Twin cities (geographical proximity) 31542 226135079 2008-07-16T23:45:54Z 76.20.57.95 /* North America */ {{refimprove|date=February 2007}} {{Original research|date=September 2007}} {{otheruses4|cities geographically close together|other uses|twin city}} {{TOC-right}} '''Twin cities''' are a special case of two [[city|cities]] or urban centres which are born in close [[geography|geographic]] proximity and then grow into each other over time. The term ''[[Minneapolis-Saint Paul|Twin Cities]]'' in the [[United States]] refers specifically to the cities [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]. Cities twinned geographically do not necessarily match demographically, economically, or politically. In the normal course of things, cities which grow into each other's space in this way lose their individual identity and whatever border or barrier still separates them becomes irrelevant until they fuse into one new city. One famous example of this is [[Budapest]] in [[Hungary]], which began as two settlements ([[Buda]] and [[Pest (city)|Pest]]) facing each other across the [[Danube]] at a strategic [[ford (crossing)|fording place]] along a trade route; another is [[London, England]], which resulted from the merger of two cities, the [[City of London]] and the [[City of Westminster]]. But there are twin cities which have been able to resist this final union and have maintained individual identity against the tides of history, economics and demographics. Twin cities often share an [[airport]], into whose [[IATA airport code|airport code]] are integrated the initials of both cities; [[Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport|DFW]] ([[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]-[[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]]) and [[Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport|MSP]] (Minneapolis-St. Paul) are well-known examples. ==Examples== [[Image:Obelisco - Plaza Internacional - Frontera de la Paz - Livramento - Rivera.jpeg|thumb|right|A remarkable example of '''twin cities''': ''Plaza Internacional'' of the ''Frontera de la Paz''. On the left, Santana do Livramento (Brazil); on the right, Rivera (Uruguay).]] === Asia === * The capital of the medieval [[Khazar]] Empire, [[Atil]]-[[Khazaran]], which was situated on the western and eastern banks of the [[Volga River]], respectively. * [[Islamabad]] and [[Rawalpindi]], [[Pakistan]] * [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]] and [[Secunderabad]], [[India]] * [[Bhubaneswar]] and [[Cuttack]], [[India]] * [[Hubli]] and [[Dharwad]], [[India]] * [[Ramallah]] and [[al-Bireh]], in the [[West Bank]] * [[Taipei]] and [[Keelung]], [[Taiwan]] * [[Taoyuan City|Taoyuan]] and [[Jhongli City|Jhongli]], Taiwan * [[Seoul]] and [[Incheon]], [[South Korea]] === Europe === * [[Manchester]] and [[Salford]], [[UK]] * [[Brighton and Hove]], [[UK]], though there are several other smaller towns like [[Worthing]] which make up the metropolitan area. * [[Ludwigshafen]] and [[Mannheim]], [[Germany]] * [[Ulm]] and [[Neu-Ulm]], Germany * [[Mainz]] and [[Wiesbaden]], Germany * [[Porsgrunn]] and [[Skien]], [[Norway]] * [[Sandnes]] and [[Stavanger]], Norway * [[Gorizia]], [[Italy]] and [[Nova Gorica]], [[Slovenia]] * [[Gornja Radgona]], Slovenia and [[Bad Radkersburg]], [[Austria]] * [[Buda]] and [[Pest, Hungary|Pest]], [[Hungary]] * [[Tornio]], [[Finland]] and [[Haparanda]], [[Sweden]] * [[Porto]] and [[Vila Nova de Gaia]], [[Portugal]] === North America === * [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]] The most well-known [[Minneapolis-Saint Paul| Twin Cities]] in North America * [[Duluth, Minnesota]] and [[Superior, Wisconsin]], often referred to as the "[[Twin Ports]]" * [[Ottawa, Ontario]] and [[Gatineau, Quebec]]; formerly included [[Hull, Quebec]] until Hull (and also other municipalities) merged with Gatineau in 2002. * [[Halifax Nova Scotia]] and [[Dartmouth Nova Scotia]]. Even though both cities were amalgamated into the [[Halifax Regional Municipality]] they are separated by [[Halifax Harbour]] and still retain separate identities. * [[Kitchener, Ontario|Kitchener]] and [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]], [[Ontario]] (occasionally mentioned with nearby [[Cambridge, Ontario|Cambridge]]), popularly abbreviated as "[[Kitchener-Waterloo]]" or "K-W"[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004335] * [[Corte Madera, California]] and [[Larkspur, California]].