Discover 6 International Treasures That Are Charlotte's Sister Cities

Charlotte is a beautiful city in western North Carolina known for its charming culture, art, and sports. With a population of 897,720, it is the most populous city in North Carolina and the 15th-most populous city in the United States. Charlotte is a major economic and cultural hub of the Southern United States. The city is home to several large museums, universities, sports teams, and highly valuable corporations. All six of Charlotte’s sister cities are equally exciting places, and they span every other continent except Antarctica. This article explores Charlotte’s sister cities, including what makes them unique and what similarities they share with Charlotte.

Before we explore Charlotte’s sister cities, there is one change to note. While Charlotte previously had seven sister cities, in 2022 the mayor and city council suspended the city’s relationship with Voronezh, Russia due to the war in Ukraine. The organization Charlotte Sister Cities states that it hopes for peace in Ukraine and to resume a relationship with Voronezh that promotes diplomacy and understanding.

The History of Sister Cities

Sister cities are two cities that form a relationship for cultural and economic exchange. The practice of creating sister cities became common in the United States after President Dwight D. Eisenhower started a twin towns program in 1956.

Let’s explore Charlotte’s sister cities!

1. Arequipa, Peru

Arequipa is a city in southern Peru. It has a population of 1,296,278, making it the second-most populous city in Peru after Lima. Arequipa became Charlotte’s first sister city in 1962.

Like Charlotte, Arequipa is known for its rich art history and the city has several major art museums. Additionally, Arequipa has a long tradition of literature, with literature from the city gaining worldwide acclaim. While Arequipa is not as big of a sports city as Charlotte, they do have several soccer teams.

2. Krefeld, Germany

Krefeld is a city on the Rhine River in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of western Germany. It has a population of 227,050. Krefeld became Charlotte’s second sister city in 1985.

Like Charlotte, the small city of Krefeld is home to many art museums, and many artists have spent time there. Additionally, the people of Krefeld enjoy several sports such as soccer, swimming, ice hockey, and horse racing.

3. Baoding, China

Baoding is a city in Hebei province in northern China. It is a prefecture-level city, larger than a city but smaller than a county, with a population of 11,194,382 people. Baoding became Charlotte’s third sister city in 1987.

Like Charlotte, Baoding is a large city with several universities. As a part of their sister city relationship, Charlotte and Baoding do student exchanges between their universities. Additionally, Charlotte has shown art from Baoding children in one of its museums.

4. Limoges, France

Limoges is a city in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region of central France. It has a population of 186,799, making it the second-largest city in Nouvelle-Aquitaine after Bordeaux. Limoges became Charlotte’s fourth sister city in 1992.

Like Charlotte, Limoges is a university city. Limoges is also known for art, especially porcelain ceramics. The city hosts France’s national ceramics school. Additionally, Limoges is a major sports city. It is most known for basketball, but rugby and handball are also popular.

5. Wroclaw, Poland

Wroclaw is a city in the Silesia region of western Poland. It is the third-largest city in Poland, with a population of 673,923. Wroclaw became Charlotte’s fifth sister city in 1993.

Like Charlotte, Wroclaw has a rich art history. The city is home to several art museums, including the National Museum. Additionally, the city is known for theater and opera. Like Charlotte, Wroclaw is also home to major sports teams. These include soccer, rugby, handball, volleyball, and basketball. As part of their sister cities relationship, Wroclaw and Charlotte have participated in language intern exchanges.

6. Kumasi, Ghana

Kumasi is a city in the Ashanti Region of central Ghana. It has a population of 3,348,000. Kumasi became Charlotte’s seventh sister city in 1995. However, it is currently Charlotte’s sixth sister city. This is due to Charlotte’s relationship with Voronezh, Russia being suspended in 2022.

Like Charlotte, Kumasi is home to several sports teams. The main sport in Kumasi is soccer. Additionally, Kumasi has a rich history of music and dance.

Summary of Charlotte’s Sister Cities