Dorset
Motto of County Council: Who's afear'd
Geography
Status	Ceremonial & (smaller) Non-metropolitan county
Origin	Historic
Region	South West England
Area - Total - Admin. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. council - Admin. area	Ranked 20th 2,653 km² (1,024 sq mi) Ranked 21st 2,542 km² (981 sq mi)
Admin HQ	Dorchester
ISO 3166-2	GB-DOR
ONS code	19
NUTS 3	UKK22
Demography
Population - Total (2005) - Density - Admin. This is a List of Ceremonial counties of England by Area. See also Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. This is a list of non-metropolitan counties of England by area Dorchester is a Market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 ISO 3166-2GB is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, ( NUTS) for the French nomenclature d'unités territoriales statistiques, is a Geocode In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume council - Admin. pop.	Ranked 32nd 701,100 265/km² (686/sq mi) Ranked 32nd 403,000
Ethnicity	98. This is a List of Ceremonial counties of England by Population. This is a list of non-metropolitan counties of England by population. 1% White
Politics
Dorset County Council http://www.dorsetforyou.com/
Executive	Conservative
Members of Parliament	Annette Brooke (LD) John Butterfill (C) Christopher Chope (C) Tobias Ellwood (C) Jim Knight (L) Oliver Letwin (C) Robert Syms (C) Robert Walter (C)
Districts
Weymouth and Portland West Dorset North Dorset Purbeck East Dorset Christchurch Bournemouth (Unitary) Poole (Unitary) Neighbouring counties are (A–D): Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire

Dorset (pronounced /ˈdɔːsɪt/) (or archaically, Dorsetshire), is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Annette Lesley Brooke (born 7 June 1947 is a British Politician. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Sir John Valentine Butterfill FRICS (born February 14, 1941, Surrey is a British Politician. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Christopher Robert Chope OBE (born 19 May 1947 is a British Barrister and Conservative Party Politician. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Tobias Martin Ellwood (born 12 August 1966) is a British Politician. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. James Knight known as Jim Knight (born 6 March 1965, Sidcup) is a British politician for the Labour Party who has been The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Oliver Letwin (born 19 May 1956, Hampstead) is the British Member of Parliament for West Dorset, Chairman of the Policy The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Robert Andrew Raymond Syms (born 15 August 1956, Chippenham) is a politician in the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Robert John Walter MP (born May 30 1948 in Swansea) is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North Dorset in south west England The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Demographics In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a Population of 92350 estimated to be 94000 As of 2004. Settlements Towns with a population over 2500 are in bold. Anderson, Ashmore Belchalwell Settlements Settlements with a Population over 2500 are in bold. Settlements Settlements with a population over 2500 are in bold. Geography and administration Although within the historic county boundaries of Hampshire, at the time of the 1974 local government re-organisation it was considered The Borough of Bournemouth has been a Unitary authority in South East Dorset since 1 April 1997 Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain In Language, an archaism is the use of a form of speech or writing that is no longer current The counties of England are territorial divisions of England for the purposes of administrative political and geographical demarcation South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The county town is Dorchester, situated in the south of the county at 50°43′00″N, 02°26′00″W. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Dorchester is a Market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 Between its extreme points Dorset measures 80 kilometres (50 mi) from east to west and 64 km (40 mi) north to south, and has an area of 2,653 square kilometres (1,024 sq mi). Dorset borders Devon to the west, Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north-east, and Hampshire to the east. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Around half of Dorset's population lives in the South East Dorset conurbation. The South east Dorset conurbation (also known as the South Dorset conurbation, Poole-Bournemouth urban area and Bournemouth urban area) is a multi-centred The rest of the county is largely rural with a low population density. Dorset's motto is 'Who's Afear'd'.

