Aberdeen

Scotland's third largest city, with a population of over 200,000 It is also referred to as the Granite City which refers to the grey granite which many of its building are built from. Much of the city's recent wealth stems from the oil trade. Aberdeen is renowned for its parks and gardens.

Industry
Aberdeen was once home to fishing, textile mills, ship building and paper making. But these industries have all but gone now and have been replaced with high technology developments in the electronics design and development industry, research in agriculture and fishing and oil industry which has been largely responsible for Aberdeen's economic boom in the last three decades. Fishing was once the predominant industry, but lately, catches have fallen due to over fishing in previous years, and the use of the harbour by oil support vessels. Aberdeen remains an important fishing port but is now eclipsed by the more northerly ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh. The discovery of significant oil deposits in the North Sea during the late 20th Century made Aberdeen the centre of Europe's petroleum industry. With the second largest heliport in the world and an important service ship harbour port serving oil rigs off-shore Aberdeen is often called the Oil Capital of Europe. There is a wide range of accomodation available including bed and breakfast, hotel accommodation, self catering, guest house, cottage, camping and caravan sites.

Geography
Aberdeen is known for its biting winds and driving rain. Extending to 71.22 square miles (184.46 km2), the city is built on many hills, with the original beginnings of the city growing from Castle Hill, St. Catherine's Hill and Windmill Hill (also known as the Gallowgate). The mean temperature is 8 C (47 F) and it varies between an average low of 5 C (41 F) and 11 C (52 F). In summer (June - August) the average high is 16 C (63 F) and average low 9 C (49 F). In winter (December - February) the average high is 6 C (43 F) and average low 0 C (33 F). The average annual rainfall is 753 millimetres (29.7 in). The wettest months are October and November.

History
The Aberdeen area has had human settlement for almost 8,000 years. The city itself began as two separate burghs: Old Aberdeen at the mouth of the river Don; and New Aberdeen, a fishing and trading settlement, where the Denburn waterway entered the river Dee estuary. The earliest charter was granted by King William the Lion in 1179. In 1319, the Great Charter of Robert the Bruce transformed Aberdeen into a property owning and financially independent community. During the Wars of Scottish Independence Robert the Bruce laid siege to Aberdeen Castle and massacred the English Garrison. The city was burned by Edward III of England in 1336, but was rebuilt and extended, and called New Aberdeen. A quarter of the population died in 1647 from an outbreak of bubonic plague, The 19th century saw a dramatic increase in the economic importance of Aberdeen. The development of the shipbuilding and fishing industries led to today's harbour. Today, although Old Aberdeen still has a separate charter and history, it and New Aberdeen are no longer truly distinct they are both part of the city.