City of Sunderland : Britain

City of Sunderland : Britain
The metropolitan district City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, North East, England was created in 1974 by the merger of several districts of the traditional county of Durham. It includes the former county borough of Sunderland as well as Washington, Houghton-le-Spring and Hetton-le-Hole. The district had a population of 280,807 at the (2001 Census). The people of Sunderland are known as Mackems.
It was granted city status in 1992, the fortieth anniversary of the Queen’s accession. At the Queen’s Golden Jubilee the city petitioned to be allowed a Lord Mayor, but was unsuccessful.
The city is unparished, except that Hetton-le-Hole is a civil parish, and has a town council.
HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy’s biggest warship, is Sunderland’s adopted ship. In March 2004 it was granted the freedom of the City.
St Benedict Biscop was adopted as the City’s Patron Saint in March 2004.
Sunderland’s Twin Cities Are:
Essen, Germany
Saint-Nazaire, France