The town was traditionally located in the counties of Yorkshire and Durham. It was made part of Cleveland in 1974, and then became administered as a unitary authority in 1996.
Major industries in Stockton include ship-repairing, steel and chemicals.
The town is most famous for it's associations with the Stockton and Darlington Railway on which ran the world's first steam hauled passenger train in 1825. The town also has the world's oldest railway station building, and also contains much Georgian architecture.
It was also the home of John Walker, who invented the friction match in 1826.
The borough and county of Stockton-on-Tees contains, in addition to the town itself, Thornaby-on-Tees, Yarm, Billingdon. It also contains Teesside Airport.