Understand
The majority of the city of Portsmouth lies on Portsea island though it is separated from the mainland only by a roughly 30 m wide stretch of sea water so is perhaps more accurately thought of as a peninsula on the southern coast of England.
Historically, Portsmouth has always been an important naval port and builds on its rich heritage with memorials, museums, trails and the fascinating Historic Dockyard. Portsmouth has four miles of seafront including pebbled beaches and the distinctive Spinnaker Tower.
Portsmouth is also a university city home to the University of Portsmouth and so has a large multicultural student population.
Portsmouth has an approximate population of 190,200 people and is the most densely populated city in the UK, outside of certain parts of London. The surrounding Portsmouth Urban Area is home to more than 442,000 people.
