Blackpool (pop. 141,036) is a popular British seaside resort in western Lancashire, England, on the Irish Sea coast. It became a unitary authority in 1988, with all local government powers within its boundaries. Blackpool lies about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Preston. It has fine, sandy beaches overlooked by an iron tower 520 feet (158 meters) high. The tower is based on the design of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Blackpool offers popular amusements on its piers, in its fairground, and in arcades along the part of the promenade known as the Golden Mile.
