Newport is a city standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about 12 miles east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire, Wales. The City of Newport, which includes rural areas as well as the built up area, is governed by the unitary Newport City Council, and has a population in excess of 140,000, making it the seventh most populated unitary authority in Wales.According to Census 2001 data the population of the core built-up area was 116,143, making it the third most populous city in Wales.