Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 km and comprises six Local Government Area (LGAs) - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a population of 2,163,225 at the 2006 Nigerian census. The Metropolitan Area covers 499 km and comprises eight LGAs - the six mentioned above plus Ungogo and Kumbotso - with a population of 2,828,861 at the 2006 Nigerian census.
The principal inhabitants of the city are the Hausa people. As in most parts of Northern Nigeria, the Hausa Language is widely spoken in Kano. The city is the capital of the Kano Emirate, and the current Emir, Ado Bayero, has been on the throne since 1963. The city is home to the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was named after Nigerian politician Aminu Kano