Dorset is famous for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, which features landforms such as Lulworth Cove, the Isle of Portland, Chesil Beach and Durdle Door, as well as the holiday resorts of Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Swanage, and Lyme Regis. The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Lulworth Cove is a Cove near the village of West Lulworth, on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in Dorset, south England The Isle of Portland ( is a limestone tied island long by wide in the English Channel. Chesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, is a Tombolo in Dorset, southern England. Durdle Door (sometimes spelled Durdle Dor) is a natural Limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. Poole ( is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast Swanage is a small coastal Town in the south east of Dorset, England. Lyme Regis (ˌlaɪmˈriːdʒɪs is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 Miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter Dorset is the principal setting of the novels of Thomas Hardy, who was born near Dorchester. Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw The county has a long history of human settlement and some notable archaeology, including the hill forts of Maiden Castle and Hod Hill. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Maiden Castle is a Hill fort, mostly dating from the Iron Age, in the Civil parish of Winterborne Monkton, situated 2 Miles south Hod Hill (or Hodd Hill) is a large Hill fort in the Blackmore Vale, 3  Miles north-west of Blandford Forum, Dorset

Contents 1 History 2 Physical geography 3 Demographics 4 Politics 5 Economy and industry 6 Culture 7 Settlements and communications 8 Education 9 See also 10 References and notes 10.1 Notes 10.2 References 11 External links

History

Main article: History of Dorset

The earliest recorded use of the name was in AD 940 as Dorseteschire, meaning the dwellers (saete) of 'Dornuuarana' (Dorchester)

The first known settlement of Dorset was by Mesolithic hunters, from around 8000 BC. Dorset is a Rural county in south west England whose Archaeology documents much of the history of southern England The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age Their populations were small and concentrated along the coast in the Isle of Purbeck, Weymouth and Chesil Beach and along the Stour valley. The Isle of Purbeck, not a true island but a Peninsula, is in the county of Dorset, England. Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast Chesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, is a Tombolo in Dorset, southern England. The River Stour is a 605 Mile (97 Km) long River which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and These populations used tools and fire to clear these areas of some of the native Oak forest. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Dorset's high chalk hills have provided a location for defensive settlements for millennia, there are Neolithic and Bronze Age burial mounds on almost every chalk hill in the county, and a number of Iron Age hill forts, the most famous being Maiden Castle. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Maiden Castle is a Hill fort, mostly dating from the Iron Age, in the Civil parish of Winterborne Monkton, situated 2 Miles south The chalk downs would have been deforested in the Iron Age, making way for agriculture and animal husbandry.

Dorset has notable Roman artefacts, particularly around the Roman town Dorchester, where Maiden Castle was captured from the Celtic Durotriges by a Roman Legion in 43 AD under the command of Vespasian, early in the Roman occupation. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Dorchester is a Market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Vespasian ( November 17 9 &ndash June 23 79) was a Roman Emperor who ^[1] Roman roads radiated from Dorchester, following the tops of the chalk ridges to the many small Roman villages around the county. In the Roman era, settlements moved from the hill tops to the valleys, and the hilltops had been abandoned by the fourth century. A large defensive ditch, Bokerley Dyke, delayed the Saxon conquest of Dorset from the north east for up to two hundred years. Bokerley Dyke is a Romano-British defensive ditch in north east Dorset, England, near the village Pentridge. The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. The Domesday Book documents many Saxon settlements corresponding to modern towns and villages, mostly in the valleys. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey There have been few changes to the parishes since the Domesday Book. Over the next few centuries the settlers established the pattern of farmland which prevailed into the nineteenth century. Many monasteries were also established, which were important landowners and centres of power.

In the 12th-century civil war, Dorset was fortified with the construction of the defensive castles at Corfe Castle, Powerstock, Wareham and Shaftesbury, and the strengthening of the monasteries such as at Abbotsbury. Several military conflicts are considered English civil wars: The Anarchy ( 1135 &ndash 1154) Corfe Castle is a Village, Civil parish and ruined Castle, in the English county of Dorset. Powerstock is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in a steep valley on the edge of the Dorset Downs five Miles north east of Wareham is a historic Market town and under the name Wareham Town, a Civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. Shaftesbury is a Town in North Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 Miles west of This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. This article is about a village in England For the suburb in Sydney Australia see Abbotsbury New South Wales Abbotsbury is a large Village In the 17th-century English Civil War, Dorset had a number of royalist strongholds, such as Sherborne Castle and Corfe Castle, which were ruined by Parliamentarian forces in the war. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. Sherborne Castle is a 16th-century Tudor Mansion southeast of Sherborne in Dorset, England. Corfe Castle is a Village, Civil parish and ruined Castle, in the English county of Dorset. " Roundheads " was the Nickname given to the Puritan supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. In the intervening years, the county was used by the monarchy and nobility for hunting and the county still has a number of Deer Parks. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy British nobility refers to the noble families of the United Kingdom. Throughout the late Mediaeval times, the remaining hilltop settlements shrank further and disappeared. From the Tudor to Georgian periods, farms specialised and the monastic estates were broken up, leading to an increase in population and settlement size. Social and economic revolution Following the Black Death Plagues and the agricultural depression of the late 14th century population growth The arts Especially during the mid-18th century the period was marked by cultural vibrancy with the establishment of the British Museum in 1753 and the contributions During the Industrial Revolution, Dorset remained largely rural, and retains its agricultural economy today. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The Tolpuddle Martyrs lived in Dorset, and the farming economy of Dorset was central in the formation of the trade union movement. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century British labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming

