2010 IAAF Race Walking Challenge
Calendar
Table:
Date

Meeting

Category

Events

Venue

Country

Report

13 February

Australian 20k Racewalking Championships

C

20 km (Men/Women)

Hobart

Australia

[3]

21 February

Meeting de Marcha Atlética da Cidade de Olhao

C

20 km (Men/Women)
50 km (Men)

Olhão

Portugal

[4]

14 March

Gran Premio Citta di Lugano – Memorial Mario Albisetti

C

20 km (Men/Women)

Lugano

Switzerland

[5]

27 March

Dudinska 50-ka

C

10 km (Women)
20 km (Men)
50 km (Men)

Dudince

Slovakia

[6]

10 April

Grande Premio Internacional en Marcha Atletica

B

20 km (Men/Women)

Rio Maior

Portugal

[7]

1 May

Coppa Città di Sesto San Giovanni

B

20 km (Men/Women)

Sesto San Giovanni

Italy

[8]

15–16 May

2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup

A

20 km (Men/Women)
50 km (Men)

Chihuahua City

Mexico

[9][10][11]

29 May

Na Rynek Marsz!

B

10 km (Men/Women)

Kraków

Poland

[12]

11 June

International Race Walking Festival – Alytus

C

20 km (Men/Women)

Alytus

Lithuania

[13]

19 June

Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruña

B

20 km (Men/Women)

A Coruña

Spain

[14]

18 September

IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final

B

10 km (Men/Women)

Beijing

China

[15]

Drawing on the table together with the article excerpts below.

