Sister Cities/Sister Counties

Loudoun County has a Sister City partnership with Canelones, Uruguay. Situated 20 minutes north of Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, Canelones is a major agricultural contributor to the country’s economy. 

Much like Loudoun, the cultivation of grapevines is widespread, and the area is a major contributor to Uruguay's burgeoning wine industry. Virginia and Canelones share a bond as the only 2 localities outside of France that currently grow tannat grapes. In addition to grapes, cereal crops – principally maize – are produced, as are a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Learn more about Canelones at the the city's official website.

• City of Canelones, Uruguay, Website

Loudoun County has a Friendship City Partnership with Gangneung City, located in the Gangwon-do Province on the eastern coast of South Korea.

Gangneung City stands as the economic center of its region and attracts many tourists. Like Loudoun County, Gangneung City seeks to commemorate and preserve its heritage. The city hosts multiple historical festivals and is home to several ancient building and museums that exemplify a previous way of life.

Learn more about the area from the English-language version of the Visit Korea website and the city's website:

• More on Gangneung City, South Korea Opens a New Window. 

Loudoun County has a Sister City partnership with Goyang City, a city of about one million residents which is located north of Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. Goyang City and Loudoun County share many similarities, including a vibrant agricultural industry and a growing tourist industry. 

Goyang’s motto is “the city where the people are more beautiful than the flowers.”  Goyang is known for its International Flower Foundation. The floricultural industry sprang up in the early 1970s. The Goyang Flower Show has grown into an international horticultural event attracting people from all over the world.

Learn more about Goyang City by visiting the English version of the city's official website.

• Goyang City Website Opens a New Window. 

What began as an informal conversation between community leaders about protecting the life and safety of residents culminated in the spring of 2022 in the signing of a formal Sister County agreement between Loudoun County, Virginia, and Holmes County, Mississippi, and in the delivery of a much-needed fire engine for Holmes County. Loudoun County also provided training for firefighters in Holmes County to familiarize themselves with the equipment. 

Loudoun and Holmes counties have committed to “beneficial exchanges between schools, cultures, business relationships, as well as connections between citizens and the institutions designed to serve them.”

• Holmes County, Mississippi, Website

Loudoun County has a Sister County/City Relationship with the Karsiyaka Municipality, which is part of Izmir, one of Turkey’s major port cities.  Its unique culture makes it an active center of commerce and tourism.

Loudoun County and the Karsiyaka Municipality possess a number of similarities. The most notable are the effective education system and a large sports culture. As a region, Karsiyaka is recognized as having one of the highest overall levels of education in Turkey. 

The Turkish people are united by the “Karsiyaka Sports Club” which possesses eight sports branches including soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and swimming.

Learn more about the Izmir Province:

• Izmir Website

Loudoun County has a partnership with the German County of Main-Taunus-Kreis, which lies within the greater Frankfurt metropolitan region.

Similarities

Loudoun and Main-Taunus-Kreis share striking similarities, including:

• A geographic location near a major international city
• Excellent schools
• Governments focused on providing the best services possible for citizens and business communities
• Robust economies and attractive conditions for business developments
• Towns with a commitment to preserving and integrating their many historic treasures with 21st century development

Sister County Relationship  

The sister county relationship involves mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges in key areas of business, culture, history, and education, including a government career exploration for Germany Gymnasium or college-preparatory school pupils.

These visitors come to Loudoun County to work with various departments or in local businesses and nonprofit organizations for a two-week period. Pictured, at right, are members of the first group of students from Germany to participate in the program.

Loudoun County has a Sister City partnership with New Taipei City, Banqiao District,Taiwan. Situated in the northern part of Taiwan, surrounding the country’s capital, New Taipei City, Banqiao District has an estimated population of over 3.9 million.

Technology, service and tourism are among the major industries that offer abundant employment opportunities in New Taipei City, Banqiao District.

Learn more about New Taipei City, Banqiao District by visiting the English version of the city's official website.

• New Taipei Website Opens a New Window. 

Loudoun County has a Sister City partnership with Tema, Ghana, in the region of Greater Accra. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Tema is nicknamed the “Harbour City” because of its status as Ghana’s largest seaport. 

With multiple direct flights to Greater Accra from Washington D.C. each week, the two regions are well connected for business collaboration and culture-sharing. Because of their deep water port, Tema is a leader in shipping and logistics, similar to Loudoun’s influence via Dulles International Airport.

Tema and the Greater Accra region were named to Time Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places 2021” and the Greenwich Meridian passes directly through Tema city.

• City of Tema Website