Physical geography

Main article: Geology of Dorset

Most of Dorset's landscape falls into two categories, determined by the underlying geology. Dorset, England, rests on a variety of different rock types which give the county its interesting landscapes and habitats. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit There are a number of large ridges of limestone downland, much of which have been cleared of the native forest and are mostly grassland and some arable agriculture. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 A downland is an area of open Chalk Hills This term is especially used to describe the Chalk countryside in southern England. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an Ecosystem associated with thin basic Soil, such as that on Chalk and Limestone In Geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to Plough) is an agricultural term meaning land that can be used for These limestone areas include a band of chalk which crosses the county from south-west to north-east incorporating Cranborne Chase, the Dorset Downs and Purbeck Hills. Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. Cranborne Chase ( is a Chalk Plateau in central southern England, straddling the counties Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire The Dorset Downs are an area of Chalk Downland in the centre of the county Dorset in south west England. The Purbeck Hills and South Dorset Downs are a ridge of Chalk downs in Dorset, England. Between the areas of downland are large, wide clay vales (primarily Oxford Clay with some Weald Clay and London Clay) with wide flood plains. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and Weald Clay is a Lower Cretaceous Sedimentary rock underlying areas of South East England. The London Clay is a Marine geological formation of Ypresian (Lower Eocene Epoch c ||-||-||-||-||-||-||-||}A floodplain, or flood plain, is flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a Stream or River that experiences occasional or periodic These vales are primarily used for dairy agriculture, dotted with small villages, farms and coppices. A dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal Milk &mdashmostly from goats or cows, but also from buffalo, Sheep Coppicing is a traditional method of Woodland management in which young tree stems are cut down to near ground level They include the Blackmore Vale (Stour valley) and Frome valley. The Blackmore Vale (less commonly spelt Blackmoor) is a Vale, or wide Valley, in North Dorset, and to a lesser extent South The River Stour is a 605 Mile (97 Km) long River which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and The River Frome (fruːm is a River in Dorset in the south of England.

South-east Dorset, around Poole and Bournemouth, lies on very non-resistant Eocene clays (mainly London Clay and Gault Clay), sands and gravels. The Eocene epoch (558 ± 02 - 339 ± 01 Ma) is a major division of the Geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in The London Clay is a Marine geological formation of Ypresian (Lower Eocene Epoch c The Gault Clay is a formation of stiff blue Clay deposited in a calm fairly deep water marine environment during the Lower Cretaceous Period (Upper and Middle Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Gravel is rock that is of a specific Particle size range In Geology, gravel is any loose rock that is larger than two millimeters (2mm These thin soils support a heathland habitat which supports all seven native British reptile species. Heaths are Shrubland habitats characterised by open low growing woody Vegetation, found on mainly infertile Acidic soils Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers The River Frome estuary runs through this weak rock, and its many tributaries have carved out a wide estuary. The River Frome (fruːm is a River in Dorset in the south of England. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river At the mouth of the estuary sand spits have been deposited turning the estuary into Poole Harbour, one of several worldwide which claim to be the second largest natural harbour in the world (after Sydney Harbour, though Sydney's claim is disputed). A spit is a deposition Landform found off Coasts. At one end spits connect to land while at the far end they exist in open water Poole Harbour is a large natural Harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney Australia The harbour is very shallow in places and contains a number of islands, notably Brownsea Island, famous for its Red Squirrel sanctuary and as the birthplace of the Scouting movement. Brownsea Island is the largest of the Islands in Poole Harbour in the county of Dorset, England. The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris) is a Species of Tree squirrel ( Genus Sciurus Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual The harbour, and the chalk and limestone hills of the Purbecks to the south, lie atop Britain's largest onshore oil field. The Isle of Purbeck, not a true island but a Peninsula, is in the county of Dorset, England. An oil field is a region with an abundance of Oil wells extracting Petroleum (crude oil from below ground The field, operated by BP from Wytch Farm, produces a high-quality oil and boasts the world's oldest continuously pumping well (Kimmeridge, since the early 1960s) and longest horizontal drill (8 km/5 mi, ending underneath Bournemouth pier). BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major Wytch Farm is an Oil field and processing facility in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. Kimmeridge is a small village in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England, situated on the English Channel Coast. A pier is a raised Walkway over water supported by widely spread Piles or pillars. The pottery produced by Poole Pottery from the local clays is famous for its quality. Pottery is the Ceramic ware made by potters It also refers to a group of materials that includes Earthenware, Stoneware Poole Pottery is a Pottery manufacturer based in Poole, Dorset, England.

