Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in North West England. The city is governed by Liverpool City Council, one of five councils within the Metropolitan county of Merseyside. The population of the borough in 2002 was 441,477, and that of the Merseyside conurbation was 1,362,026. Whilst it has lost most of its manufacturing base, Liverpool is still well-known as a sea port. In sporting terms, it is home to the internationally-known football clubs Liverpool F.C. and Everton F.C.. In the year 2008, Liverpool will hold the European Capital of Culture title. Liverpool is one of England’s core cities, and is its 5th most highly populated.

In the late 19th century, Liverpool laid claim to being the “Second Port of the Empire”, handling more goods than any city outside London.

Liverpool is also internationally famous for its connections with popular music; the city is the birthplace of The Beatles, one of the most successful and famous bands of all time.

Liverpool is situated along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, with the city centre located about 5 miles inland from the Irish Sea. Liverpool has a varied topography being built across a ridge of hills rising up to a height of around seventy metres above sea-level at Everton Hill. The city’s urban area runs directly into Bootle and Crosby in Sefton, Huyton, and Prescot in Knowsley. It faces Wallasey and Birkenhead across the River Mersey.

In 1207, King John granted Liverpool its first charter. In 1644, during the English Civil War, Liverpool surrendered to the royalists under Prince Rupert after several sieges. Air raids during World War II caused heavy damage and casualties. The statesman William Gladstone, the artist George Stubbs, and the members of the musical group the Beatles were born in Liverpool.

Liverpool Cathedral, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, was begun in 1904 and completed in 1978. A Roman Catholic cathedral was consecrated in 1967. St. George’s Hall is an imposing building in a group that includes libraries and art galleries. The Walker Gallery has a fine collection of Italian and Flemish paintings, as well as more modern works. The Univ. of Liverpool was incorporated in 1903. There is a separate school of tropical medicine.

The city’s most famous sons are undoubtedly The Beatles and the city attracts many visitors who come to follow the trail of the Fab Four from their humble beginnings to international stardom as the world’s first super band. And it’s impossible to talk about Liverpool without talking about football; divided in to two camps - either the blue of Everton or the red of Liverpool, both teams play in England’s top Premiership league and, male or female, young or old, it seems like the entire city is passionate about the sport.

The red half of the city had extra reason to celebrate in 2005 when Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe after overturning a 3-0 deficit to beat AC Milan on penalties in the Champions League Final in a spectacular game that’s still fondly talked about around the city’s bars. This incredible melting pot has earned Liverpool the accolade of being crowned Europe’s capital of culture for 2008, an event for which the city is already planning its celebrations.