Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, is a vibrant and bustling metropolis located on the banks of the River Clyde. This west-central city is part of the historic county of Lanarkshire and is one of the most prominent cities in the United Kingdom. Glasgow is bordered by England and the Irish Sea to the south, the North Sea to the east, and the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and north. The geographic coordinates of Glasgow are 55.8°N 4.25°W.Glasgow's neighboring cities include Paisley to the west, Ayr to the south-west, Hamilton to the southeast, Livingston to the east, Falkirk to the northeast, and Aberfoyle to the northwest.
Glasgow is located in the center of the Strathclyde region. The city's history is closely linked to its location on the River Clyde, which was dredged and deepened over time to become navigable to its heart. In 1745, Glasgow was almost ruined by taxes imposed by Charles Edward Stuart's army. However, it was not until after the union of Scotland and England in 1603 that Glasgow began to grow significantly. The city's economy in the 21st century includes traditional heavy engineering, advanced engineering and manufacturing, aerospace technology and development (especially satellite production), information and communication technology, software engineering, and innovations in renewable and low-carbon energy. The industrial decline in Glasgow and the development of new peripheral cities such as East Kilbride and Cumbernauld reduced population density in the city center.
This led to comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s which resulted in large-scale relocation of people to new cities and suburbs. As a result, Glasgow City Council's municipal area now has a population of 599,650 people while 1,209,143 people live in Greater Glasgow's urban area. Scotland's first public museum, The Hunterian (established in 1800), is located on the grounds of The University of Glasgow. The city also has a City Hall which serves as its local government authority. Few old buildings have survived from Glasgow's industrial era but its historic district known as Glasgow Cross preserves buildings and cityscapes from 17th and 18th centuries.
It is well equipped with parks and cultural facilities such as The Scottish Opera, The Scottish Ballet, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Glasgow belongs to the United Kingdom with London as its capital. Its ISO2 code is GB and it uses Pound Sterling as its currency symbol. North Lanarkshire is a municipal area located on Glasgow's eastern periphery.