Most of Dorset's coastline was designated a World Heritage Site in 2001 because of its geological landforms. Durdle Door (sometimes spelled Durdle Dor) is a natural Limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, "Natural Bridges" redirects here for the US National Monument see Natural Bridges National Monument. The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The coast documents the entire Mesozoic era from Triassic to Cretaceous, and has yielded many important fossils, including the first complete Ichthyosaur and fossilised Jurassic trees. The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Ichthyosaurs ( Greek for 'fish lizard' - ιχθυς / ichthyos meaning 'fish' and σαυρος / sauros meaning 'lizard' were giant The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning The coast also features examples of most notable coastal landforms, including a textbook example of cove (Lulworth Cove) and natural arch (Durdle Door). A cove is a circular or Oval Coastal Inlet with a narrow entrance Lulworth Cove is a Cove near the village of West Lulworth, on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in Dorset, south England "Natural Bridges" redirects here for the US National Monument see Natural Bridges National Monument. Durdle Door (sometimes spelled Durdle Dor) is a natural Limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, Jutting out into the English Channel is a limestone island, the Isle of Portland, connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach, a tombolo. The Isle of Portland ( is a limestone tied island long by wide in the English Channel. Chesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, is a Tombolo in Dorset, southern England. A tombolo is a deposition Landform such as a spit or bar which is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land

In the west of the county the chalk and clay of south-east England begins to give way to the marl and granite of neighbouring Devon. Marl or Marlstone is a Calcium carbonate or lime -rich mud or Mudstone which contains variable amounts of Clays and Aragonite Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Until recently Pilsdon Pen at 277 metres (909 ft), was thought to be the highest hill in Dorset, but recent surveys have shown nearby Lewesdon Hill to be higher, at 279 metres (915 ft). Pilsdon Pen is a 277 metre (909 ft hill in West Dorset, England. Lewesdon Hill is about 4 km west of Beaminster in south west Dorset, England. Lewesdon is also a Marilyn. A Marilyn is a type of Mountain or Hill in Great Britain, Ireland or surrounding islands with a relative height of at least 150 metres

The county has the highest proportion of conservation areas in England— including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (44% of the whole county),^[2] a World Heritage Site (114 km/71 mi),^[3] two Heritage Coasts (92 km/57 mi)^[3] and Sites of Special Scientific interest (199. A conservation area is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A Heritage Coast is a strip of UK Coastline designated by the Countryside Agency in England and the Countryside Council for Wales as having notable A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. 45 km²/49,285 acres). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U ^[4] The South West Coast Path, a National Trail, runs along the Dorset coast from the Devon boundary to South Haven Point near Poole. The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. Poole ( is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England

The climate of Dorset has warm summers and mild winters, being the third most southern county in the UK, but not westerly enough to be afflicted by the Atlantic storms that Cornwall and Devon experience. Lulworth Cove is a Cove near the village of West Lulworth, on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in Dorset, south England A cove is a circular or Oval Coastal Inlet with a narrow entrance concordant coastline occurs where the bands of differing rock types run parallel to the Coast. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Dorset shares the greater winter warmth of the south-west (average 4. 5 to 8. 7 °C or 40° to 48 °F),^[5] while still maintaining higher summer temperatures than that of Devon and Cornwall (average highs of 19. 1 to 22. 2 °C or 66° to 72 °F). ^[6] The average annual temperature of the county is 9. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature 8 to 12 °C (50°–54 °F), apart from the Dorset Downs. The Dorset Downs are an area of Chalk Downland in the centre of the county Dorset in south west England. ^[7] In coastal areas around Dorset it almost never snows.

