Kano is the capital city of Kano State, which is the most populous Nigerian state located in the North West zone. The city has been a major human settlement for millennia. It is the second most populous city by population within city limits, with over four million citizens in 5,700 km2 (2,200 sq mi). It is the traditional state of the two-centuries old Dabo dynasty who since the 19th century have remained the traditional rulers of the city-state until the Battle of Kano when the city was absorbed into the British Empire. Kano Emirate Council is the current traditional institution inside the city boundaries of Kano, and under the authority of the Government of Kano State.
