Dover is a major
channel port in the county of
Kent. In 1991 it had a population of 34,200.
It is the closest
English point of proximity to
France and continental
Europe being only 21 miles (34 kilometres) from the french port of
Calais. It is famous for its
white cliffs[?], which are made of
chalk. The cliffs gave Britain its
nickname of
Albion, meaning "white".
Due to its closeness to continental Europe Dover is one of the busiest cross Channel ports of the United Kingdom, with millions of people passing through the town every year.
Regular Car Ferry services operate from Dover.
History
Dover has been an important port for millennia. The Romans were the first to record the town's existence, the Romans named it Dubris. And the town was the starting point of Watling Street. Although there is believed to have been settlements there since before the Roman period.
The Romans built a lighthouse in the grounds of what is now Dover Castle in around 50 AD, making it one of the oldest buildings in Britain.
On May 26, 1670 Charles II of England and Louis XIV of France secretly signed a treaty here which ended hostilities between their kingdoms.
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