The south coast counties of Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent enjoy more sunshine than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, receiving 1541–1885 hours. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Settlements Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or are situated in the M23 corridor East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[8] Average annual rainfall varies across the county—southern and eastern coastal areas receive as little as 741 mm (29. 2 in) per year, while the Dorset Downs receive between 1,061 and 1,290 mm (41. 7–50. 8 in) per year; less than Devon and Cornwall to the west but more than counties to the east. ^[9]

Demographics

Dorset has a population of 407,217, plus 165,370 in Bournemouth and 137,562 in Poole (total 710,149—mid-year estimates for 2006). In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. Poole ( is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England The following statistics exclude Poole and Bournemouth, which are no longer part of the administrative county. 98. 7% of Dorset's population are of white ethnicity, an extreme example of the disproportionately small ethnic minority population in rural areas. 78% of the population are Christian and 13. This article is about the development of religion in the United Kingdom (UK since its formation in 1707 7% are not religious. Dorset has the highest proportion of elderly people of any county in the United Kingdom: 27. 4% of the population are over 65. ^[10]

The county has one of the lowest birth rates of the 34 shire English counties, at 8. Crude birth rate is the natality or Childbirths per 1000 people per year The counties of England are territorial divisions of England for the purposes of administrative political and geographical demarcation 7 births per 1000, compared to the England and Wales average of 12. History The Roman occupation of Britain was the first period in which the area of present-day England and Wales was administered as a single unit (with the exception 1/1000. ^[10] It has the third highest mortality rate (12. 0/1000), behind East Sussex and Devon. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name ^[10] In 1996 deaths exceeded births by 1,056, giving a natural population decline of 2. 7 per 1000, however, in 1997 there were 7,200 migrants moving to Dorset and the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation, giving Dorset the second highest net population growth, behind Cambridgeshire, at 17. The South east Dorset conurbation (also known as the South Dorset conurbation, Poole-Bournemouth urban area and Bournemouth urban area) is a multi-centred History Cambridgeshire is noted as the site of some of the earliest known Neolithic permanent settlement in the United Kingdom, along with sites at Fengate 3‰. ^[11][12]

Politics

Dorset County Council is based at County Hall in Dorchester. Following the local council elections in May 2005, 24 Conservative, 16 Liberal Democrat, four Labour and one independent councillor sit on the county council. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the All Labour councillors were elected in the built up area of Weymouth and Portland; rural areas elected Conservatives and Liberal Democrat councillors.

This pattern is repeated at the national level. South Dorset is represented in Parliament by Labour MP Jim Knight, though this constituency was Labour's smallest majority and was one of the most fiercely contested seats in the General Election of 2005. South Dorset is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. James Knight known as Jim Knight (born 6 March 1965, Sidcup) is a British politician for the Labour Party who has been ^[13] In the event, the seat went against the national trend and Mr Knight's majority increased slightly on a swing from the Conservatives. ^[14] In all other Dorset constituencies, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are the most successful parties: Mid-Dorset and North Poole is represented by the Liberal Democrats, and West Dorset, Christchurch and North Dorset by the Conservatives. Mid Dorset and North Poole is a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. West Dorset is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which covers almost the same geographical Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. North Dorset is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The built up area of Poole and Bournemouth is divided into three constituencies, Bournemouth East, Bournemouth West and Poole, all of which are represented by Conservative MPs. Bournemouth East is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Bournemouth West is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Poole is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Dorset, the rest of the south west, and Gibraltar are in the South West England constituency of the European Parliament. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU ^[15]

Economy and industry

In 2003 the gross value added (GVA) for the county was £4,673 million, with an additional £4,705 million for Poole and Bournemouth. This article is about a village in England For the suburb in Sydney Australia see Abbotsbury New South Wales Abbotsbury is a large Village Gross Value Added or GVA is a measure in Economics of the value of goods and services produced in an area or sector of an Economy. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency ^[16] 4% of GVA was produced by primary industry, 26% from secondary industry and 70% from tertiary industry. The average GVA for the 16 regions of South West England was £6,257 million. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to The GVA per person is £11,475 for Dorset, £15,532 for Poole and Bournemouth, £15,235 for the South West and £16,100 for the UK.

