CAMBRIDGE - ENGLAND |
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The city of Cambridge is an old English University town and the regional
centre of the county of Cambridgeshire. It lies approximately 50 miles (80
km) north of London and is surrounded by a number of smaller towns and
villages. It is also at the heart of Silicon Fen, the high-tech capital of
Britain.
Cambridge is best known for its University, including the world-renowned
Cavendish Laboratory (named after Henry Cavendish), King's College chapel,
and the University Library. The Cambridge skyline is dominated by the last
two .
According to the 2001 census, the population was 108,863 (including
22,153 students).
Latitude 52°12'N, Longitude 0°07'E. |
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Cambridge Today
Drawing on its links with the University, the Cambridge area today is known
as Silicon Fen, due to the growth of high tech businesses and technology
incubators that have sprung up in the series of science parks and other
developments in and around the city. The University was joined by the larger
part of Anglia Polytechnic University, and the educational reputation has
led to other bodies (such as the Open University in East Anglia) basing
themselves in the city.
A study by CACI in 2004 named the postcode area CB2 1, part of Cambridge
city centre, as the "smoking capital" of the UK, as the average resident in
this area apparently spent more money on cigarettes than those of any other
region in the country, over 2 thousand pounds per annum. The area is home to
several of the university's colleges, including Clare, King's and Trinity.
Government
Cambridge is a local government district, with a City Council. It is the
only district in England to be entirely surrounded by one other district -
South Cambridgeshire.
It is also served by Cambridgeshire county council. The city council's
headquarters are in the Guildhall, an imposing building in the market
square.
For electoral purposes the city is divided into the following wards:
Abbey, Arbury, Castle, Cherry Hinton, Coleridge, East Chesterton, Kings
Hedges, Market, Newnham, Petersfield, Queen Edith's, Romsey, Trumpington,
West Chesterton
The current political composition of the City Council after the June 2004
elections is:
28 Liberal Democrat Councillors
13 Labour Councillors
1 Conservative Councillor
The Liberal Democrats have had control of the council since 2000.
Since 1957, Cambridge has been twinned with Heidelberg, an old university
town in Germany. It was also twinned with Szeged in Hungary in 1987.
Cambridge is a parliamentary constituency in the House of Commons. Anne
Campbell (Labour) has been MP for the city since 1992.
The Queen Edith's and Trumpington wards are in the South Cambridgeshire
constituency (MP Andrew Lansley, Conservative, first elected 1997).
The University used to have a seat in the House of Commons, Sir Isaac Newton
being one of the most notable holders. The university seats were abolished
in 1948 and ceased at the dissolution of Parliament in 1950.
Sport
Cambridge is home to Cambridge United F.C., who play in the Football League
at the Abbey Stadium, and also to non-league Cambridge City F.C., who play
at Milton Road in Chesterton.
The town is also known for the University sporting events against Oxford,
especially the rugby union varsity match and the Boat Race. These are
followed by people across the globe, many of whom have no connection to the
institutions themselves. |
