Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about 12 miles (19 km) east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent. 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 of 140,200, making it the seventh most populous 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. For European statistical purposes, Newport is included within the Cardiff and South Wales valleys metropolitan area, which has a population of nearly 1.1 million.