Give the answer to the question: Which 2010 IAAF Race Walking Challenge meeting was held in a city that began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The 20 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event that is competed by both men and women . The racewalking event is competed as a road race . Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it . 20 kilometres is 12.4274 miles .
Hobart ( /ˈhoʊbɑːrt/ ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania . With a population of approximately 240,342 ( over 45% of Tasmania 's population ) , it is the least populated Australian state capital city , and second smallest if territories are taken into account ( after Darwin , Northern Territory ) . The city is located in the state 's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent , making it the most southern of Australia 's capital cities . Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre ( 4,170 ft ) Mount Wellington , and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world , with much of the city 's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land . The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart , to differentiate it from the City of Hobart , one of the five local government areas that cover the city . Founded in 1804 as a British penal colony , Hobart is Australia 's second oldest capital city after Sydney , New South Wales . Prior to British settlement , the Hobart area had been occupied for possibly as long as 35,000 years , by the semi-nomadic Mouheneener tribe , a sub-group of the Nuennone , or South-East tribe . The descendants of these Aboriginal Tasmanians often refer to themselves as 'Palawa ' . Since its foundation , the city has expanded from the mouth of Sullivans Cove in a generally north-south direction along both banks of the River Derwent , from 22 km inland from the estuary at Storm Bay to the point where the river reverts to fresh water at Bridgewater . Penal transportation ended in the 1850s , after which the city experienced periods of growth and decline . The early 20th century saw an economic boom on the back of mining , agriculture and other primary industries , and the loss of men who served in the world wars was counteracted by an influx of immigration . Despite the rise in migration from Asia and other non-English speaking regions , Hobart 's population remains predominantly ethnically Anglo-Celtic , and has the highest percentage of Australian-born residents among Australia 's capital cities .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
The 50 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event . The racewalking event is competed as a road race . Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it . Fifty kilometres is approximately 31 miles .
Olhão ( Portuguese pronunciation : [ oˈʎɐ̃w ] ( listen ) ) , officially known as Olhão da Restauração , is a municipality and urban community in the Algarve region of southern Portugal . The population in 2011 was 45,396 , in an area of 130.86 km² . Located near the regional capital Faro , it is a fishing port , home of the Bela brand sardines and Conserveira do Sul 's Manná range of processed fish products . Along with Faro , Loulé , and Tavira , Olhão forms a conurbation with the city of Faro , from the eastern and central Algarve .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
The Memorial Mario Albisetti , also known as the Lugano Trophy and GP Città di Lugano , is an annual racewalking competition over 20 kilometres that is held in March on the streets of Lugano , Switzerland . It was first held in 2003 . It is one of highest profile annual international racewalking meetings , having both permit status from European Athletics and forming part of the annual IAAF World Race Walking Challenge circuit . It attracts top level racewalkers from across the world . Past winners include Olympic medallists Wang Zhen , Alex Schwazer and world champion Michele Didoni . Schwazer broke Maurizio Damilano 's long-standing Italian national record in the 20 km walk en route to his 2010 win . The course for the race follows the banks of Lake Lugano . It begins and ends at the fountain on Piazza Manzoni - a square near the city 's town hall . The straight-looped course of two kilometres is entirely flat . It follows the lakeside roads of Giacondo Albertolli and Vincenzo Vela and has turning points at the end of Vincenzo Vela road and near the Museo Civico di Belle Arti ( Civic Museum of Fine Art ) . The race director is Daniele Albisetti , a relative of Mario Albisetti . The race is organised by the Societa Atletica Lugano under the patronage of the Lugano City council and Banca dello Stato del Cantone Ticino .
Lugano ( /luːˈɡɑːnoʊ/ , also UK : /lʊˈ-/ , Italian : [ luˈɡaːno ] ; Ticinese : Lugan [ lyˈɡãː ] ) is a town and a municipality in southern Switzerland in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino bordering Italy . It has a population ( as of December 2018 [ update ] ) of 63,185 , and an urban agglomeration of over 145,000 . The ninth largest Swiss town , it is the largest in Ticino and largest with an Italian speaking majority outside of Italy . The town lies on Lake Lugano , surrounded by the mountains of the Lugano Prealps . The eastern part of the municipality shares a border with Italy .
Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a country situated in the confluence of western , central , and southern Europe . [ note 4 ] It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities seated in Bern . [ note 1 ] Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps , and the Jura , spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 ( 15,940 sq mi ) , and land area of 39,997 km2 ( 15,443 sq mi ) . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau , where the largest cities are located , among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva . The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period , resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy . Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 . The Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the founding document of Switzerland which is celebrated on Swiss National Day . Since the Reformation of the 16th century , Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality ; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002 . Nevertheless , it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world . Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross , one of the world 's oldest and best known humanitarian organisations , and is home to numerous international organisations , including the second largest UN office . It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association , but notably not part of the European Union , the European Economic Area or the Eurozone .
