If they followed the universal scheme, Noire City could be considered a third-tier city at best, not at all comparable to a first-tier city like the provincial capital.
Then again, each province could afford to maintain one top-tier city, and this is when talking about a superpower country like the Nexus Country.
Some countries can't afford to keep up with the standards of top-tier cities, even though Hiro was oblivious to the hidden conditions a city must meet to earn its position as a top-tier city.
As for countries, at least from the Paranormal Society standpoint, Hiro understood that a superpower country has control over many pocket dimensions with friendly environments towards humans.
It was an open secret at this point in time.
