pastor throughout his life) and the South's economic blooming, spurred on by hosting the centennial Olympic Games in 1996.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Beta+, Beta and Beta-]]
!!Beta+
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Bangalore}} (Bengaluru), Karnataka, India:''' Capital of Karnataka state, dubbed the "Silicon Valley of India" for its leading role in India's IT industry.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lisbon}}, Lisbon District'''[=/=]'''Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region'''[=/=]'''Lisbon NUTS II and Metropolitan Area'''[=/=]'''Estremadura'''[[note]]Not E''x''tremadura, that's in Spain [[/note]]''' Province'''[[note]]Portugal has no set first-level administrative divisions on the Continent[[/note]]''', UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}:''' Capital and largest city of Portugal, situated on the northern side of the mouth of the Tagus River, as well as the oldest capital city in Western Europe.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Copenhagen}}, Hovedstaden, UsefulNotes/{{Denmark}}:''' Capital and largest city of Denmark, as well as the second largest city in Scandinavia and cultural, political and economic center of the country.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Santiago}}, Santiago Metropolitan Region, UsefulNotes/{{Chile}}:''' Capital and largest city of Chile, known for a well-preserved city center and the vineyards located in its outskirts.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, Lazio, Italy:''' The "Eternal City", capital and largest city of Italy. For centuries it served as the beating heart of the Roman Empire, and is now both home to the Italian government and the Roman Catholic Church (within the confines of the UsefulNotes/VaticanCity).
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Cairo}}, Cairo Governorate, UsefulNotes/{{Egypt}}:''' Capital of Egypt and largest city in Northern Africa. Cairo is a center of Islamic learning and worship, and is also the oldest entertainment exporter in the Arab world, as well as home to the legendary Pyramids and Sphinx of the Giza Plateau to the southwest.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas]], Texas, United States:''' Third-largest city in Texas, having grown on the back of its cotton and oil industries. Together with the slightly smaller city of Fort Worth and a few other cities and towns, Dallas forms the largest urban area in the South.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Hamburg}}, Germany:''' Second-largest city in Germany and a city-state in its own right, as well as a mercantile power back in the days of the Hanseatic League and remains the largest port in Germany.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Dusseldorf}} Düsseldorf]], North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:''': Capital of the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and center of the Ruhr Valley metropolitan area, which was the heart of the German industrial renaissance, now a center of the arts.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Athens}}, Attica, UsefulNotes/{{Greece}}:''' Capital and largest city of Greece, as well as the birthplace of democracy and classical culture, as well as host to the largest passenger port in Europe. It is also a historic city, with such landmarks as the Parthenon (temple to Athena, the city's namesake patron goddess), and hosted both the inaugural Olympic Games in 1896 and its homecoming in 2004.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}, Quebec, Canada:''' Second largest city of Canada and second largest Francophone city in the world after Paris, as well as, until TheSeventies, the chief commercial center of the country.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, Pennsylvania, United States:''' Largest city in Pennsylvania, a center of arts and culture, and once the largest city in America by the 1770s. The city also played a role in the UsefulNotes/AmericanRevolution, when American independence was signed there on July 4, 1776.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Lima}} Líma]], UsefulNotes/{{Peru}}:''' Capital and largest city in Peru, founded by the Spanish to also serve as capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It is also home to the National University of San Marcos, the oldest functioning university in the New World.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Berlin}}, Germany:''' Capital and largest city of Germany. Long the seat of several empires, the city fell into ruin at the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and later literally divided by a concrete wall throughout the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, but after the fall of the wall in 1989 and reunification a year later, rebounded as a center of culture, politics, media and science.
* '''UsefulNotes/CapeTown, Western Cape, South Africa:''' Second-largest city in South Africa and the legislative capital. Situated at the Cape Bay, the city was the very first European settlement in Southern Africa, and later grew into a multicultural haven.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Luxembourg}} Luxembourg City]], Luxembourg District, Luxembourg:''' Capital and largest city of the tiny Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, as well as the financial seat of both the country and the European Union.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, Texas, United States:''' Largest city in Texas, largely fueled by its several railroad and ship connections, further bolstered by the discovery of oil. It is also home to NASA's control center.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Bucharest}}, UsefulNotes/{{Romania}}:''' The "Little Paris" of Eastern Europe, capital and largest city of Romania. The city is notable for its eclectic mix of classical, socialist and modern architectural styles at the city center.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Beirut}}, Beirut Governorate, UsefulNotes/{{Lebanon}}:''' Capital and largest city of Lebanon. Built on the Mediterranean shore, Beirut once thrived as a major seaport until it was devastated during the UsefulNotes/LebaneseCivilWar, but has since rebounded and regained its prosperity.