The principal industry in Dorset was once agriculture. It has not, however, been the largest employer for many decades as mechanisation has substantially reduced the number of workers required. Mechanization or mechanisation ( BE) is providing human operators with machinery to assist them with the physical requirements of work Agriculture has become less profitable and the industry has declined further. Between 1995 and 2003 GVA for primary industry (largely agriculture with some fishing and quarrying) declined from £229 to 188 million—7. 1% to 4. 0% of the county's GVA. In 2002, 1,903 km² (735 sq mi) of the county was in agricultural use, down from 1,986 km² (767 sq mi) in 1989, although the figure has fluctuated somewhat. Cattle is the most common animal stock in the county, their numbers fell from 240,413 to 178,328 in the same period; the dairy herds fell from 102,589 to 73,476. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family A dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal Milk &mdashmostly from goats or cows, but also from buffalo, Sheep Sheep and pig farming has declined similarly. Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times

West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust employs around 2,500 multi-disciplinary staff; the majority at the 500-bed Dorset County Hospital which provides a turnover of £76 million. Dorset County Hospital is an NHS district general hospital in the town of Dorchester Dorset, England and is operated by West Dorset General Hospitals ^[17] This new hospital was a larger replacement for Dorchester Hospital, which was built in 1840, and closed in 1998. The Dorchester Hospital (also originally known as Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester Dorset, England served the local area for many years before being finally

One of Dorset's famous products is the Dorset Knob, a hard biscuit. A Dorset Knob is a hard dry savoury Biscuit made by Moores Biscuits in Dorset, England, in Morcombelake four miles west of It can be used as an accompaniment to cheese, especially the local Dorset cheese, Blue Vinney. Cheese is a Food made from Milk, usually the milk of cows, Buffalo, Goats or sheep, by coagulation. Dorset blue vinney (frequently spelled "vinny" is a traditional blue Cheese made in Dorset, England, from skimmed cows' milk

Tourism has grown as an industry in Dorset since the early 19th century. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel 4. 2 million British tourists and 260,000 foreign tourists visited the county in 2002, spending a combined total of £768 million. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency Foreign tourism declined in 1999 (310,000, down from 410,000 in 1998), and again in 2002 (down from 320,000 in 2001), the latter decline being blamed on the effects of the global economy and security.

Dorset has little manufacturing industry, at 14. 6% of employment (compared to 18. 8% for the UK), and is ranked 30th out the 34 non-metropolitan English counties. The gross domestic product for the county is 84% that of the national average.

Dorset will host an Olympic event at the 2012 Summer Olympics – sailing – at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in Portland Harbour. Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a centre for the sport of sailing on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. Weymouth and Portland's waters have been credited by the Royal Yachting Association as the best in Northern Europe. Weymouth Bay is a sheltered Bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset. The Royal Yachting Association ( RYA) is the national governing body for Watersports in the United Kingdom. ^[18]

Culture

As a largely rural county, Dorset has fewer major cultural institutions than larger or more densely populated areas. Cerne Abbas is a Village located in the Valley of the River Cerne, between steep Chalk Downland in central Dorset, Major venues for concerts and theatre include Poole Borough Council's Lighthouse arts centre, Bournemouth's BIC and Pavilion Theatre, Wimborne's Tivoli Theatre, and the Pavilion theatre in Weymouth. The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC is one of the leading venues for conferences exhibitions entertainment and events in Southern England The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom is Bournemouth 's traditional venue for year round entertainment The Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, was built in Wimborne Minster in 1936 as a Theatre and cinema. The Weymouth Pavilion, formerly the Ritz was a Theatre that opened in 1908 Dorset's most famous cultural institution is perhaps the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1893 and now one of the country's most celebrated orchestras. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English Orchestra. The orchestra was originally based in Bournemouth, but in 1979 moved its offices to the adjacent

