Tynemouth (/ˈtaɪnmaʊθ/) is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, North East England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne, hence its name. It is 8 mi (13 km) east-northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne. Historically part of Northumberland until 1974, the town was a county borough which included the nearby town of North Shields. In 2001, the population of the town was recorded at 17,056.