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York is a city in Northern England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. The York urban area has a population of 137,505 whilst the entire unitary authority (see below) has a population of 184,900. Its geographic coordinates are 53°57′N 1°05′W.

York is the traditional county town of Yorkshire, to which it lends its name. However, it did not form part of any of the three historic divisions of Yorkshire; known as ridings.

Traditionally the term City of York was reserved for the area within the city walls (a small area outside of the walls, the Ainsty, was often associated with the City, resulting in the term the City and Ainsty of York), but the modern City of York, created on April 1, 1996, is much larger. It is a unitary authority, and apart from York itself, includes several neighbouring parishes which formerly belonged to the surrounding districts of Harrogate, Ryedale and Selby. It borders on North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

York is home to the University of York founded in 1963, and York St John University which gained university status in 2006.

The name 'York' has an interesting etymological history, ultimately deriving from the Latin name for the city, Eboracum. The city was founded in AD 71, and has a rich Roman and Viking history, acting as capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior. It later became the seat of the Archbishop of York, whose province of York covers northern England, and acted as the centre for the Viking kingdom of Jorvik.

The historical aspects of York attract a great deal of tourism, the jewel in the crown being the city's historic cathedral church, York Minster.

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