The Dudinská Päťdesiatka or Dudinská 50 ( Fifty kilometres of Dudince ) is an annual racewalking competition held in March on the streets of Dudince , Slovakia . The primary focus of the competition is a men 's 50 kilometres race walk , from which the event takes its name . There are also two 20 kilometres race walks , one for men and one for women , as well as a variety of shorter races for younger athletes . It holds permit meeting status from the European Athletic Association and is part of the annual IAAF World Race Walking Challenge circuit . The races attract high level international competition , including from China . The race has played host to the European Race Walking Cup on three occasions ( 1998 , 2001 and 2013 ) - more than any other city . On top of these international events , the Dudince 50 km race has hosted the Slovakian national championships on numerous occasions and was also the venue for the Hungarian and Ukrainian national championships in 2000 . The competition enjoys strong support from the city and the president of the organising committee is the Mayor of Dudince , PaedDr . Dušan Strieborný . The race has been the site of several records , including a French record of 3:38:45 hours by Yohann Diniz in 2009 , a Slovakian record of 3:34:38 hours by Matej Tóth in 2015 , and an Irish record of 3:51:32 hours in 2008 by Colin Griffin .
The 10 kilometres race walk , or 10-kilometer racewalk , is a racewalking event . The event is competed as a road race . Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it . 10 kilometers is 6.21 miles .
Dudince ( before 1927 Ďudince , Hungarian : Gyűgy , rarely German : Dudintze ) is a spa town in southern Slovakia . It is the smallest town in Slovakia with only a population of around 1,400 . It is known for its mineral water , hot springs and destination spas . It 's located near the edge of the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia .
Slovakia ( /sloʊˈvækiə , -ˈvɑːk-/ ( listen ) ; Slovak : Slovensko [ ˈslɔʋɛnskɔ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Slovak Republic ( Slovak : Slovenská republika , listen ( help·info ) ) , is a landlocked country in the eastern part of Central Europe . It is bordered by Poland to the north , Ukraine to the east , Hungary to the south , Austria to the southwest , and the Czech Republic to the northwest . Slovakia 's territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres ( 19,000 sq mi ) and is mostly mountainous . The population is over 5.6 million and consists mostly of Slovaks . The capital and largest city is Bratislava , and the second-largest city is Košice . The official language is Slovak . The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries . In the 7th century they played a significant role in the creation of Samo 's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra , which was later conquered by the Principality of Moravia to establish Great Moravia . In the 10th century , after the dissolution of Great Moravia , the territory was integrated into the Principality of Hungary , which would become the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000 . In 1241 and 1242 , much of the territory was destroyed by the Mongols during their invasion of Central and Eastern Europe . The area was recovered largely thanks to Béla IV of Hungary who also settled Germans who became an important ethnic group in the area , especially in what are today parts of central and eastern Slovakia . After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , the Czechoslovak National Council established Czechoslovakia ( 1918-1939 ) .
The Grande Prémio Internacional de Rio Maior em Marcha Atlética ( Rio Maior International Race Walking Grand Prix ) is an annual racewalking competition that takes place in April in Rio Maior in Portugal . It is an elite level event which features a men 's and a women 's race in the 20 kilometres race walk .
Rio Maior ( Portuguese pronunciation : [ ˈʁi.u mɐˈjɔɾ ] ( listen ) ) is a municipality in the Santarém District in Portugal . The population in 2011 was 21,192 , in an area of 272.76 km² . The present mayor is Isaura Morais of the Social Democratic Party ( PSD ) , the first woman to be elected mayor in the municipality . The municipal holiday is November 6 .
The Coppa Città di Sesto San Giovanni is an annual racewalking competition that takes place on 1 May in Sesto San Giovanni in Italy . It is an elite level event which features a men 's and a women 's race in the 20 kilometres race walk . Organised by Geas Atletica , it has been part of the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge - the highest seasonal level of the sport - since the series was inaugurated in 2003 . The competition was first established in 1957 as a men 's only road walking competition . After various distances ranging from 25 to 32 kilometres in its initial years , the race settled on a 30 km distance from 1960 onwards . A women 's race was included from 1980 onwards . The women 's races were initially over 10 kilometres in the early history of that competition . The event 's inclusion in the IAAF World Challenge series saw it adopt the standard Olympic distance of 20 km for both the men 's and women 's races . The race has been held every year since 1957 with the sole exception of 1995 , where it was postponed due to organisational issues . The course for the race is a looped circuit directly in the centre of the city . The main route alternates along the parallel roads of Via Fratelli Bandiera and Via Giuseppe Rovani and the finishing point is a lap of the track and field stadium at the western end of the roads .
