Southampton is the largest city in the
ceremonial county of
Hampshire on the south coast of
England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of
Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the
New Forest. It lies at the northernmost point of
Southampton Water at the confluence of the
River Test and
River Itchen, with the
River Hamble joining to the south of the urban area. The city, which is a unitary authority, has an estimated population of 253,651. The city's name is sometimes abbreviated in writing to "So'ton" or "Soton", and a resident of Southampton is called a .