Portsmouth is a waterfront city located in southern England. It is actually an island city, completely surrounded by water, mostly by narrow creeks and marshes. The southern tip of Portsmouth is surrounded by the Solent, a water section of the English Channel that separates the nearby Isle of Wight from the rest of mainland England. Portsmouth has a population of about 200,000 people, and is one of 13 districts in Hampshire, the fifth most populous county in England.

Due to its waterfront location, Portsmouth has been dominated by a maritime economy. About 10 percent of the city’s workforce are employed Portsmouth Naval Dockyard, where the British defence company VT Group operates. Additionally, The Portsmouth Harbour is home to one of three operating bases of the Royal Navy, Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth.

Portsmouth is home to the European headquarters of IBM, and the UK headquarters of Zurich Financial Services.

The retail industry of Portsmouth thrives in the major shopping areas of Cascades Shopping Centre and Gunwharf Quays, with more than 160 total combined stores.

The largest higher education facility in the city is University of Portsmouth, which has nearly 20,000 students and is a popular choice among European Union members.

Rail transport in Portsmouth is available at the Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station, Portsmouth and Southsea Railway Station, Fratton Railway Station, Hilsea Railway Station and Cosham Railway Station.

Portsmouth has a massive ferry system with multiple operators providing transport to various locations. Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port has international links to Caen, Cherbourg-Octeville, St Malo and Le Havre in France, Bilbao in Spain and the Channel Islands. The operator Hovertravel provides service to nearby Ryde and Isle of Wight. There is also a ferry service to Gosport. Overall, Portsmouth has one of the busiest ferry systems in the United Kingdom with nearly 3 million annual users.

The major bus operator in Portsmouth is First Hampshire & Dorset.

The nearest airport is Southmapton Airport, which ranks as the 20th largest in the United Kingdom, handling about 2 million passengers a year.

The Spinnaker Tower is a major landmark of Portsmouth. The uniquely shaped structure is situated on the Portsmouth Harbour and overlooks the entire city.

Portsmouth has a rich naval history, for which most of the city’s tourist come to explore. Major attractions include D-Day museum, Royal Naval Museum and Southsea Castle and the historic dockyard which holds several warships. Portsmouth is also the birthplace of the famous English writer Charles Dickens, which attracts a significant tourist population.

Portsmouth Football Club compete in the English Premier League (top division of English Football) and play at the 20,500 capacity stadium Fratton Park. There are current plans to relocate to a new home ground.

Some major cultural venues in Portsmouth are The Wedgewood Rooms, The Pyramids and The Guildhall, which are all music-related.