Sesto San Giovanni ( Italian pronunciation : [ ˈsɛsto san dʒoˈvanni ] ; Western Lombard : Sest San Giovann [ ˈsɛst ˌsãː dʒuˈʋan ] ) , locally referred to as just Sesto ( Lombard : Sest ) , is a comune in the Metropolitan City of Milan , Lombardy , northern Italy . Its railway station is the northernmost stop on the Milan Metro M1 line . The comune has the honorary title of city , despite being a de facto suburb of Milan . An unimportant agglomerate of buildings until the 19th century , Sesto San Giovanni grew during the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century , becoming the site of several industries , including companies such as Falck , Campari , Magneti Marelli and Breda . In that period the population increased rapidly , from 5,000 inhabitants in 1880 to 14,000 in 1911 . After World War II , Sesto became populated by many migrants from other parts of Italy , leading to an increased population of 95,000 inhabitants in 1981 . Sesto used to be referred to as the Stalingrad of Italy , due to the strong historical presence of the Italian Communist Party and to its resistance to fascism in World War Two . Because of its diverse and growing industries , Sesto has drawn many migrants . Census statistics from 2016 state that 17% of the population is not Italian . In the 1990s , Sesto San Giovanni suffered an economic crisis , and most of the larger companies in the town closed their premises . The town partially succeeded in converting its economy from steel production to service industries . Several large companies opened offices in Sesto , such as ABB Group , WIND Telecommunications , Impregilo and Oracle Corporation .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
The 2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held on 15 and 16 May 2010 in the streets of Chihuahua , Mexico . Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results was given for the IAAF . Complete results were published .
The city of Chihuahua ( Spanish pronunciation : [ tʃiˈwawa ] ) is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua . As of 2017 [ update ] , the city of Chihuahua had a population of 878,062 inhabitants . while the metropolitan area had a population of 1,036,806 inhabitants . Among cities in Mexico , the city of Chihuahua is highly ranked in human and social development . According to the UNCP report on human development , Chihuahua municipality 's HDI is 0.840 as of 2015 - this is equal or higher than some Western European countries , together the literacy rate in the city is among the highest in the country at 99% . Another report about competitiveness from the CIDE organization ranks Chihuahua as the second most competitive city in the country just behind Monterrey and ahead of Mexico City . This report also ranks Chihuahua as the most Socially Competitive city in the country . The predominant activity is industry , including domestic heavy , light industries , consumer goods production , and to a smaller extent maquiladoras . The city is served by the General Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport .
Mexico ( Spanish : México [ ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; Nahuatl languages : Mēxihco ) , officially the United Mexican States ( UMS ; Spanish : Estados Unidos Mexicanos , EUM [ esˈtaðos uˈniðoz mexiˈkanos ] ( listen ) , lit . Mexican United States ) , is a country in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers ( 770,000 sq mi ) , the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world . With an estimated population of over 129 million people , Mexico is the tenth most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world , while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states plus Mexico City ( CDMX ) , which is the capital city and its most populous city . Other metropolises in the country include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana , and León . Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8000 BC and is identified as one of six cradles of civilization and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya , and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its politically powerful base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan ( part of Mexico City ) , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . The Roman Catholic Church played a powerful role in governing the country as millions were converted to the faith , although King Charles III expelled the Jesuits in the 1770s . The territory became a nation state following its recognition in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence . The post-independence period was tumultuous , characterized by economic inequality and many contrasting political changes .
Kraków ( /ˈkrækaʊ , -koʊ/ , also US : /ˈkreɪk- , ˈkrɑːkaʊ/ , UK : /ˈkrækɒf/ , Polish : [ ˈkrakuf ] ( listen ) ) , traditionally known in English as Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland . Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Province , the city dates back to the 7th century . Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 and has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic , economic , cultural and artistic life . Cited as one of Europe 's most beautiful cities , its Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The city has grown from a Stone Age settlement to Poland 's second most important city . It began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill and was already being reported as a busy trading centre of Central Europe in 965 . With the establishment of new universities and cultural venues at the emergence of the Second Polish Republic in 1918 and throughout the 20th century , Kraków reaffirmed its role as a major national academic and artistic centre . The city has a population of about 770,000 , with approximately 8 million additional people living within a 100 km ( 62 mi ) radius of its main square . After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany at the start of World War II , the newly defined Distrikt Krakau ( Kraków District ) became the capital of Germany 's General Government . The Jewish population of the city was forced into a walled zone known as the Kraków Ghetto , from which they were sent to German extermination camps such as the nearby Auschwitz never to return , and the Nazi concentration camps like Płaszów . However , the city was spared from destruction and major bombing . In 1978 , Karol Wojtyła , archbishop of Kraków , was elevated to the papacy as Pope John Paul II - the first ever Slavic pope , and the first non-Italian pope in 455 years .
