Preston is a city and the
administrative centre of
Lancashire, England. On the north bank of the
River Ribble, it is an urban settlement and
unparished area that together with surrounding rural
civil parishes forms the
City of Preston local government district of Lancashire. The district obtained
city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of
Queen Elizabeth II's reign. Preston has a population of 114,300, the City of Preston district 132,000 and the Preston Built-up Area 313,322. The Preston Travel To Work Area, in 2011, had a population of 420,661 compared to 354,000 in the previous census.