WITH IT'S CHARACTER, LIVERPOOL EASILY KICKS YOUR TEETH OUT

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. Built across a ridge of hills rising up to a height of around 230 feet (70 metres) above sea-level at Everton Hill, the city's urban area runs directly into Bootle and Crosby in Sefton to the north, and Huyton and Prescot in Knowsley to the east. It faces Wallasey and Birkenhead across the River Mersey to the west.

Liverpool is governed by Liverpool City Council, one of five councils within the Metropolitan county of Merseyside, and is one of England's core cities and its fifth most populous - 441,477 in 2002, with 816,000 in the Liverpool Urban Area, which includes suburbs on the Liverpool side of the Mersey but not those on the Wirral. Inhabitants of Liverpool are referred to as Liverpudlians and nicknamed "Scousers", in reference to the local meal known as 'scouse', a form of stew. The word scouse has also become synonymous with the Liverpool accent and dialect.

In the late 19th century, Liverpool laid claim to being the "second Port of the Empire", handling more goods than any British city outside London. During the late 20th century, the decline of the Port of Liverpool as a source of employment and the later contraction of manufacturing industry in the city region badly affected the city's economy. However, the city's economy has grown strongly and faster than the national average since the mid nineties. In 2007, the city will be celebrating its 800th anniversary, and in 2008, will hold the European Capital of Culture title.

Liverpool is internationally known as a cultural centre, with a particularly rich history in popular music, performing and visual arts.During the late 1960s, the city also became well known for the Liverpool poets, of whom Roger McGough and the late Adrian Henri are among the best known. The anthology The Mersey Sound, by Henri, McGough and Brian Patten, has sold over 500,000 copies since first being published in 1967. In 2003, Liverpool was named European Capital of Culture for 2008. A series of cultural events during 2004-9 is planned, peaking in 2008.