this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2024
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In the United States, I'd probably name Oregon City, the famous end of the Oregon Trail and the first city founded west of the Rocky Mountains during the pioneer era. Its population is only 37,000.

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[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago

Wales has St. Davids - population c.1,750

[–] shapesandstuff 23 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Wacken, Germany.

Population: 2110

Home to one of the biggest metal festivals in the world with something between 70k and 120k people. I think Tickets are limited to 70k currently but the whole area is bascially transformed for a week

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[–] zloubida@lemmy.world 26 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (7 children)

For France it's probably Vichy, infamously well known internationally for being the capital of the French pro-Nazi government during the Occupation. Only 25'000 inhabitants.

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[–] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 29 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (9 children)

Dildo, Newfoundland.

Not really though.

Off the top of my head I’d say places like Gander, Churchill, Iqaluit - places known maybe for their location as much as their people and unique situations?

Edit: another comment (Aspen) made me want to mention Banff but Alberta isn’t acting Canadian anymore so it no longer counts.

[–] H4CK3RN4M3D4N63R570RM@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Banff is what I was looking for in this list (pop ~8300). Not many places in this country are 'acting Canadian' anymore.

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[–] moreeni@lemm.ee 22 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

Chornobyl, Ukraine. "50 thousand people used to live here, now it's a ghost town"

There are many more ghost towns now, due to the war. Adviivka, Bakhmut and many others, some small, some relatively big. Everyone has heard of those small cities.

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[–] CuddlyCassowary@lemmy.world 25 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Not my location, but Scranton, PA?

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[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 26 points 3 days ago (10 children)

Paris. It's also a city in Texas.

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[–] ChilledPeppers@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Davos switzerland. (WEF) (10k) Mariana brazil. (Known for a ecological disaster). (60k)

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the Netherlands is probably Giethoorn, the 'Venice of the North' which has many canals instead of roads and is very touristy. It has 2.900 inhabitants

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[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'm not from there, but who doesn't know the name of Scunthorpe?

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[–] DavidDoesLemmy@aussie.zone 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Byron bay. Bundaberg. Coon.

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[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

In the UK and a city? Probably Liverpool and because of The Beatles.

A Town? Well it certainly used to be Lockerbie where Pan-Am flight 103 crashed after a terrorist bombing just before Christmas 1988. It was on it's way from London to New York.

Probably not known by the younger generations though.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago

I know Lockerbie. It came up a lot as Qaddafi went down.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Probably Dildo, Newfoundland.

You know why.

Edit: Actually, I think Dawson City is smaller. It's famous for being a big city back during the gold rush, despite being up near the arctic circle.

[–] A1kmm@lemmy.amxl.com 14 points 3 days ago (6 children)

By population, and not land area, certain more remote geographic places are well known but have quite a low population. 'Everyone' is a high bar, but most adults in Australia would know the following places (ordered from smaller population but slightly less known to higher population):

  • Wittenoom, WA - population 0 - well known in Australia for being heavily contaminated with dangerous blue asbestos (which used to be mined there until the 60s), and having been de-gazetted and removed from maps to discourage tourism to it.
  • Coober Pedy, SA - population 1437 - well known in Australia for its underground homes and opal production.
  • Alice Springs, NT - population 25,912 - well known for being near the centre of Australia in the rangelands (outback) - most larger population centres in Australia are coastal.
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[–] BeanGoblin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 3 days ago (3 children)
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[–] guillem@aussie.zone 2 points 2 days ago

Puerto Hurraco. Population 100. Everybody in Spain recognises its name because of a shooting that got burned into the collective mind.

[–] dosse91@lemmy.trippy.pizza 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Corleone, Sicily, for obvious reasons. Population around 10k.

[–] oo1@lemmings.world 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

iThe City of London might be one, it has a very small resident population, but I dont know how many people know that it is a separate city from London. It's famos for being chock full of c*nts most of the day.

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[–] balsoft@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

Back when I was in Russia I'd say it'd be Suzdal, famous for the density of churches and other traditional architecture; or Tarusa, known for that one song that everyone seems to know a couple of lines from, Gorodok (here is a random rendition I found just now), both with just under 10k pop according to the wiki. And, as a bit of a stretch since it's not a town and most people would call it Solovki, Solovetsky settlement, famous for being a prison, with about 800 people. Also Oymyakon with under 600 people, the coldest settlement on earth if you're into that sort of thing.

Now in Georgia, I'd say Borjomi with just over 10k pop famous for its water, and Bakuriani (just over 1800 people) for its water and the ski resort. Again a bit of a stretch, but I guess everyone in Georgia at least also knows the ski resort of Gudauri at just under 100 people, as well as mountain resorts of Gomismta and Bakhmaro, both with no permanent residents due to the rough winters. Geography nerds will also be familiar with Ushguli, (arguably) the highest inhabited settlement in Europe, population 220.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago

I've actually heard of Oymyakon, just as a Canadian who knows geography facts. Ushguli is new information, though. (There's definitely higher on other continents)

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[–] dunidane@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 3 days ago (6 children)

It might not count as a city but Nome Alaska has the Iditarod with only, 3700 people. Or maybe some famous battlefield, Gettysburg has 7100 people. A ski resort like Aspen could count with 7000. We all had to memorize state capitals so maybe somewhere like Montpelier, Vermont has more recognition but has 7800 people.

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[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 12 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Not my country, but maybe Tipperary? It only has a population of 5k.

[–] davidgro@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

All I know about it is that it's a long way there.

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[–] joelthelion@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

Gruyères, Switzerland. 2000 inhabitants. Famous for the famous Swiss cheese of the same name.

[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 14 points 3 days ago (3 children)

If you mean people from my country.... All of them.

New Zealand only has like 10 actual cities. It is not some great feat of memory to know them all.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What's your population threshold for city, here? Are there just a ton of rural people? It feels like a major country.

[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

50k people

Looking at this list some are dubious. e.g. Hibicus Coast (#9) has been swallowed up by Auckland (#1), I would have called it a part of Auckland, much like Manakau City, which isn't on the list.

Lower Hutt (#6) and Upper Hutt (#18) are on the list but Petone is not, geographically they are part of the same long valley and can almost all be considered part of Wellington like Manakau City is part of Auckland.

But you also get places like Masterton (#28), feels city like, since it is the largest settlement in the region but really it is a big town, it takes up a huge area though. Mainly services the farming communities around it.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Wow. And you still have >5 million people? This list goes all the way down to what I'd call not quite villages, but very small towns (although your link is broken, you need to add the Wikipedia part).

[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Thanks, fixed the link.

When you consider that the top 5 on that list take up 50% of the population. Auckland continues to grow, and at 30% of the population already, it has an crazy effect on the economic decisions in the country.

It is also growing geographically, eventually Auckland and Hamilton will merge somewhere around Huntly (#50).

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The smallest Indian city that (almost) all Indians would know would be the hill resort of Shimla (pop 170,000). However, this is because a place is expected to have a population of about 100,000 to be declared a 'city', so for example New Delhi is only a town.

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