* '''UsefulNotes/HoChiMinhCity, UsefulNotes/{{Vietnam}}:''' Largest city of Vietnam, known as Saigon until after UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar. The city thrives both as a Khmer and French port city, which continues even after the emergence of Hanoi to the north.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Bogota}} Bogotá]], Distrito Capital, UsefulNotes/{{Colombia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Colombia, known as the "Athens of South America" for its abundance of universities.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Auckland}}, Auckland Region, UsefulNotes/NewZealand:''' Largest city of New Zealand as well as the largest Polynesian city, as well as a favorite destination for East Asian migrants.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Caracas}}, Venezuelan Capital District, UsefulNotes/{{Venezuela}}:''' Capital and largest city of Venezuela, thriving largely on the country's oil industry.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Riyadh}}, Riyadh Region, UsefulNotes/SaudiArabia:''' Capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. Despite its location in the middle of the desert, Riyadh evolved from a trade post by way of being the ancestral home of the kingdom's ruling family.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Chennai}} (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India:''' Largest city of southern India and a thriving automotive center.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/FootballPopMusicAndFlatCaps Manchester]], England, United Kingdom:''' Second largest city of England and the United Kingdom. The city suddenly grew in prominence during the UsefulNotes/IndustrialRevolution, and even long after the industries have gone, it thrived on as a center of culture and business.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Oslo}}, Oslo County, UsefulNotes/{{Norway}}:''' Capital and largest city of Norway, as well as the fastest-growing in Europe. Besides being a center of government and commerce, Oslo is also a major maritime power, as well as a center of arts and tourism.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Helsinki}}, Uusimaa, UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}:''' Capital and largest city of Finland, as well as the country's center of government, culture and finance.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Karachi}}, Sindh, UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}:''' State capital of Sindh and largest city of Pakistan, as well as its economic center and erstwhile national capital. Despite the government's move inland, Karachi remains one of South Asia's largest economies, and is one of the most diverse places in Pakistan.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Doha}}, UsefulNotes/{{Qatar}}:''' Capital and largest city of Qatar. Besides being a center of government, Doha is also a bustling economic and educational giant in the Persian Gulf.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Casablanca}}, Grand Casablanca, UsefulNotes/{{Morocco}}:''' Largest city of Morocco and the nation's economic and cultural heart, as well as the home to the largest port in northern Africa and the setting of [[Film/{{Casablanca}} an unforgettable 1940s romance film]].
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Stuttgart}}, Baden-Württemberg, Germany:''' State capital of Baden-Württemberg and sixth-largest city of Germany, as well as the heart of the Swabian peoples of southwestern Germany.
* '''UsefulNotes/RioDeJaneiro, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil:''' Second-largest city of Brazil and the nation's undisputed cultural and tourist capital, and in 2016 will host the first Olympic Games in South America.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Geneva}}, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland:''' Second-largest city of Switzerland, situated on the shores of the same-named lake, known for its thriving businesses and being the home of several branches of the United Nations and UsefulNotes/TheRedCross.

* '''UsefulNotes/GuatemalaCity, Guatemala Department, UsefulNotes/{{Guatemala}}:''' Capital and largest city of Guatemala and the most populous in Central America.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lyon}}, Rhône-Alpes, France:''' Regional capital of Rhône-Alpes and second-largest city of France. Lyon is known for its well-preserved city center, a once-thriving silk industry, and home to some of France's best dining experiences.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Monterrey}}, Nuevo León, Mexico:''' State capital of Nuevo León and third-largest city of Mexico, as well as the richest and most Americanized in the northern half of the country.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/SanJoseCostaRica San José]], San José Province, UsefulNotes/CostaRica:''' Capital and largest city of Costa Rica, as well as one of the most European-like cities in Central America.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Bratislava}}, Bratislava Region, UsefulNotes/{{Slovakia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Slovakia. Besides being a political, financial and cultural hub, Bratislava for centuries was the crossroads of many empires and races.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis]], Minnesota, United States:''' Largest city of Minnesota and, together with the smaller state capital Saint Paul forms the fourteenth-largest metropolis in America and largest on the Midwestern prairie. Once the world's largest flour manufacturer, the Twin Cities continues to thrive as a lumber center and a trade post between Seattle and Chicago.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Nairobi}}, Nairobi County, UsefulNotes/{{Kenya}}:''' Capital and largest city of Kenya, as well as the largest in eastern Africa, founded by the British as a trading post between Uganda and the Indian Ocean coast.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, Ohio, United States:''' Second-largest city of Ohio. Once a mighty industrial port city by the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland fell into disrepute for its financial woes and a river once so polluted it even caught fire (this happened ''thirteen times'' between 1868 and 1969), but has since made great rebounds, among which is housing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lagos}}, Lagos State, UsefulNotes/{{Nigeria}}:''' Largest city of Nigeria and all of Africa, as well as a thriving business hub, having largely prospered on the back of the country's oil industry, and a center of the arts.
* '''UsefulNotes/AbuDhabi, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:''' Capital and second-largest city of the UAE. Once a small fishing village, the discovery of oil propelled Abu Dhabi to unprecedented riches, but nevertheless has a more laid-back atmosphere than Dubai to the east.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Hanoi}}, Vietnam:''' Capital and second-largest city of Vietnam, as well as the nation's political heart for a thousand years, and features a mix of ancient and modern lifestyles.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Sofia}}, UsefulNotes/{{Bulgaria}}:''' Capital and largest city of Bulgaria. Founded by Thracians some 3,000 years ago, the city thrived under the Romans as regional center, and has since slipped into quietude until it was reestablished as national capital in 1879.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Riga}}, UsefulNotes/{{Latvia}}:''' Capital of Latvia and largest city of the Baltic States, renowned for its abundance of Art Noveau works.
* '''UsefulNotes/PortLouis, Port Louis District, UsefulNotes/{{Mauritius}}:''' Capital and largest city of Mauritius, as well as a mercantile center and the financial heart of southeastern Africa.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, Michigan, United States:''' Largest city of Michigan. Once a thriving industrial center, the city fell into a long economic decline despite remaining the automotive capital of America -- a void now being slowly filled with the entertainment business.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, Colorado, United States:''' Capital and largest city of Colorado, sitting roughly at one mile (1.609 kilometers) above sea level (thus the nickname "Mile High City"). Founded as a gold rush town, Denver continued to flourish long after the mines dried up as an important crossroads between the Midwest and the Rockies.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Perth}}, Western Australia, Australia:''' State capital and largest city, as well as reputedly one of the most isolated cities in the world. Despite its location, the city thrives largely on the state's mining industry.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Kolkata}} (Calcutta), West Bengal, India:''' State capital of West Bengal, third-largest city of India and the last capital of the British Raj, as well as host to the largest port in India. Once the economic, cultural, scientific and political jewel of India, Kolkata fell into decay (one lampshaded through the charity work of Albanian-born nun Mother Teresa) before making a comeback in the 2000s.
* '''UsefulNotes/SanDiego, California, United States:''' Second-largest city of California, sitting next to the Mexican border. Built as the first Catholic mission in California, San Diego once thrived as the command center for the Pacific fleet during World War II, and it still serves that purpose to the present day. However, it has since diversified in various ways, including a center of biotechnology, a craft beer hub, and a beach paradise. The city is known for having one of the most desirable climates in the world.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Manama}}, Capital Governorate, UsefulNotes/{{Bahrain}}:''' Capital and largest city of the island-state of Bahrain, as well as a strategic financial center, being located at the middle of the Persian Gulf.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/TheWestMidlands Birmingham]], England, United Kingdom:''' Second-largest city of the United Kingdom and an industrial powerhouse, having tried for almost every trade available at the time of the Industrial Revolution, before turning its attention to the services sector during the last quarter of the 20th century.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Nicosia}} (Lefkosia), UsefulNotes/{{Cyprus}}:''' Capital and largest city of Cyprus, bordered by a series of walls that exist to this day and still divided into Greek and Turkish sectors, a legacy of the two countries' feud.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Quito}}, Pichincha, UsefulNotes/{{Ecuador}}:''' Capital and second-largest city of Ecuador, as well as the highest capital in the world. Besides being a financial and political hub, the city boasts one of the best-preserved Spanish-era cities in the world.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Belgrade}}, UsefulNotes/{{Serbia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Serbia, featuring a unique combination of Slavic, Ottoman, socialist and modern sensibilities.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Almaty}}, UsefulNotes/{{Kazakhstan}}:''' Largest city of Kazakhstan and former capital until the government moved inward to more geographically-centralized Astana. Despite this, Almaty remained the country's leading economic and cultural hub.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Shenzhen}}, Guangdong, China:''' The city directly to the north of Hong Kong, Shenzhen rapidly grew from a small village to the place where China's economic resurgence got off to a good start.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Kuwait}} City, Al Asima Governorate, Kuwait:''' Capital and largest city of Kuwait. Long a prosperous trading post between the Middle East and southern Asia, Kuwait City experienced a massive surge of relevance after the discovery of oil, and continues to thrive even after suffering the brunt of the UsefulNotes/GulfWar.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Hyderabad}}, Telangana, India:''' State capital of Telengana and fourth-largest city of India, known for its melding of Muslim and Hindu cultures, as well as a historic pearl trade and an IT industry on the upsurge.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Edinburgh}}, Scotland, United Kingdom:''' Capital and second-largest city of Scotland, as well as a noted educational center with a well-preserved city center.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Zagreb}}, UsefulNotes/{{Croatia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Croatia. Founded in the Roman era, the city flourished throughout the medieval period, and bloomed into a powerful city in the 19th century.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lahore}}, Punjab, Pakistan:''' Provincial capital of Punjab and second-largest city of Pakistan, as well as a center of culture in the nation, having been a crossroads of various kingdoms throughout the centuries.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/TheCityFormerlyKnownAs Saint Petersburg]], Russia:''' Second-largest city of Russia and northernmost city with over 1 million people, founded in 1703 as seaside imperial capital, thus accounting for its more European atmosphere compared to the rest of Russia.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Jeddah}}, Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia:''' Second-largest city of Saudi Arabia, as well as the largest port in the Red Sea and the principal gateway to Mecca (Makkah), Islam's holiest city (closed off to non-Muslims) 70 kilometers (43 miles) to the east.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Durban}}, [=KwaZulu=]-Natal, South Africa:''' Third-largest city of South Africa, largest of [=KwaZulu-Natal=] state and second-largest manufacturing hub after Johannesburg, as well as home to the largest Indian population outside India.
* '''UsefulNotes/SantoDomingo, National District, UsefulNotes/DominicanRepublic:''' Capital of the Dominican Republic and largest city of the Caribbean islands. It is also the oldest colonial settlement in the Americas and seat of the first Spanish dominion in the New World.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, Maryland, United States:''' Largest city of Maryland, famous as the birthplace of the "Star-Spangled Banner".
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Islamabad}}, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan:''' Capital of Pakistan and, together with nearby Rawalpindi, the third-largest urban area in the country. Having been built up from scratch during TheSixties as a more centralized, more protected alternative to coastal Karachi, the city also grew into the national center of education.

* '''UsefulNotes/StLouis, Missouri, United States:''' Second-largest city in Missouri and once a major port town on the banks of the Mississippi River. Best known as the cradle of jazz and blues, as well as the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which opened up the West to the USA (commemorated with an iconic steel arch).
* '''UsefulNotes/SanSalvador, San Salvador Department, UsefulNotes/ElSalvador:''' Capital and largest city of El Salvador and a major Central American financial center.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Cologne}}, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:''' Fourth-largest city of Germany and largest in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and a major cultural center of the Rhineland, as well as a trade crossroads for centuries.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Phoenix}}, Arizona, United States:''' Capital and largest city of Arizona, as well as the most populous state capital in the USA. Founded between two rivers in the middle of the desert, Phoenix thrived as a farming community, then an industrial hub after World War II.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Bristol}}, England, United Kingdom:''' Eighth-largest city of England and the heart of southwestern England. Once an industrial city, Bristol has since reinvented itself as center of technology-based industries, as well as a cultural leader in the region.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Charlotte}}, North Carolina, United States:''' Largest city of North Carolina, second-largest in the southeastern USA, and sixteenth-largest overall, as well as the second-largest banking city after New York City.
* '''UsefulNotes/GeorgeTown, [[UsefulNotes/BritishWestIndies Cayman Islands]]:''' Capital of the Cayman Islands and largest city of the British Overseas Territories, and thus the nexus of the islands' status as offshore financial havens.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Osaka}}, Osaka Prefecture, Japan:''' Third-largest city of Japan (after Tokyo and its twin city Yokohama) and second-largest urban center, as well as the heart of the Kansai region, famous for being a center of Japanese culinary culture.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Tampa}}, Florida, United States:''' Third-largest city of Florida and a major financial center at the west coast of the peninsula-state.
!!Gamma

* '''UsefulNotes/SanJuan, UsefulNotes/PuertoRico:''' Capital and largest city of Puerto Rico and the second-oldest colonial settlement in the New World (after Santo Domingo), and home to half of the island's population.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Marseille}}, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France:''' Regional capital of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, second-largest city in France and third-largest urban area (after Paris and Lyon). Marseille once thrived as the main trade post of France, and was also the birthplace of the French National Anthem, named in its honor.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Guadalajara}}, Jalisco, Mexico:''' State capital of Jalisco and second-largest city in Mexico, an industrial center, and home to mariachi.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Leeds}}, England, United Kingdom:''' Third-largest city of the United Kingdom and the cultural, financial and industrial heart of the West Yorkshire region, which once thrived as a milling town
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Baku}}, UsefulNotes/{{Azerbaijan}}":''' Capital of Azerbaijan and largest city among the states of the southern Caucasus and a growing economic and cultural center, also known for its harsh winter winds.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Vilnius}}, Vilnius County, UsefulNotes/{{Lithuania}}:''' Capital of Lithuania and second-largest city in the Baltic States, known for its well-preserved old city.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Tallinn}}, Harju County, UsefulNotes/{{Estonia}}:''' Capital of Estonia and a center of culture in the Baltic States.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Raleigh}}, North Carolina, United States:''' State capital of North Carolina and an early example of American urban planning, as well as part of a "triangle" of educational institutions with the nearby cities of Durham and Chapel Hill.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Ankara}}, Ankara Province, Turkey:''' Capital and second-largest city of Turkey, built over an old settlement and chosen because of its centralized location in the Asian half.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Belfast}}, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom:''' Capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Once a major shipbuilding city on the island of Ireland, the city saw much violence throughout UsefulNotes/TheTroubles, but has since been seeing rejuvenation.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/SanJoseCalifornia San Jose]], California, United States:''' Third-largest city of California and the oldest civilian Spanish town of the state, and the prime city of the Silicon Valley, home to many of the world's largest technology companies.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Cincinnati}}, Ohio, United States:''' Third-largest city of Ohio, former boomtown, and the first major city founded after the American Revolution.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, Wisconsin, United States:''' Largest city of Wisconsin, famous for its brewing industry and the home of Harley-Davidson.

!!Gamma-
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Nantes}}, Pays de la Loire, France:''' Regional capital of Pays de la Loire, sixth-largest city of France, and the de facto capital of the historic Brittany region. Once a shipbuilding center, Nantes is also the home of the first bus transit.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Tianjin}}, China:''' Fourth-largest city in China and the chief port-of-entry for maritime trade going into Beijing.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Accra}}, Greater Accra Region, UsefulNotes/{{Ghana}}:''' Capital and largest city of Ghana, having grown from a suburb of the colonial city of Victoriaborg into the heart of the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in Africa.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Algiers}}, Algiers Province, UsefulNotes/{{Algeria}}:''' Capital and largest city of Algeria, known for its glimmering seaside vista capped by an imposing ''kasbah'' (Islamic citadel).
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Gothenburg}}, Västergötland/Bohuslän, Sweden:''' Second-largest city of Sweden and home to both the largest port in the Nordic countries and some of Sweden's most important festivals.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Porto}}, Portugal:''' Second-largest city of Portugal and one of its oldest cities, whose city center is a well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Columbus|Ohio}}, Ohio, United States:''' State capital and largest city of Ohio, a major economic and cultural force in the state, and home to one of the largest college student bodies in the United States.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Utrecht}}, Utrecht Province, The Netherlands:''' Capital and largest city of the same-named province and fourth-largest in the Netherlands, once the most important city in medieval Netherlands and remains the religious capital of the nation.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, Florida, United States:''' Fifth-largest city of Florida and the largest completely inland, thriving largely on tourism generated by some of the best-known theme parks in the world.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Ahmedabad}}, Gujarat, India:''' Largest city of Gujarat and home to the second-largest cotton industry and second-oldest stock market in India, as well as a center of Mahatma Gandhi's peaceful resistance movement.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Asuncion}} Asunción]], UsefulNotes/{{Paraguay}}:''' Capital and largest city of Paraguay, as well as the country's center of commerce and industry.
* '''UsefulNotes/KansasCity, Missouri, United States:''' Largest city of Missouri, sitting across the Missouri River next to the ''state'' of Kansas and ''another'' Kansas City within its borders. The city is known for its brand of jazz, blues and barbecue, and was also the city where Creator/WaltDisney got his start.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Seville}}, Andalusia, Spain:''' State capital and largest city of Andalusia and fourth-largest in Spain. Its inland fluvial port once launched Spain's imperial pursuits during the 16th century.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Turin}}, Piedmont, Italy:''' An Alpine city best-known as the birthplace and first capital of a united Italy, as well as home to some of Italy's automotive giants, highly-successful football teams such as Juventus and Torino FC, and centerpiece of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
* '''UsefulNotes/DarEsSalaam, UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}:''' Largest city of Tanzania and a major economic center in eastern Africa, as well as former capital until the government moved inland to Dodoma in 1996.
* '''UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, Oregon, United States:''' Largest city of Oregon and a pocket of liberal politics in an otherwise conservative state, being a center of cultural diversity and a hotspot of outdoor activities.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Cracow}} Kraków]], Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland:''' Second-largest city of Poland and one of its oldest, originating as a hamlet atop Wawel Hill and is best known for its historic city center and the center of ministry of a certain Archbishop Karol Cardinal Wojtyla before he became Pope John Paul II.

* '''UsefulNotes/LaPaz, La Paz Department, UsefulNotes/{{Bolivia}}:''' Third-largest city and de facto capital of Bolivia, as well as the highest national capital in the world at 3,600 m (12,000 ft).

* Strasbourg, France
* Gaborone, Botswana
* Chengdu, China

* UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, Pennsylvania, United States

* [[UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas Austin]], Texas, United States
* Qingdao, China

* Tegucigalpa, Honduras

* Wrocław, Poland
* Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
* Lausanne, Switzerland
* Dhaka, Bangladesh
* Nuremberg, Germany
* Lusaka, Zambia
* Kampala, Uganda
* Bilbao, Spain
* Douala, Cameroon
* Abidjan, Ivory Coast

* Hangzhou, China

* UsefulNotes/{{Wellington}}, New Zealand

* Dakar, Senegal

* Dresden, Germany

* Skopje, Macedonia
* Nanjing, China
* Tirana, Albania
* Chongqing, China

* Bologna, Italy

* Luanda, Angola
* Dalian, China

* Minsk, Belarus

* Tbilisi, Georgia

* Maputo, Mozambique
* Harare, Zimbabwe

* Xiamen, China

* Medellín, Colombia

* Wuhan, China

* Xi'an, China

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Perth}}, Western Australia, Australia:''' State capital and largest city, as well as reputedly one of the most isolated cities in the world. Despite its location, the city thrives largely on its mining industry.

* '''UsefulNotes/SanDiego, California, United States:''' Second-largest city of California, sitting next to the Mexican border. Built as the first Catholic mission in California, San Diego once thrived as the command center for the Pacific fleet during World War II, and has since reinvented itself as a center of biotechnology and its burgeoning beach scene.

The major cities of the world and their appearances in fiction. This page is based on the 2012 classifications and rankings of the [[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/ Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC)]] think tank group from Loughborough University in England, the earliest group to attempt such a categorization from way back in 1998. Expect some of these to show up in a WorldTour.[[labelnote:*]]It should be noted, however, that the index has long been outdated and some changes have happened among the cities in the list, so for anybody who wants to know the details, this list is obsolete and [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city you're better off]] [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_centre searching]] TheOtherWiki.[[/labelnote]]

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Brussels}}, UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}}:''' Capital and largest city of Belgium, the home of sprouts, peeing boys, and the seat of many an international political organization, most prominent of which is UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lisbon}}, Lisbon District[=/=]Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region[=/=]Lisbon NUTS II and Metropolitan Area[=/=]Estremadura[[note]]Not E''x''tremadura, that's in Spain [[/note]] Province[[note]]Portugal has no set administrative divisions on the Continent[[/note]], UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}:''' Capital and largest city of Portugal, situated on the northern side of the mouth of the Tagus River, as well as the oldest capital city in Western Europe.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Lisbon}}, UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}:''' Capital and largest city of Portugal, situated on the northern side of the mouth of the Tagus River, as well as the oldest capital city in Western Europe.

