Uplodaing a back up .sql file

I backed up my wordpress site, and have a .sql file. Recently, the server account was shut down (no my account, but hosted my site) and I lost my site. I opened a new host account, thinking I could just upload the .sql file quite simply.
I have used FileZilla to install wordpress, and have access to this now on my site, and used navicat. I have put the .sql file into: /htdocs/wp-content as an .sql file, and my hosts put a .txt version into here:/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/10

I don’t know if that makes any difference where they are put?

I am a novice at all this, so please help, and explain as simply as possible.

Thanks