Poland ( Polish : Polska [ ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Poland ( Polish : Rzeczpospolita Polska [ c ] [ ʐɛt͡ʂpɔˈspɔlita ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , is a country located in Central Europe . It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions , covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres ( 120,733 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With a population of nearly 38.5 million people , Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union . Poland 's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw . Other major cities include Kraków , Łódź , Wrocław , Poznań , Gdańsk , and Szczecin . Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea , Lithuania , and Russia 's Kaliningrad Oblast to the north , Belarus and Ukraine to the east , Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south , and Germany to the west . The history of human activity on Polish soil spans almost 500,000 years . Throughout the Iron Age the area became extensively diverse , with various cultures and tribes settling on the vast Central European Plain . However , it was the Western Polans who dominated the region and gave Poland its name . The establishment of Polish statehood can be traced to AD 966 , when Mieszko I , ruler of the realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Poland , converted to Christianity . The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025 , and in 1569 it cemented its longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin . This union formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , one of the largest ( over 1,000,000 square kilometres - 400,000 square miles ) and most populous countries of 16th and 17th century Europe , with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europe 's first written national constitution , the Constitution of 3 May 1791 .
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania . It is the capital of Alytus County . Its population in 2013 was 57,281 . Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region . The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River . The major roads linking Vilnius , Kaunas , Lazdijai ( border with Poland ) , and Hrodna in Belarus pass through Alytus . Divided onto two separate entities for centuries , it consists of two parts still frequently referred to as Alytus I and Alytus II , the earlier being a smaller town and the latter forming the city centre with parks , microdistricts and industrial areas .
The first known record of the name of Lithuania ( Lithuanian : Lietuva ) is in a 9 March 1009 story of Saint Bruno in the Quedlinburg Chronicle . The Chronicle recorded a Latinized form of the name Lietuva : Litua ( pronounced [ litua ] ) . Due to the lack of reliable evidence , the true meaning of the name is unknown . Nowadays , scholars still debate the meaning of the word and there are a few plausible versions . Since Lietuva has a suffix ( -uva ) , the original word should have no suffix . [ citation needed ] A likely candidate is Lietā . Because many Baltic ethnonyms originated from hydronyms , linguists have searched for its origin among local hydronyms . Usually , such names evolved through the following process : hydronym → toponym → ethnonym . Lietava , a small river not far from Kernavė , the core area of the early Lithuanian state and a possible first capital of the eventual Grand Duchy of Lithuania , is usually credited as the source of the name . However , the river is very small and some find it improbable that such a small and local object could have lent its name to an entire nation . On the other hand , such naming is not unprecedented in world history . Artūras Dubonis proposed another hypothesis , that Lietuva relates to the word leičiai ( plural of leitis ) .
A Coruña ( Galician : [ ɐ koˈɾuɲɐ ] ; [ a ] historical English : Corunna ) is a city and municipality of Galicia , Spain . It is the most populated city and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country . The city is the provincial capital of the province of the same name , having also served as political capital of the Kingdom of Galicia from the 16th to the 19th centuries , and as a regional administrative centre between 1833 and 1982 , before being replaced by Santiago de Compostela . A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory in the Golfo Ártabro , a large gulf on the Atlantic Ocean . It is the main industrial and financial centre of northern Galicia , and holds the headquarters of the Universidade da Coruña .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Beijing ( /ˌbeɪˈdʒɪŋ/ BAY-JING , /ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ/ BAY-ZHING ; Mandarin pronunciation : [ pèi.tɕíŋ ] ( listen ) ) , formerly romanized as Peking ( /ˌpiːˈkɪŋ/ PEE-KING ) , is the capital of the People 's Republic of China , the world 's third most populous city proper , and most populous capital city . The city , located in northern China , is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of the central government with 16 urban , suburban , and rural districts . Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast ; together , the three divisions form the Jingjinji metropolitan region and the national capital region of China . Beijing is an important world capital and global power city , and one of the world 's leading centers for culture , diplomacy and politics , business and economy , education , language , and science and technology . A megacity , Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation 's cultural , educational , and political center . It is home to the headquarters of most of China 's largest state-owned companies and houses the largest number of Fortune Global 500 companies in the world , as well as the world 's four biggest financial institutions . It is also a major hub for the national highway , expressway , railway , and high-speed rail networks . The Beijing Capital International Airport has been the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic since 2010 , and , as of 2016 [ update ] , the city 's subway network is the busiest and longest in the world . Combining both modern and traditional architecture , Beijing is one of the oldest cities in the world , with a rich history dating back three millennia . As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China , Beijing has been the political center of the country for most of the past eight centuries , and was the largest city in the world by population for much of the second millennium AD . Encyclopædia Britannica notes that few cities in the world have served for so long as the political headquarters and cultural center of an area as immense as China . With mountains surrounding the inland city on three sides , in addition to the old inner and outer city walls , Beijing was strategically poised and developed to be the residence of the emperor and thus was the perfect location for the imperial capital .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .