Newport covers an area of just over 73.5 square miles and stands at the gateway between England and Wales.
Newport is a vibrant, multi-cultural city steeped in a rich industrial heritage, where traditional industries sit alongside new electronics and financial service sectors.
Newport’s location at the mouth of the River Usk has attracted visitors since the first Celtic settlers 2,000 years ago. Caerleon was the chosen site for a strategic Roman legionary fortress from the latter part of the first century AD and the Normans also settled in the town and built a castle in the 12th century, the remains of which can still be seen today.
Newport expanded rapidly and changed from a small sea-port town to one of the most important places in the world for coal export and steel production during the 19th century Industrial Revolution.
Today, a major transformation programme has already seen us evolve from traditional industries to a hub for tech-focussed excellence. Our regeneration plans are creating a 24/7 city centre with a sustainable mix of residential, retail, business and leisure.
Our communities
Newport’s current population is over 150,000, with the city divided into 20 wards.
Our population make up is:
- 0 to 15 years old: 20.5% (Wales: 17.9%)
- Over 65 years old: 17.3% (Wales: 20.8%)
We are a city that is proud of our diverse and rich cultural heritage. Our communities are multi-lingual and multi-cultural, with minority ethnic communities making up over 40% of some of our ward populations.
Newport’s community well-being profiles provide information about Newport, its people, communities and their needs. The profiles provide an overview of the population using data including population, diversity, households, health, education, housing, benefits and levels of deprivation.
A connected city
Newport is served by excellent road, rail, sea and air services making it an ideal business and investment location. London is just 90 minutes away by train and 120 minutes by car.
Electrification will reduce rail journey times and the removal of the Severn Bridge tolls has greatly improved road journeys.
Newport is also realising its ambition to become a national digital hub through a multi-million pound investment in its broadband and digital connections.
Regeneration
Newport is undergoing one of the largest regeneration programmes in the UK. Projects to date have delivered huge transformation creating significant business opportunities and positioning the city as one of the leading centres of the Cardiff Capital Region.
Global leaders in technology, manufacturing, distribution, financial services and public sector organisations are located here, attracted by the city’s superb location and large workforce, including Admiral, Gocompare.com, Airbus, Next Generation Data, the Office for National Statistics and the Intellectual Property Office. Read more about the companies that have made Newport their home.
Major events
Newport is proud of the infrastructure and energy we have to deliver global events of the highest profile. The 2010 Ryder Cup and 2014 NATO Summit are already under our belt. We also host the ABP Newport Wales Marathon and have welcomed the British Transplant Games and Tour of Britain. We are also expanding our local events programme including the popular Newport Food Festival.
We are now home to the purpose-built International Convention Centre Wales; a stunning venue specifically designed for world class conventions, events and meetings.
Life in Newport
Newport offers an excellent quality of life with popular schools, beautiful countryside and a lively sporting and entertainment scene. Perfect for work-life balance.
The Wales Coastal Path runs along the city’s coastline, taking in the renowned RSPB Wetlands Nature Reserve.
The Vale of Usk, Wye Valley, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and Brecon Beacons National Park are all on the doorstep, affording breath-taking natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor pursuits.
Our sports facilities are of the highest standard – catering for fitness, grassroot sports and elite alike.
Newport International Sports Village houses the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales, swimming pool, gym, indoor tennis centre and football and athletics stadium. Wales’ top football players, coaches and keen youngsters also develop their skills at the National Football Development Centre.
One of our live regeneration programmes is the provision of a £20million state-of-the-art development that will improve access to leisure right in the heart of our city centre.
Rodney Parade, the home of Gwent Dragons, Newport County AFC and Newport RFC is right of the heart of the city, and you can enjoy professional theatre and dance performances, exhibitions, workshops and classes at the Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre.
Find out more about what the city has to offer.
A learning city
Investment in education, skills and entrepreneurialism has been at the heart of Newport’s regeneration. We now have an award-winning university campus in the city centre which forms part of the University of South Wales (USW).
The university is a key player in the economic growth of southeast Wales. It is a major partner to UK government, industry, Welsh government and a broad range of businesses. A core USW strength is to deliver industry relevant education and research which is applied to real life.
There are also plans to bring our further education college, one of Wales’ top performing, into the heart of the city.
Newport’s fourth Welsh-medium primary school opened in September, taking our total school estate to 57 establishments.
Find out more about education in Newport.