CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge is a university city and the county town of Cambridgeshire,

England, on the River Cam about 50 miles (80 km) north of London. At
the United Kingdom Census 2011, its population was 123,867, including
24,488 students.
The city is located in an area of level and relatively low-lying terrain just
south of the Fens, which varies between 6 and 24 metres (20 and 79 ft)
above sea level The town was thus historically surrounded by low lying
wetlands that have been drained as the town has expanded.[47]

The underlying geology of Cambridge consists of gault clay and Chalk

Marl, known locally as Cambridge Greensand, partly overlaid by terrace
gravel. A layer of phosphatic nodules (coprolites) under the marl were
mined in the 19th century for fertiliser. It became a major industry in
the county, and its profits yielded buildings such as the Corn Exchange,
Fulbourn Hospital and St. John's Chapel until the Quarries Act 1894 and
competition from America ended production.

The River Cam flows through the city from the village of Grantchester,
to the southwest. It is bordered by water meadows within the city such
as Sheep's Green as well as residential development. Like most cities,
modern-day Cambridge has many suburbs and areas of high-density
housing. The city centre of Cambridge is mostly commercial, historic
buildings, and large green areas such as Jesus Green, Parker's Piece and
Midsummer Common. Many of the roads in the centre are
pedestrianised. Population growth has seen new housing developments
in the 21st century, with estates such as the CB1 and Accordia schemes
near the station, and developments such as Great Kneighton, formally
known as Clay Farm, and Trumpington Meadows currently under
construction in the south of the city. Other major developments
currently being constructed in the city are Darwin Green (formerly
NIAB), and University-led developments at West Cambridge and North
West Cambridge.

The entire city centre, as well as parts of Chesterton, Petersfield, West

Cambridge, Newnham, and Abbey, are covered by an Air Quality
Management Area, implemented to counter high levels of nitrogen
dioxide in the atmosphere.