Southampton is the largest city on the south coast of England. It is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest. The city lies roughly in the centre of the coast, at the northern-most point of Southampton Water where it is joined by the River Test and River Itchen, with the River Hamble joining to the south of the urban area. The city is situated approximately halfway between Bournemouth and Portsmouth. The local authority is Southampton City Council, which is a unitary authority. The city is part of the ceremonial county of Hampshire. Significant employers in Southampton include the University of Southampton, a Ford Transit factory and one of the largest commercial ports in Europe. The city represents the core of the Greater Southampton region, with a population of 228,600. The city's name is sometimes abbreviated in writing to "So'ton" or "Soton", and a resident of Southampton is called a Sotonian. Southampton is noted for being the home of the RMS Titanic, the Spitfire and more recently a number of the largest cruise liners in the world. The city is home to the second longest medieval walls in England that are still standing, as well as a number of museums such as Tudor House, The Maritime Museum and Solent Sky, which focuses on aviation. The annual Southampton Boat Show is held is September each year, with over 600 exhibitors present. It runs for just over a week at Mayflower Park on the city's waterfront, where it has been held since 1968. The Boat Show itself is the climax of Sea City, which runs from April to September each year to celebrate Southampton's links with the sea. Southampton has a vibrant nightlife, and has been voted one of the best places to live in the UK for single people aged 18 to 30, owing to its low cost of living, wide array of bars and club and cheap transport. Women voted it second best behind London, while men rated it as seventh. Music is an important aspect of the city and there are several music venues. The city is home to R'n'B soulstar Craig David, Coldplay drummer Will Champion, and was the birthplace of comedian Benny Hill. The main theatre in the city is the 2,300 capacity Mayflower Theatre, which hosts a number of West End shows, such as Les Miserables, The Rocky Horror Show and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The city is home to several art galleries, including the council run gallery at the Civic Centre. More on Southampton 

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