Manchester

==Geography==
[[File:Manchester Skyline - geograph.org.uk - 1094813.jpg|thumb|Manchester skyline with the cathedral and surrounding city buildings]]
{{See also|Geography of Greater Manchester}}
{{climate chart
|Manchester
|2|7|72
|2|8|51
|3|10|61
|5|13|54
|8|16|57
|11|19|66
|13|21|64
|12|20|77
|10|18|72
|7|14|93
|4|10|82
|2|7|81
|source=[http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/u/UK03334.html Climate-Charts.com]
|float=right
}}
At {{Coord|53|28|0|N|2|14|0|W|type:city}}, {{convert|160|mi|km|sigfig=2}} northwest of London, Manchester lies in a bowl-shaped land area bordered to the north and east by the [[Pennines]], an upland chain that runs the length of [[northern England]], and to the south by the [[Cheshire Plain]]. Manchester is {{convert|35.0|mi}} north-east of [[Liverpool]] and {{convert|35.0|mi}} north-west of [[Sheffield]], making the city the halfway point between the two. The [[Manchester city centre|city centre]] is on the east bank of the [[River Irwell]], near its confluences with the Rivers [[River Medlock|Medlock]] and [[River Irk|Irk]], and is relatively low-lying, being between {{convert|115|and|138|ft|m|abbr=off|order=flip}} above sea level.<ref name="Topography">{{cite book |title=Manchester: A History |last=Kidd |first=Alan |year=2006 |page=11 |publisher=Carnegie Publishing |location=Lancaster |isbn=1-85936-128-5}}</ref> The [[River Mersey]] flows through the south of Manchester. Much of the inner city, especially in the south, is flat, offering extensive views from many highrise buildings in the city of the foothills and moors of the Pennines, which can often be capped with snow in the winter months. Manchester's geographic features were highly influential in its early development as the world's first industrial city. These features are its climate, its proximity to a [[port|seaport]] at [[Liverpool]], the availability of waterpower from its rivers, and its nearby coal reserves.<ref name="Coalfields">{{cite web |url=http://www.mosi.org.uk/media/159631/the%20manchester%20coalfields.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327122645/http://www.mosi.org.uk/media/159631/the%20manchester%20coalfields.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2009 |title=The Manchester Coalfields |access-date=5 May 2009 |publisher=[[Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester]] |year=2001 }}</ref>
[[File:Map of Manchester.png|thumb|left|upright|The City of Manchester. The [[land use]] is overwhelmingly urban.]]
The name Manchester, though officially applied only to the metropolitan district within Greater Manchester, has been applied to other, wider divisions of land, particularly across much of the Greater Manchester county and urban area. The "Manchester City Zone", "[[M postcode area|Manchester post town]]" and the "[[Manchester Congestion Charge]]" are all examples of this.

For purposes of the [[Office for National Statistics]], Manchester forms the most populous settlement within the [[Greater Manchester Urban Area]], the United Kingdom's third-largest conurbation. There is a mix of high-density urban and suburban locations. The largest open space in the city, at around {{convert|260|ha|acre|0}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m2002.thecgf.com/venues/HPK/ |title=Heaton Park |access-date=20 July 2009 |publisher=thecgf.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831032941/http://m2002.thecgf.com/venues/HPK/ |archive-date=31 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> is [[Heaton Park]]. Manchester is contiguous on all sides with several large settlements, except for a small section along its southern boundary with [[Cheshire]]. The [[M60 motorway (Great Britain)|M60]] and [[M56 motorway]]s pass through [[Northenden]] and [[Wythenshawe]] respectively in the south of Manchester. Heavy rail lines enter the city from all directions, the principal destination being [[Manchester Piccadilly station]].

