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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[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours 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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[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (2 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.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Also consider that Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, of cheese fame, has 528 inhabitants.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

I didn't thought of that, you're right!

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 hours ago

The village "Wacken" is well known in Germany because they hold one of the worlds largest anual Heavy-Metal festivals. They have a population of around 2000, the festival regularly attracts around 80,000 people.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 13 hours ago (3 children)

I think people really overestimate how much everybody knows about the US.

I'd say there's a large population that only know NYC, LA, and Chicago.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 hours ago

Used to be Dallas was pretty famous- Kennedy shooting, cheerleaders, and a titular TV show.

I'd say Salem, Massachusetts (pop just under 45k) is pretty famous thanks to the witch trials.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Gibraltar has a population of 32,000, which by some definitions is too small to be considered a city.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Gibraltar is a city?

I am American, so low bar, but there are dozens of us.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 hours ago

It’s a city, it’s a really big rock, it’s a maritime port, it’s the only wild monkey population in Europe, it’s a 2Β½ mi^2^ British Overseas Territory whose status is perennially contested by Spain.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Hallstatt - Austria

The city so beautiful that the Chinese copied it.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 hours ago

Well, Brazil is such a huge country and there are lots of smallest cities with still huge population.

Unfornately i would have to say that the smallest one and most famous would probably be because of some recent disaster and one I can remember is Brumadinho. Less than 40k people, a city destroyed after a dam collapsed and a lot of mud flooded everywhere, 5 years ago

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 hours ago

I guess the one that pretty much everyone knows in Germany is Buxtehude. It is being used as the poster child for a backwards town, far away from cities. Which is funny because neither is it backwards, remote or even very small. With a population of 40k it’s relatively large, compared to many other places in Germany, even just right next to Buxtehude. It is not far from Hamburg and its historic core is worth a visit. I think the name itself is the reason why it is being made fun of so much. Though there are so many other, much quirkier named towns in Germany but it somehow became Buxtehude.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

Not my location, but Scranton, PA?

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 13 hours ago (4 children)

Paris. It's also a city in Texas.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 13 hours ago (3 children)

I see you and raise, Las Vegas, NM.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Cairo, IL (Population 1,505)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

Pronounced kæro (K air o)

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 hours ago

Forks, Washington population of ~7000 made very notable due to the twilight series. Or Astoria, Oregon population of ~10,000 made famous by the Goonies.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 hours ago

In Denmark it's probably Snave (No English Wikipedia page for it). Population is a whopping 211 people. It was popularized in a series of commercials for a Danish cellular carrier. The concept was so popular that there even was a movie. I haven't seen it, but the reviews seems to suggest it could be fun to watch... If you are drunk enough.

The word "snave" in Danish can somewhat be translated to snogging in English. Heavy kissing. Which has led to the city having massive problems with theft of their signs.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (7 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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 12 hours ago

Omg...i spent 4 hours in Gander one evening, so it took about 20 hours to go Dallas -> Chicago -> Gander-> Chicago.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 hours ago

It's a problem.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 12 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I had to scroll way too far down for this one, but it was the first one I thought of.

Another one would be Gary Indiana

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 10 points 12 hours ago (2 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.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 hours ago

Sturgis also has a population of around 7,000, and has a pretty significant cultural awareness because of its annual motorbiking event

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Jeez, I had no idea Aspen and Montpelier were so small.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 12 hours ago (2 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.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 hours ago

Lajitas, Texas, which once elected as their mayor a goat that drank beer, has a population of 75.

Terlingua, Texas, as made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker and home of the Terlingua International Chili Cook-off, has a population of 78.

Luckenbach, Texas, as made famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, has a population of 3.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

How about: name a country and name the smallest city you recognize from there. Like New Zealand you could say Rotarua

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (4 children)

Not a city as much as part of a city, but Coney Island is pretty well known. I was recently speaking to someone in Colombia and even they knew of it!

(I'm part of the sideshow cast there ☺️)

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