United Kingdom, Manchester

Manchester is the city and a metropolitan area of Greater Manchester in England. The city is the third largest metropolitan area and is the second largest urban zone in the UK. This was born as a result of the industrial revolution. It is the haven of arts, media, higher education and business establishments. The city leads in textile manufacture and production that is a major source of income to the city. It is represented by four tiers of government such as Manchester City Council, North West Regional Assembly, UK Parliament and European Parliament.

It is the fourteenth most populated area in Europe.

History

Manchester began when a wooden fort was built by the Roman army on a plateau about 1 mile south of the present cathedral about 80 AD. The Romans called it Mamuciam (breast shaped hill) probably because the plateau resembled a breast. The fort was rebuilt in stone about 200 AD.

The village of Manchester was made into a town in the early 13th century.

The original Manchester was an old town which has been inhabited since Roman times, when General Julius Agricola built a fort just north of the site of present day city, though it was not until the 18th century that this hitherto remote and inconspicuous little medieval township sprang into the forefront of world attention, and not until the mid-19th century that it became a city.

In the early 20th century the council built the first council houses. They also set about demolishing the slums. During World War II the centre of Manchester was devastated. Many warehouses and business premises were destroyed along with many old buildings.

Major portion of the city, which dates back to 1960s, had been remoulded as per the modern architectural design using glass and steel.

Geography

Manchester sits on the east bank of River Irwell. The city is bordered to the north and east by the Pennine moors and to the south by the Cheshire Plain. It is located 53°29' Latitude North and 2°15' Longitude West. Its geographic features have made it the world's first industrial city.

Demographics

Covering a total area of 115.65 sq. km, Manchester has a total population of 441,200. Manchester has a large Muslim population, and the UK's largest Jewish community outside London. The city is known for its religious diversity, it encompass the second largest Jewish population in the country and the Manchester homes one of the largest Muslim populations in the Greater Manchester.

Economy

Manchester is historically notable for being the world's first industrialized city and for the subsequent central role it played during the Industrial Revolution.
It also plays a prominent role during the time of industrial revolution. Manchester is known globally as the centre of cotton spinning and textile manufacture, it was also nicknamed as “Cotton polis” during the 19th century and “Warehouse City” during the Victorian era.

The growth of the Manchester economy means there are employment opportunities across a wide range of industries. Key areas of employment within the services sector include government bodies, the health service, education, and financial and professional services.

Culture

Manchester boasts a very rich and diverse artistic, architectural, musical, sporting, theatrical and creative breadth, comparable to any significant international metropolis.

The city is known for its world class restaurants, bars and clubs. Hard RockCafe, chain restaurants such as Wagamama and the coffee chains Starbucks give custom made reception to its guests.

This city has a history of firsts so it’s no surprise that the world’s first and only museum dedicated to exploring urban culture, the Urbis is situated in the heart of the historic Millennium Quarter.

Sports

The city of Manchester has excellent sports facilities, including a wide range of popular Manchester spectator sports, such as rugby and cricket. Manchester is most famous for its football club and the Manchester United Football Club is known throughout the world.

There are also good sports facilities in Manchester for participants, and these include golf courses, tennis courts, badminton courts, swimming pools, fitness centres and popular gymnasiums.

Transportation

Manchester is well connected by road, rail and flight services to rest of the UK that convert it into a traveller friendly city. Manchester is a city well known for its transportation facilities that makes it easier and convenient for those who drop in here.

Manchester has a higher percentage of the motorway network than any other county in the country. Manchester has an underground railway system that links it with other main stations. Manchester International Airport, one of the busiest airports in U.K handles 22.1 million passengers and provides direct flights to over 180 destinations worldwide.