[http://www.ci.larkspur.ca.us/208.html] * [[Windsor, Ontario]] and [[Detroit, Michigan]] * [[Kansas City, Kansas]] and [[Kansas City, Missouri]] * [[Port Huron, Michigan]] and [[Sarnia, Ontario]] * [[Niagara Falls, Ontario]] and [[Niagara Falls, New York]] * [[Leominster, Massachusetts|Leominster]] and [[Fitchburg, Massachusetts]] * [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] and [[Hartford, Connecticut]] * [[Dallas, Texas]] and [[Fort Worth, Texas]] * [[Champaign, Illinois]] and [[Urbana, Illinois]] * [[South Bend, Indiana]] and [[Mishawaka, Indiana]] * [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]] and [[Auburn, Maine|Auburn]], [[Maine]], sometimes locally referred to as "LA" or the Twin Cities. * [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]] and [[Shreveport, Louisiana]].[http://shreveport-bossier.org/about/default.aspx] * [[Monroe, Louisiana]] and [[West Monroe, Louisiana]].[http://www.monroe-westmonroe.org/web/index.php?page=history] * [[Brownsville, Texas]] and [[Matamoros, Tamaulipas]] * [[Ciudad Juárez]], Mexico and [[El Paso, Texas]], U.S. exemplify a chain of twin cities on the Mexico-US border, particularly within the [[Rio Grande]] valley. * [[Laredo, Texas]] and [[Nuevo Laredo, Mexico]] * [[Rosenberg, Texas]] and [[Richmond, Texas]] * [[Bluefield, Virginia]] and [[Bluefield, West Virginia]] * [[Bristol, Virginia]] and [[Bristol, Tennessee]] * [[Nogales, Arizona]] and [[Nogales, Mexico]] * [[Calexico, California]] and [[Mexicali, Mexico]] * [[Texarkana, Texas]] and [[Texarkana, Arkansas]] * [[Sarasota, Florida]] and [[Bradenton, Florida]] * [[San Diego, California]] and [[Tijuana, Mexico]] * [[Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan]] and [[Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario]] * [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]] and [[Battle Creek, Michigan]] * [[Gulfport, Mississippi]] and [[Biloxi, Mississippi]] * [[Little Rock, Arkansas]] and [[North Little Rock, Arkansas]] * [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]] and [[Racine, Wisconsin]] * [[Portland, Oregon]] and [[Vancouver, Washington]] * [[Seattle, Washington]] and [[Tacoma, Washington]] * [[Bryan, Texas]] and [[College Station, Texas]] * [[Reno, Nevada]] and [[Sparks, Nevada]] * [[Waterloo, Iowa]] and [[Cedar Falls, Iowa]] * [[Omaha, Nebraska]] and [[Council Bluffs, Iowa]] * [[Lansing, Michigan]] and [[East Lansing, Michigan]] * [[Sacramento, California]] and [[West Sacramento, California]] * [[Eugene, Oregon]] and [[Springfield, Oregon]] * [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] and [[Camden, New Jersey]] * [[Bismarck, North Dakota]] and [[Mandan, North Dakota]], Also known as Sister Cities to local residents. * [[Pierre, South Dakota]] and [[Fort Pierre, South Dakota]] * [[Sioux City, Iowa]] and [[South Sioux City, Nebraska]] * [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]] and [[Van Buren, Arkansas]] * [[Miami, Florida]] and [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] * [[Palm Beach, Florida]] and [[West Palm Beach, Florida]] * [[Lakeland, Florida]] and [[Winter Haven, Florida]] * [[Columbus, Georgia]] and [[Phenix City, Alabama]] * [[Auburn, Alabama]] and [[Opelika, Alabama]] * [[Anniston, Alabama]] and [[Oxford, Alabama]] * [[Benton Harbor, Michigan]] and [[St. Joseph, Michigan]] * [[Peoria, Illinois]] and [[East Peoria, Illinois]] * [[Bloomington, Illinois]] and [[Normal, Illinois]] * [[Lancaster, California]] and [[Palmdale, California]] * [[Fargo, North Dakota]] and [[Moorhead, Minnesota]] * [[Midland, Texas]] and [[Odessa, Texas]] * [[Nevada City, California]] and [[Grass Valley, California]] * [[San Francisco, California]] and [[Oakland, California]] * [[Fort Myers, Florida]] and [[Cape Coral, Florida]] * [[Denver, Colorado]] and [[Aurora, Colorado]] * [[Silverthorne, Colorado]] and [[Dillon, Colorado]] * [[Edwards, Colorado]] and [[Avon, Colorado]] * [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]] and [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico]] * [[Delmar, Delaware]] and [[Delmar, Maryland]] * [[McAllen, Texas]] and [[Reynosa, Mexico]] * [[Breckenridge, Minnesota]] and [[Wahpeton, North Dakota]] * [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]] and [[East Grand Forks, Minnesota]] * [[Brainerd, Minnesota]] and [[Baxter, Minnesota]] * [[Yuba City, California]] and [[Marysville, California]] * [[Eureka, California]] and [[Arcata, California]] * [[Colorado City, Arizona]] and [[Hildale, Utah]] * [[New York City|New York, New York]] and [[Newark, New Jersey]] === South America === * [[Leticia]], [[Colombia]] and [[Tabatinga]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Rivera]], [[Uruguay]] and [[Santana do Livramento]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Vitória]] and [[Vila Velha]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Aparecida]] and [[Guaratinguetá]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Florianópolis]] and [[São José]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Juazeiro]] and [[Petrolina]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Recife]] and [[Olinda]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Ilhéus]] and [[Itabuna]], [[Brazil]]. * [[Foz do Iguaçu]], [[Brazil]], [[Puerto Iguazu]], [[Argentina]], and [[Ciudad del Este]], [[Paraguay]]. * [[Valparaiso]] and [[Viña del Mar]], [[Chile]] * [[La Serena]] and [[Coquimbo]], [[Chile]] * [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]] and [[Talcahuano]], [[Chile]] === Australia === * [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]] and [[Wodonga, Victoria|Wodonga]] * [[Coolangatta, Queensland|Coolangatta]] and [[Tweed Heads, New South Wales|Tweed Heads]] ==Fictional twin cities== *[[Gotham City]] (the home of [[Batman]]) and [[Metropolis (comics)|Metropolis]] (the home of [[Superman]]) have sometimes been presented as twin cities, mainly in 1970s and 1980s stories by [[DC Comics]]. The two cities were shown as located on opposite sides of a large [[bay]]. *[[Central City (DC Comics)|Central City]] and [[Keystone City]], from the current ''[[Flash (comics)|Flash]]'' [[comic]]s, are shown as twin cities; earlier comics presented each city as located in the same space but on different [[Parallel universe (fiction)|parallel Earths]]. *[[Ankh-Morpork]], from [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' novels, is referred to as "the twin cities of proud Ankh and pestilent Morpork", but has been a single political entity in all the books thus far. * [[Sodom and Gomorrah]], historically located in southeastern Israel near the Dead Sea. ==Tri-Cities== ===United States=== * The [[Tri-Cities, Washington]], consisting of [[Richland, Washington|Richland]], [[Pasco, Washington|Pasco]], and [[Kennewick, Washington|Kennewick]], [[Washington]], along the banks of the [[Columbia River]] * The [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee]], [[Tennessee]] and [[Virginia]], consisting of the twin cities of [[Bristol, Tennessee]]/[[Bristol, Virginia]], [[Kingsport, Tennessee|Kingsport]], and [[Johnson City, Tennessee|Johnson City]] * The [[The Triangle (North Carolina)|Research Triangle]] in [[North Carolina]], consisting of [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]], and [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]]. * The [[Golden Triangle (Texas)|Golden Triangle]] in [[Texas]], consisting of [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]], [[Port Arthur, Texas|Port Arthur]], and [[Orange, Texas|Orange]]. * The [[Piedmont Triad]] in North Carolina, consisting of [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]], [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]] (itself a merged city), and [[High Point, North Carolina|High Point]]. * The [[Tri-Cities (Michigan)]] in Michigan, consisting of [[Bay City, Michigan|Bay City]], [[Saginaw, Michigan|Saginaw]], and [[Midland, Michigan|Midland]] in the [[Saginaw Valley]] * In [[Illinois]] and [[Iowa]]: three of the four [[Quad Cities]]—[[Moline, Illinois|Moline]] and [[Rock Island, Illinois|Rock Island]] in Illinois and [[Davenport, Iowa|Davenport]] in Iowa—were formerly known as the Tri-Cities, before the inclusion of [[East Moline, Illinois]] and later, [[Bettendorf, Iowa]] *The [[Capital District]] in [[New York]], consisting of [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]], and [[Troy, New York|Troy]] * In [[Colorado]]: the towns of [[Firestone, Colorado|Firestone]], [[Frederick, Colorado|Frederick]], and [[Dacono, Colorado|Dacono]] (known as the "tri-towns") * In [[Nebraska]]: [[Grand Island, Nebraska|Grand Island]], [[Kearney, Nebraska|Kearney]], and [[Hastings, Nebraska|Hastings]] in the south-central part of the state * [[Tri-Cities, Virginia]], consisting of [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]], [[Colonial Heights, Virginia|Colonial Heights]], and [[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]] in the [[Greater Richmond Region]] * In [[New Hampshire]]: [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]], [[Somersworth, New Hampshire|Somersworth]], and [[Rochester, New Hampshire|Rochester]] in the [[Seacoast Region]] *In [[Florida]]: the [[Tampa Bay Area]], consisting of [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], [[Clearwater, Florida|Clearwater]], and [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]] *In [[Oklahoma]]: [[Tuttle, Oklahoma|Tuttle]], [[Newcastle, Oklahoma|Newcastle]], and [[Blanchard, Oklahoma|Blanchard]] (sometimes with the town of [[Bridge Creek, Oklahoma|Bridge Creek]]) *In [[California]]: [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]], [[Orange, California|Orange]], and [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]], the three oldest cities in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] *In California: [[Yorba Linda, California|Yorba Linda]], [[Placentia, California|Placentia]], and [[Brea, California|Brea]], three cities in northeast Orange County that all meet at Tri-Cities Park. *In California: [[Chino Hills]], [[Diamond Bar]], and [[Brea, California|Brea]], representing San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Orange counties, respectively *In California: [[Carlsbad, California|Carlsbad]], [[Oceanside, California|Oceanside]] and [[Vista, California|Vista]] in northwest San Diego County * In [[California]]: [[Fremont, California|Fremont]], [[Newark, California|Newark]], and [[Union City, California|Union City]], the three southernmost cities in Alameda County * In California: [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], [[Goleta, California|Goleta]], and [[Carpinteria, California|Carpinteria]], sometimes referred collectively as the '''South Coast''', being on the a south-facing coast in [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara County]]. The term 'tri-cities' is only rarely used as a reference to them, and is considered somewhat old. * The [[Triple Cities]] in New York: [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]], [[Endicott, New York|Endicott]] and [[Johnson City, New York|Johnson City]] * In [[Pennsylvania]]: [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown]], [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania|Bethlehem]], and [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]] ===Canada=== *[[Tri-Cities (British Columbia)]], consisting of [[Coquitlam]], [[Port Coquitlam]], and [[Port Moody]], located east of Vancouver *[[Penetanguishene, Ontario]], [[Victoria Harbour, Ontario]], [[Midland, Ontario]], and [[Port McNicoll, Ontario]]. *[[Ingersoll, Ontario]], [[Tillsonburg, Ontario|Tillsonburg]] and [[Woodstock, Ontario|Woodstock]]. *[[Kitchener, Ontario|Kitchener]], [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] and [[Guelph, Ontario|Guelph]]. *'''Tri-Towns''', a historic designation for the towns of [[Haileybury, Ontario|Haileybury]], [[New Liskeard, Ontario|New Liskeard]] and [[Cobalt, Ontario|Cobalt]], which is no longer in use since the amalgamation of Haileybury and New Liskeard into the city of [[Temiskaming Shores, Ontario|Temiskaming Shores]] in 2004. ===Asia=== *[[Warangal]] in [[India]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] consists of the towns of [[Warangal]], [[Hanamkonda]], and [[Kazipet]]. *The second [[Tricity]] in [[North India]] consists of the towns of [[Chandigarh]], [[Panchkula]] and [[SAS Nagar]] ([[Mohali]]). ===South America=== * Near [[Iguazu Falls]]: [[Foz do Iguaçu]], [[Brazil]], [[Ciudad del Este]], [[Paraguay]], and [[Puerto Iguazu]], [[Argentina]]. ===Europe=== * The [[Tricity]] in [[Poland]] consists of [[Gdańsk]], [[Gdynia]] and [[Sopot]] ==Quad Cities== * [[Quad Cities]] of [[Davenport, Iowa|Davenport]] and [[Bettendorf, Iowa|Bettendorf]], [[Iowa]], and [[Rock Island, Illinois|Rock Island]] and [[Moline, Illinois|Moline]], [[Illinois]]. Also includes a fifth member, [[East Moline, Illinois]]. * The [[Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area]] in Alabama is locally referred to as "the Quad Cities", with [[Florence, Alabama|Florence]] and [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama|Muscle Shoals]] dominating smaller [[Sheffield, Alabama|Sheffield]] and [[Tuscumbia, Alabama|Tuscumbia]]. ==Examples of cities formed by merging== * [[London]] grew from its cores in the [[City of London]] and the [[City of Westminster]] to encompass many other towns and villages. * [[Budapest]] is the amalgamation of [[Buda]], [[Pest (city)|Pest]] and [[Óbuda]]. * [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]]. St. Anthony (not to be confused with [[St. Anthony Village, Minnesota|St. Anthony Village]], a modern city which is a [[suburb]] of Minneapolis) was a twin city to Minneapolis in the two cities' youth. Minneapolis, the larger of the two, annexed St. Anthony in the late 1800s. * [[New York City]] (five boroughs, historically especially between Manhattan and Brooklyn) * [[Hong Kong]] ([[Victoria City]] and [[Kowloon]]) * [[Thunder Bay, Ontario]] ([[Fort William, Ontario|Fort William]] and [[Port Arthur, Ontario|Port Arthur]]). * [[Lloydminster]], Canada, on the [[Saskatchewan]]-[[Alberta]] border, was formed as a single entity in 1903, when both future provinces were part of the [[Northwest Territories]], but was divided into two separate entities in 1905 because the border between the newly created provinces bisected the community. In 1930, the two towns were reunited as a single town under the shared jurisdiction of both provinces, and Lloydminster was reincorporated as a single city in 1958. * [[City of Halifax|Halifax]] and [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]] (Canada) were forcibly merged in 1996 along with [[Bedford, Nova Scotia|Bedford]] and [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Halifax County]] to create the [[Halifax Regional Municipality]]. * [[Berlin]] (Berlin and [[Cölln]]) in Germany * [[Wuppertal]] ([[Barmen]] and [[Elberfeld]]) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany * [[Townsville, Queensland|Townsville]] ([[City of Townsville (LGA)|Townsville]] and [[City of Thuringowa|Thuringowa]]) in Queensland, Australia * [[Saguenay, Quebec]] ([[Chicoutimi, Quebec|Chicoutimi]] and [[Jonquière, Quebec|Jonquière]], et al.) * [[Pittsburgh]] annexed [[Allegheny, Pennsylvania|Allegheny City]], which is now the quarter of the city that lies north of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. * [[Wuhan]] in China consists of the towns of [[Wuchang]], [[Hankou]], and [[Hanyang]] in [[Hubei Province]] ==Resistance to merging== [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]] and [[Normal, Illinois]] have always rebuffed any merger referendum, and where the original boundary is the appropriately named "Division Street". In [[England]], the cities of [[Leeds]] and [[Bradford]] are very close, but have strong separate identities and would not see themselves as part of the same entity. Both cities have individual cathedrals and councils, as well as having separate sports teams. ==See also== * [[Divided cities]] * [[United cities]] * [[Town twinning]] * [[Cross-border town naming]] * [[Megacity]] * [[Town twinning|Sister cities]] * [[List of metropolitan areas that overlap multiple countries]] * [[List of twin towns and sister cities]] * [[Global city]] * [[Ecumenopolis]] * [[Metropolis]] * [[Megalopolis]] [[Category:Twin cities| ]] [[de:Zwillingsstadt]] [[es:Ciudades gemelas]] [[ja:双子都市]] [[no:Dobbeltby]] [[sk:Dvojmestie]] [[zh:雙城]]