Dorset is not especially famous in sport, though Football League One A.F.C. Bournemouth, Conference National Weymouth F.C., and minor county cricket club Dorset CCC play in the county. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons is the second-highest division of The Football AFC Bournemouth are an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. Conference National (currently named the Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons is the top division of the Football Conference. Weymouth FC, also known as "The Terras" are a Dorset -based English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who play in the County cricket is the highest level of domestic Cricket in England and Wales Dorset County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic Cricket structure representing The county is notable for its watersports, however, which take advantage of the sheltered waters of Weymouth and Poole bays, and Poole and Portland Harbours. Weymouth Bay is a sheltered Bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset. Poole Bay is a bay in the English Channel, off the coast of Dorset in southern England, which runs from the mouth of Poole Harbour Poole Harbour is a large natural Harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England.

Dorset is famed in literature for being the native county of author and poet Thomas Hardy, and many of the places he describes in his novels in the fictional Wessex are in Dorset. Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created A poet is a person who writes Poetry. Etymology From the Ancient greek: ποιέω, poieō: "I make or compose" Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw The English author Thomas Hardy set all of his major novels in the south and southwest of England. The National Trust owns Thomas Hardy's Cottage, in woodland east of Dorchester, and Max Gate, his former house in Dorchester. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales Thomas Hardy's Cottage, in Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, is the birthplace of the English author Thomas Hardy. Max Gate is the former home of Thomas Hardy and is located in Dorchester, Dorset, England. Several other writers have called Dorset home, including Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), who lived in Stalbridge for a time; Ian Fleming (James Bond), who boarded at Durnford School, poet William Barnes; Theodore Francis Powys; John le Carré, author of espionage novels; Tom Sharpe of Wilt fame lives there as does P.D. James (Children of Men); satirical novelist Thomas Love Peacock; John Fowles (The French Lieutenant's Woman), lived in Lyme Regis before he died in late 2005; John Cowper Powys, who set a number of his most famous novels in Dorset and Somerset; and Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde while living in Bournemouth. Douglas Noël Adams (11 March 1952 &ndash 11 May 2001 was an English author comic Radio dramatist The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series Stalbridge is a small town and Parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale area of North Dorset district near Ian Lancaster Fleming ( May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, Journalist and Second World War James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story The Old Malthouse School (The OMH was a preparatory school in the Village of Langton Matravers near Swanage in the Isle of Purbeck William Barnes (22nd February 1801 - 7th October 1886 was an English Writer, Poet, minister and Philologist. Theodore Francis Powys (1875-1953 was a British writer a younger brother of John Cowper Powys. John le Carré is the Pseudonym of David John Moore Cornwell (born October 19, 1931 in Poole, Dorset, England Tom Sharpe (born 30 March 1928 is an English satirical Author, born in London and educated at Lancing College and at Pembroke WILT (1045 FM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Hits format Phyllis Dorothy James Baroness James of Holland Park, OBE, FRSA, FRSL (born 3 August, 1920) is an English Crime writer Children of Men is a 2006 dystopian Science fiction Film co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human Thomas Love Peacock ( October 18, 1785 - January 23, 1866) was an English satirist and Author. John Robert Fowles ( March 31, 1926 &ndash November 5, 2005) was an English Novelist and Essayist. The French Lieutenant's Woman is a 1969 novel by John Fowles. Lyme Regis (ˌlaɪmˈriːdʒɪs is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 Miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter John Cowper Powys (ˌdʒɒn ˌkuːpɚ ˈpoʊɪs ( October 8, 1872 - June 17, 1963) was a British writer lecturer and philosopher Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (13 November 1850–3 December 1894 was a Scottish novelist poet and travel writer, and a representative of Neo-romanticism in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a Novella written by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and first published in 1886 Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England.

