Gloucester is the county town of Gloucestershire, and is the 53rd largest settlement in the UK by population. In 2001 the city had a population of 123,205. However the built-up area extends beyond the city boundary. The 2001 census gave the population of the whole “Gloucester Urban Area” as 136,203. Gloucester is also the most multicultural part of Gloucestershire.

It is located on the eastern bank of the River Severn, 114 miles (183 km) west north west of London. It is sheltered by the Cotswolds to the east, while the Forest of Dean and the Malvern Hills rise to the west and north, respectively.