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'''Manchester''' is a major industrial city in north-western [[England]]. It is primarily in the county [[Lancashire]], with suburban areas south of the River Mersey, plus [[Manchester Airport]], being in [[Cheshire]]. Greater Manchester is the UK's third largest metropolitan area. This, combined with its cultural importance, means it is generally considered to be the UKs 'third city'. More recently it has even laid claim to be the UKs 'second city', a source of ongoing debate, particularly between Manchester and [[Birmingham]]. It was formerly an important inland port, served by the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] beside the [[River Mersey]].

'''Manchester''' is a major industrial city in north-western [[England]]. It is primarily in the county [[Lancashire]], with suburban areas south of the River Mersey, plus [[Manchester Airport]], being in [[Cheshire]]. It lies approximately 30 miles east of the Irish Sea at [[Liverpool]], 37 miles south-east of [[Leeds]], West Riding of Yorkshire and 32 miles north of [[Stoke-on-Trent]], Staffordshire. Greater Manchester is the UK's third largest metropolitan area. This, combined with its cultural importance, means it is generally considered to be the UKs 'third city'. More recently it has even laid claim to be the UKs 'second city', a source of ongoing debate, particularly between Manchester and [[Birmingham]]. It was formerly an important inland port, served by the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] beside the [[River Mersey]].

The earliest documented settlement at Manchester was a [[Roman]] fort, ''Mamucium'', at the modern inner-city area [[Castlefield]], established in 79 AD. By the 16th century, Manchester was a booming market town thanks to the textile trade. In the 18th and 19th centuries, with the [[Industrial revolution|industrialisation]] of the trade, Manchester became the centre of Lancashire's cotton industry, being dubbed "Cottonopolis". This resulted in an explosion of the local population, with particularly large numbers coming from Ireland; by 1851, it was estimated that 15% of Mancunians were Irish born.

The earliest documented settlement at Manchester was a [[Roman]] fort, ''Mamucium'', at the modern inner-city area [[Castlefield]], established in 79 AD. By the 16th century, Manchester was a booming market town thanks to the textile trade. In the 18th and 19th centuries, with the [[Industrial revolution|industrialisation]] of the trade, Manchester became the centre of Lancashire's cotton industry, being dubbed "Cottonopolis". This resulted in an explosion of the local population, with particularly large numbers coming from Ireland; by 1851, it was estimated that 15% of Mancunians were Irish born.