At 160 miles (257 km) northwest of London, Manchester lies in a bowl-shaped land area surrounded to the north and east by the Pennine hills, a mountain chain that runs the length of Northern England and to the south by the Cheshire Plain. The city centre is on the east bank of the River Irwell, near its convergences with the Rivers; Medlock and Irk, and is relatively low-lying, being between 115 to 138 feet (35 and 42 m) above the sea level.
The River Mersey flows from side to side through south of Manchester. Much of the inner city, especially in the south, is flat, offering widespread views from many high-rise buildings in the city of the foothills and moors of the Pennines, which can often be capped with snow in the winter months. The geographic characters of Manchester were highly significant in its early development as the first industrial city of the world. These features are its climate, its proximity to a seaport at Liverpool, the accessibility of water power from its rivers, and its nearby coal mineral deposits.
Manchester forms the most densely inhabited settlement within the Greater Manchester Urban Area, the third largest metropolis in the United Kingdom. There is a mixture of high-density urban and suburban settings in Manchester. The largest open space in the city, at around 260 hectares (642 acres), is the Heaton Park.
Manchester is contiguous on all sides with quite a few large settlements, except for a small section, along its southern boundary with Cheshire. The M60 and M56 motorways pass through the south of Manchester, through Northenden and Wythenshawe, correspondingly. Heavy rail lines enter the city from all directions, the main destination being Manchester Piccadilly station.
The United Kingdom Census 2001 showed a total inhabitant population for Manchester of 392,819, a 9.2% decline from the 1991 census. Approximately 83,000 were aged under 16, 285,000 were aged 16-74, and 25,000 aged 75 and over. 75.9% of the population of Manchester declare that they have been born in the UK, according to the 2001 UK Census. Citizens of Manchester are known as Mancunians, or Mancs in short. Manchester reported the second-lowest percentage of the population in employment of any area in the UK. A key reason cited for the high unemployment figure in Manchester is the high proportion of the population who are students.
Manchester is home to the biggest group of consuls in the UK, outside London. The growth of global trade links, during the industrial revolution, led to the introduction of the first consuls in the 1820s, and since then, over 800have been based in Manchester, from all over the world.
Manchester has stayed on (in consular terms at least) the second city of the UK for two centuries, and hosts consular services for most of the north of England. The decrease in the amount of local paperwork, required for modern international trade, is partially offset by the greater than before number of international travellers.
All this makes central Manchester a favourable place to live in. At the moment, the various prices for residential accommodation to Let are approximately as follows; Studio Flats (£557), 1 Bed Flats (£608), 2 Bed Flats (£807), 3 Bed Flats (£1,285), 2 Bed House (£726) and 3 Bed Houses (£811). If you are planning to live in Central Manchester, you will definitely be amazed at the variety of choices and architectural styling.