Portsmouth is a city of about 189,000 people located in the county of Hampshire on the southern coast of England. The administrative unit itself forms part of the wider Portsmouth conurbation, with an estimated population of 442,252 residents within its boundaries, making it the 11th largest urban area in England. A significant naval port for centuries, it is home to the world's oldest dry dock still in use and to many famous ships.
Portsmouth has declined as a military port in recent years but remains a major dockyard and base for the Royal Navy. There is a commercial port serving destinations on the continent for freight and passenger traffic.

Tourist Attractions

Most of Portsmouth's tourist attractions are related to its naval history. In the last decade Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard has been given a much needed face-lift. Among the attractions are the D-Day museum (which holds the Overlord embroidery) and, in the dockyard, HMS Victory, the remains of the Mary Rose raised from the sea-bed in recent years, HMS Warrior and the Royal Naval Museum.
The millennium project to build the Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays was completed in 2005. The tower is 170 m tall, features viewing decks at sea level, 100 m, 105 m, and 110 m.
Other tourist attractions include the birthplace of Charles Dickens, the Blue Reef Aquarium (formerly Sea Life Centre), Cumberland House (a natural history museum), and Southsea castle.