Newcastle upon Tyne, city, unitary authority in north-eastern England on the River Tyne. Newcastle upon Tyne is an important industrial, commercial, and transport centre, and handles passenger traffic to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway via the North Shields International Ferry terminal.
The city is on the high-speed East Coast railway line from London to Edinburgh, and has an international airport 10 km (6 mi) north of the city centre. The Tyne and Wear Metro, a rapid transport system, extends both north and south of the Tyne. More than 80 per cent of the local workforce is employed in the service sector, reflecting the city's importance as the region's main administrative centre: central and local government, education, and health services are major employers. In addition, Newcastle has become an important centre for tele-business operations for companies such as British Airways and Intercity. Manufacturing includes light engineering, ship repairs, machinery, and the production of pharmaceuticals. Major shopping precinct developments have led to the city becoming the fifth-largest shopping destination in Britain, and there are regular chartered shopping trips from Scandinavia and Iceland.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Newcastle upon Tyne Information info
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