A Bit More About Leeds

Leeds is a city in the West Yorshire, England. Historically, the city was referred to as the wooden area of the Elmet Kingdom back in 5th century. The name has grown from describing a mineral borough to a metropolitan borough. In the 17th and 18th century, Leeds became a major center for production and trading of wool. The city went on to develop into a major mill town during the industrial revolution. Being a compact market town, the city went on to absorb the surrounding villages to become a highly populated urban center as depicted by population in the late 20th century. Today, the city is considered a gamma world city. It is the heart of culture, commerce and finance for the urban West Yorkshire. The city holds the fourth largest economy for England. It has the fourth largest student population served by four universities. It is the second largest legal city centre after London. It is the fourth largest city in UK in terms of finance and insurance industry. Leeds is a home for the third largest railway station. It is ranked in the sixth position in terms of busy airports. The city is also filled with spectacular landmarks and cultural centers.

Geography

City of Leeds is located 310 km, north-west of London. It lies on the valley of River Aire found on eastern foothills of Pennines. The area lies 65m above the sea level and extends for 340m, far west from Ilkley Moor slopes up to 10m before the confluence of Aire and Wharfe rivers. Leeds City Centre is part of the built-up area that extends to Bramley, Horsforth, Pudsey, Alwoodley, Seacroft, Morley and Middleton. The northern boundary of the city follows River Wharfe until it crosses on to Otley which lies north of the river. Leeds City Centre is 32 km form the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The northern part is built on sandstones and grit stones. The eastern part extends to the limestone belt. The inner and southern areas of Leeds form the Yorkshire Coalfield. The central area of the city is pro-urban. Leeds City Centre is encapsulated by the Leeds Inner Ring Road. The main streets that run through are Briggate and Victoria Quarter. A bigger part of the city is covered by the postcode area. There are also a few suburbs and exurbs within the district. 

Climate

The city is made up of the oceanic climate influenced by the Atlantic and Pennines. The area is characterized with mild summers with moderate rainfall, chilly and cloudy winters with occasional frost and snow. The spring and autumn are also mild. Temperatures range from 3 to 16 degrees Celsius annually. The annual rainfall is recorded at 660mm. Extreme weather conditions feature rare blizzards, thunderstorms, gale force winds and even tornadoes. 

Population and Religion

According to the United Kingdom Census of 2001, Leeds City Centre covering an area of 109 square kilometers, had a population of 443,247 people. This makes it the fourth populous city within England and fifth largest within UK. The population density was found to be 4,006 people by square kilometer. This accounts for 20 percent of the West Yorkshire Urban Area and 62 percent of the population of the City of Leeds. The ratio of male to females is 93 to 100. The households were characterized by the large number of one-person dwellings followed closely by married couples. The cohabiting couples and single parents formed the minority. Leeds consists of over 75 ethnic groups with the minority groups representing less than 12 percent of the total population. Majority of the people in the city identify themselves as Christians. There are few Jews and Muslims in the city. The crime rates have been rated above national average just like any other major urban area. 

Administration and Public Services

Leeds City Centre is an unparished area found within the local government district of the City of Leeds. Leeds City Council is the local authority which covers the whole district. It provides all local government services for Leeds. Leeds is represented by five members of parliament for the five constituencies respectively. These constituencies are Leeds East, West, Central, North and South. City is a home to one of the largest government offices called Department for Work and Pensions. This well designed office is located in Quarry Hill. The Yorkshire Water provides water supply and sewerage services. The area is served by the West Yorkshire police. This force has five policing district covering the area. Health services are provided by Leeds Primary Care Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust among other hospitals. The archives, analytical, archeological, testing materials and ecological services are provided by West Yorkshire Joint Services. The city council of Leeds is responsible for over 50 libraries including 5 mobile ones.  

Economy

Leeds has a diverse economy with the service industry on the lead. These include public administration, health, insurance, banking, finance and catering. The city is home to the 5th largest financial industry in the UK. There are over 30 national and international banks in the region. Other tertiary industries like call offices, retail centers and media have contributed to the economic growth. There are at least 150 law firms operating in the area forming a sophisticated and competitive legal market. Leeds is the third largest manufacturing centre accounting for 8.8 percent employment in the area. The creative industry is also well established in the area especially the digital gaming sector. Office developments are located in the inner area as they expand to the south. 24 percent of the workforce in Leeds is found in the public sector. The extensive retail area in Leeds is the main shopping centre in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Transport

Leeds is one of the principal locations of the northern motor highway. Part of the city centre is designed for pedestrians along road networks. The city depends on cars mostly for transport. West Yorkshire Metro is responsible for development and co-ordination of the public transport. Bus services are the primary means of transport. The city is served by 16 railway stations. The Metro Trains is operated by the Northern Rail. It runs from Leeds railway station, onto suburbs of Leeds and to all other parts on the region. The Leeds International Airport is found in Yeadon, about 16 km from the city centre. It has flights scheduled for international destinations. The city is connected to the rest of the world through other regional airports.

Walking and Scenery

The city provides walk ways and trails from the city centre to different parks. There are many trails that provide walking and cycling routes. Leeds City Centre also displays variety of natural and artificial landmarks. There are temples, city parks, gardens, town halls, museums, towers, cathedrals, churches and stadiums. 

Education

These are many schools that have been upgraded over the recent years to accommodate the large young population. These include primary schools, secondary schools and special learning centers. The city features private and public schools that serve different cultures and faiths. City of Leeds is one of the local authorities that have tried to implement the three-tire education system. Higher learning is provided by Leeds City College and other colleges. The city has four universities namely; University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Trinity University and University of Law. 

Culture and Sports

There are renowned newspapers that serve the area. They also provide information in their established websites. There are many television and radio stations based in the city. There are also a few film production companies in the city. These are well established museums in the city with rich history in manufacturing, medicine and filming. These museums include; Leeds City Museum, Armley Mills Industrial Museum, Thwaite Mills Watermill Museum. Leeds City Centre is home to theater, music and dance shows. The theaters include; Grand Theater, Phoenix Dance Theater, North Ballet Theater and the First Direct Arena. There are many popular music acts that come from Leeds. Leeds forms the third largest city in UK for carnivals and festivals. There are many pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and venues for live music. These are meant to provide nightlife for the large student population. Leeds is also home for one of the famous artists and film producers. The city’s main football club is the Leeds United A.F.C. There are also rugby, cricket, hockey, swimming and basketball clubs based in the city.