The major cities of the world and their appearances in fiction. This page is based on the 2012 classifications and rankings of the [[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/ Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC)]] think tank group from Loughborough University in England, the earliest group to attempt such a categorization from way back in 1998. Expect some of these to show up in a WorldTour. It should be noted, however, that the index has long been outdated and some changes have happened among the cities in the list, so for anybody who wants to know the details, this list is obsolete and [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city you're better off searching]] TheOtherWiki.

The major cities of the world and their appearances in fiction. This page is based on the 2012 classifications and rankings of the [[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/ Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC)]] think tank group from Loughborough University in England, the earliest group to attempt such a categorization from way back in 1998. Expect some of these to show up in a WorldTour.

* '''{{UsefulNotes/Seoul}}, Seoul National Capital Area, UsefulNotes/SouthKorea:''' The 2000-year-old heart of the Korean Peninsula and capital and largest city of the South. Following the devastation of the UsefulNotes/KoreanWar, Seoul experienced a massive economic boom, culminating in hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics, and is also the birthplace of the Korean music craze.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Seoul}}, Seoul National Capital Area, UsefulNotes/SouthKorea:''' The 2000-year-old heart of the Korean Peninsula and capital and largest city of the South. Following the devastation of the UsefulNotes/KoreanWar, Seoul experienced a massive economic boom, culminating in hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics, and is also the birthplace of the Korean music craze.

* UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, Ohio, United States

* '''[[UsefulNotes/StLouis St. Louis]], Missouri, United States:''' Second-largest city in Missouri and once a major port town on the banks of the Mississippi River. Best known as the cradle of jazz and blues, as well as the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which opened up the West to the USA (commemorated with an iconic steel arch).

* '''[[UsefulNotes/ColumbusOhio Columbus]], Ohio, United States:''' State capital and largest city of Ohio, a major economic and cultural force in the state, and home to one of the largest college student bodies in the United States.

* Austin, Texas, United States

* San Antonio, Texas, United States

* Leon, Mexico

* [[UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}} Rochester]], New York, United States

* '''[[TheCityFormerlyKnownAs Saint Petersburg]], Russia:''' Second-largest city of Russia and northernmost city with over 1 million people, founded in 1703 as seaside imperial capital, thus accounting for its more European atmosphere compared to the rest of Russia.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, Ohio, United States:''' Second-largest city of Ohio. Once a mighty industrial port city by the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland fell into disrepute for its financial woes and a river once so polluted it even caught fire, but has since made great rebounds, among which is housing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Jakarta}}, Jakarta Province, UsefulNotes/{{Indonesia}}:''' Capital and largest city of Indonesia, founded 1600 years ago as seat of the Sunda Kingdom and expanded its influence under the Dutch. Today it is a bustling metropolis of 9.6 million people.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Singapore}}:''' The powerhouse of Southeast Asia, the modern island-city-state of Singapore was founded by the British in 1919 as a trading post for the East India Company and later grew as a center of commerce and multiculturalism under a rather conservative democracy.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Prague}}, UsefulNotes/CzechRepublic:''' Capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The city waxed and waned together with the Holy Roman Empire, and the city center largely escaped the ravages of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, which makes for good sightseeing.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Munich}}, Bavaria, Germany:''' State capital of Bavaria and third-largest city in Germany. Famous for its architecture, a highly-successful football team (Bayern Munich FC) and the best-known Oktoberfest in Germany.

* '''[[SweetHomeMidlands Birmingham]], England, United Kingdom:''' Second-largest city of the United Kingdom and an industrial powerhouse, having tried for almost every trade available at the time of the Industrial Revolution, before turning its attention to the services sector during the last quarter of the 20th century.

* '''UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, California, United States:''' Second-largest city in America and a hotbed of multicultural diversity. The city is both a powerhouse of West Coast finance and the home of Hollywood, the birthplace of modern television and film industry.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Vancouver}}, British Columbia, Canada:''' Largest city of western Canada, which thrived both as a port city and a center of forestry and tourism, as well as one of the largest film production centers in North America. Its dramatic location between the sea and the Rocky Mountains also made it the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics.