Oxford () is a city in the
South East region of England and the
county town of
Oxfordshire. With a population of 159,994 it is the 52nd largest city in the United Kingdom, and one of the fastest growing and most ethnically diverse. Oxford has a broad economic base. Its industries include motor manufacturing, education, publishing and a large number of information technology and science-based businesses, some being academic offshoots. The city is known worldwide as the home of the
University of Oxford, the oldest university in the
English-speaking world. Buildings in Oxford demonstrate notable examples of every
English architectural period since the late
Saxon period. Oxford is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by poet
Matthew Arnold.