York

York is a beautiful and historic city situated in the north of England, home to 200,000 residents in an area of 260km². The city was founded in 71AD by the Romans as a fortress under the name Eboracum. In the 19th century York became a hub for the railway network and a centre for chocolate manufacture. Built on the confluence of the Ouse and Floss rivers, York was a major river port, accessible by both barges and sea-going vessels.

Today’s York is a world-class tourist destination as well as a modern university city, home to internationally competitive industry and research expertise in bio-sciences. These include healthcare and medical research, bio-renewables, environmental research, along with IT and creative technologies. In terms of tourism, York has museums devoted to its Roman, Viking and medieval English heritage, along with a historic centre and cathedral. In 2010, the York launched a failed to bid to have the centre classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Beyond the city, there are a variety of stately homes, scenic parks and Fountains Abbey, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. York hosted a stage of the 2014 Tour de France.

From the employment perspective, the state sector is by far the major provider in York—between the city authorities and the health and education sectors. Railway companies, British Telecom and financial service providers are other significant employers. The York Science Park is home to more than 100 companies in the science and technology sector.