Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom is a city (also known as The Six Towns or The Potteries) in the Midlands, United Kingdom. It is almost the same distance from all the major cities in the North/Midlands of the UK. The population is approximately 238,000 people. The city's motto is United Strength, or A United Force is Stronger. The area is a world center for fine ceramics, a skilled design trade in the area since at least the 12th century. A local business analysis declared Stoke-on-Trent to be the most cost-effective place to set up a new business. The city offers affordable property while being surrounded of extreme affluence. About 5,000,000 tourists visit each year, supporting 4,400 jobs. About 80 percent of visitors have been there before. The National Garden Festival in 1986 started the boom that now sustains pottery factories and shops. A study done in 2003-2004 indicated 1,000 active craft businesses and artists within a 10 mile radius of the city. The survey did not include thousands of ceramics companies