===Climate===
Manchester experiences a [[temperate]] [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''), like much of the British Isles, with warm summers and cold winters compared to other parts of the UK. Summer daytime temperatures regularly top 20&nbsp;°C, quite often reaching 25&nbsp;°C on sunny days during July and August in particular. In more recent years, temperatures have occasionally reached over 30&nbsp;°C. There is regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year. The city's average annual rainfall is {{convert|806.6|mm|in|2}}<ref name="Manchester weather">{{cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/manchester_airport.html |title=Manchester Airport 1971–2000 weather averages |access-date=2009-05-05 |publisher=[[Met Office]] |year=2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929103050/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/manchester_airport.html |archive-date=2007-09-29}}</ref> compared to a UK average of {{convert|1125.0|mm|in|2}},<ref name="UK weather">{{cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html |title=UK 1971–2000 averages |access-date=2009-05-05 |publisher=[[Met Office]] |year=2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705140124/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html |archive-date=2009-07-05}}</ref> and its mean rain days are 140.4 per annum,<ref name="Manchester weather"/> compared to the UK average of 154.4.<ref name="UK weather"/> Manchester has a relatively high humidity level, and this, along with abundant soft water, was one factor that led to advancement of the textile industry in the area.<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Wilfred |title=An Economic Geography of Great Britain |publisher=Taylor and Francis |year=1959 |page=470 |chapter=II}}</ref> Snowfalls are not common in the city because of the [[Urban climate|urban warming]] effect but the [[West Pennine Moors]] to the north-west, [[South Pennines]] to the north-east and [[Peak District]] to the east receive more snow, which can close roads leading out of the city.<ref name="Snow">{{cite news |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/roads-chaos-as-snow-sweeps-in-1058608 |title=Roads chaos as snow sweeps in Manchester |access-date=2009-05-05 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |date=2005-02-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102012810/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/roads-chaos-as-snow-sweeps-in-1058608 |archive-date=2013-11-02 }}</ref> They include the [[A62 road|A62]] via [[Oldham]] and [[Standedge]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Snow: West Yorkshire traffic and travel latest |url=http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/snow-west-yorkshire-traffic-and-travel-latest-1-1925071 |website=Halifax Courier |access-date=2017-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005011/http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/snow-west-yorkshire-traffic-and-travel-latest-1-1925071 |archive-date=2017-11-10 |url-status=live}}</ref> the [[A57 road|A57]], [[Snake Pass]], towards [[Sheffield]],<ref name="Peaks">{{cite web |url=http://www.highpeak.co.uk/hp/h_snakbd.htm |title=Peak District sightseer's guide – Snake Pass |access-date=2009-05-05 |publisher=High Peak |year=2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112081929/http://www.highpeak.co.uk/hp/h_snakbd.htm |archive-date=2011-01-12 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[M62 motorway#Milnrow to Outlane|Pennine section of the M62]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Live: M62 motorway closed and 20 miles of queues as snow and high winds return to Greater Manchester |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/live-m62-motorway-closed-and-20-1217237 |website=Manchester Evening News |date=2012-04-04 |access-date=2017-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005027/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/live-m62-motorway-closed-and-20-1217237 |archive-date=2017-11-10 |url-status=live}}</ref> The lowest temperature ever recorded in Manchester was {{convert|-17.6|C|F|abbr=on}} on 7 January 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1= Evening News |first1=Manchester |title=Minus 17.6C – Big freeze sets new record |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/minus-176c---big-freeze-880053 |website=manchestereveningnews.co.uk |date=2010-01-07 |access-date=2018-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012053913/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/minus-176c---big-freeze-880053 |archive-date=2018-10-12 |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Manchester weatherbox}}

===Green belt===
{{further|North West Green Belt}}
Manchester lies at the centre of a [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] region extending into the wider surrounding counties. This reduces [[urban sprawl]], prevents towns in the conurbation from further convergence, protects the identity of outlying communities, and preserves nearby countryside. It is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building.<ref name="belt2"/>

Due to being already highly urban, the city contains limited portions of protected green-belt area within [[Greenfield land|greenfield]] throughout the borough, with minimal development opportunities,<ref>{{cite web |title=Urban Density -v- Suburban Sprawl – The Leader's Blog |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/blog/leadersblog/post/840/urban-density-v-suburban-sprawl |website=www.manchester.gov.uk |language=en |access-date=21 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222428/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/blog/leadersblog/post/840/urban-density-v-suburban-sprawl |archive-date=21 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> at [[Clayton Vale]], [[Heaton Park]], Chorlton Water Park along with the [[Chorlton Ees]] & Ivy Green nature reserve and the floodplain surrounding the River Mersey, as well as the southern area around Manchester Airport.<ref>{{cite web |title=Manchester's Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document Adopted 11th July 2012 Published by Manchester City Council |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/18981/final_core_strategy.pdf |website=www.manchester.gov.uk|access-date=21 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219141112/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/18981/final_core_strategy.pdf |archive-date=19 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The green belt was first drawn up in 1961.<ref name="belt2">{{cite web |title=Local Development Framework Evidence Base Green Belt Review July 2010 |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/13853/manchester_airport_-_ldf_evidence_base_-_green_belt_review.pdf |website=www.manchester.gov.uk |access-date=21 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222410/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/13853/manchester_airport_-_ldf_evidence_base_-_green_belt_review.pdf |archive-date=21 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Geographic Location
|title     = '''Neighbouring districts and places.'''
|Northwest = [[Salford]]
|North     = [[Bury, Greater Manchester|Bury]]
|Northeast = [[Oldham]]
|West      = [[Salford]]
|Centre    = Manchester
|East      = [[Ashton-under-Lyne]]
|Southwest = [[Old Trafford]]
|South     = [[Manchester Airport]]
|Southeast = [[Stockport]]
}}