Portsmouth

Portsmouth (i/ˈpɔrtsməθ/) is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island. It is situated 64 miles (103 km) south west from London and 19 miles (31 km) south east of Southampton.

As a significant naval port for centuries, Portsmouth is home to the world's oldest dry dock still in use and also home to some famous ships, including HMS Warrior, the Tudor carrack Mary Rose and Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory. Although smaller than in its heyday, the naval base remains a major dockyard and base for the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos whose Headquarters resides there. There is also a thriving commercial ferryport serving destinations on the continent for freight and passenger traffic. The City of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club are both nicknamed Pompey.

The Spinnaker Tower is a striking recent addition to the city's skyline. It can be found in the redeveloped former HMS Vernon, formerly a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy, now an area of retail outlets, restaurants, clubs and bars now known as Gunwharf Quays.

The City of Portsmouth has a population of 207,100 and is the only city in England with a greater population density (5,145 /km2 (13,330 /sq mi)) than London (4,984 /km2 (12,910 /sq mi)). The Portsmouth Urban Area, which includes Fareham, Portchester, Gosport and Havant, is the 13th largest urban area in the United Kingdom and the largest in Hampshire, with an estimated 442,252 residents. Portsmouth combines with Southampton to form a single metropolitan area with a population over a million, one of the United Kingdom's most populous metropolitan areas.