Dundee, Scotland

Dundee is Scotland's fourth largest city. Its population is approximately 180,000 people. It is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, the estuary of the River Tay. Traditionally Dundee has been famous for three things: Jute, Jam and Journalism. However the Jute industry has relocated to Bangladesh, and the marmalade factory has been the victim of corporate takeovers. The only J left is Journalism and the city still supports a major firm which produces a wide spectrum of publications including newspapers, children's comics and magazines.

Dundee's link with jam stems from Janet Keiller's 1797 recipe for marmalade made from Seville oranges. Her son James Keiller industrialised the process.

Dundee's jute mills began to produce jute in the 1830s, initially to supplement linen production, although large numbers continued to be employed until they began to decline in the 1920s. The town now has a Museum of Dundee Textile Industries to commemorate the industry.

Journalism is still important in the city, as represented by DC Thomson & Co Ltd, producers of the Sunday Post, Dundee Courier and the childhood favourite, the Beano.

Dundee's other history includes its importance as a major shipbuilding centre on the river Tay. Scott of the Antarctic had his ship the Discovery built here, and the ship can still be seen in a visitor centre on the waterfront, along with information about its voyages. In 1878, the Tay Rail Bridge collapsed while a train full of passengers crossed it. This led to William McGonagall's infamous poem, The Tay Bridge Disaster, a classic case of horrible poetry.

Museums in the city include the McManus Galleries offering fine art and local and natural history displays, the 15th century Broughty Castle Museum, and Britain's only full-time public observatory, the Mills Observatory. The city also has many parks, and a busy shopping centre. Camperdown Park offers the attractions of a wildlife centre, and the Sensation Science Centre has many interactive science exhibits.

Dundee's two major football teams are unsurprisingly called Dundee and Dundee United.