Dorset is also the birthplace of artist Sir James Thornhill, musicians John Eliot Gardiner, P.J. Harvey and Robert Fripp, photographer Jane Bown, palaeontologist Mary Anning and archbishops John Morton and William Wake. The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of Activities to do with creating Art, practicing the Arts and/or demonstrating See also English school of painting Sir James Thornhill ( 25 July 1675 or 1676 – May 4, 1734) was an English Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE FKC (born April 20, 1943, Fontmell Magna, Dorset Polly Jean Harvey (born 9 October 1969) is an English Musician and Songwriter. Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England) is a Guitarist, Composer and a Record Photography (fә'tɒgrәfi or fә'tɑːgrәfi (from Greek φωτο and γραφία is the process and Art of recording pictures by means of capturing Jane Bown (born 1925 is a British photographer who has worked for The Observer newspaper in the United Kingdom since 1949 Palaeontology redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Palaeontology (journal. Mary Anning ( May 21, 1799 &ndash March 9, 1847) was an early British Fossil collector and paleontologist. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead This article is about the 15th century English Bishop for other uses see John Morton (disambiguation. William Wake ( 26 January 1657 &ndash 24 January 1737) was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury Explorer Sir Walter Raleigh lived in Dorset for some of his life, while scientist and philosopher Robert Boyle lived in Stalbridge Manor for a time. This list of explorers is sorted by surname See also the links below. Sir Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (c 1552 – 29 October 1618 was a famed English writer Poet, Soldier, Courtier and Explorer A scientist, in the broadest sense refers to any person that engages in a systematic activity to acquire Knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Robert Boyle was a Natural philosopher, chemist physicist inventor and early Gentleman scientist, noted for his work in Physics and Chemistry Dorset is a popular home for celebrities. Those who have moved to or own second homes in Dorset include Madonna and Guy Ritchie, actor Martin Clunes, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, Jonathan Ross, Oasis singer Noel Gallagher and footballer Jamie Redknapp. Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire) is an English Screenwriter and Film director. Martin Alexander Clunes (born 28 November 1961 is a BAFTA and SAG award-winning English actor and Comedian. Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who Jonathan Stephen Ross OBE (born 17 November 1960 in London, England) is a triple BAFTA -winning British Oasis are an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991 Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967 in Manchester, England is the lead guitarist backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Oasis Jamie Frank Redknapp (born 25 June 1973 in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire) is a former English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005 ^[19] Many of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's television programmes are filmed at his home, just outside of Bridport. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (born 14 January 1965) is a British Celebrity chef, television presenter and "real food" campaigner known Bridport is a town in Dorset, England. Located near the Coast at the Western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the rivers Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web lived in Colehill near Wimborne. Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee OM KBE FRS FREng FRSA (born 8 June 1955 is an English computer scientist who is credited The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked Hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. For the Irish Village see Colehill County Longford Colehill is a Parish, neighbouring Wimborne Minster, in Dorset, England This article is about the town Wimborne Minster For the church of Wimborne Minster see Wimborne Minster. Classical composer Muzio Clementi lived and worked near Blandford in Dorset. Muzio Clementi (23 January 1752 &ndash 10 March 1832 was a classical Composer, and acknowledged as the first to write specifically for the Piano.

Settlements and communications

Main articles: List of places in Dorset and Transport in Dorset

Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns, and no cities. This is a list of settlements and other places in Dorset, England. Dorset is a county in South West England. The county is largely rural and therefore does not have a dense transport network and is one of the few English counties Shaftesbury is a Town in North Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 Miles west of Fortuneswell is the largest of eight Villages on the Isle of Portland, just off the coast of Dorset in the English Channel. Chesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, is a Tombolo in Dorset, southern England. Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast The largest conurbation is the South East Dorset conurbation which consists of the seaside resort of Bournemouth, the historic port of Poole and the town of Christchurch plus many villages. A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population The South east Dorset conurbation (also known as the South Dorset conurbation, Poole-Bournemouth urban area and Bournemouth urban area) is a multi-centred A seaside resort is a Resort located on the Coast. Where a Beach is the primary focus for Tourists it may be called a beach resort Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. Poole ( is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England Geography and administration Although within the historic county boundaries of Hampshire, at the time of the 1974 local government re-organisation it was considered Bournemouth was created in the Victorian era when sea bathing became popular. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities As an example of how affluent the area has become, Sandbanks in Poole was worthless land unwanted by farmers in the nineteenth century, but is said to be amongst the highest land values by area in the world. Sandbanks is a small piece of land on the edge of England jutting out over the mouth of Poole Harbour on the English Channel coast at Poole in ^[20] Bournemouth and Christchurch were added to the county from Hampshire in the county boundary changes of 1974. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain

The other two major settlements in the county are Dorchester, (the county town), and Weymouth, one of the first tourist towns, frequented by George III, and still very popular today. Dorchester is a Market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel George III (George William Frederick 4 June 1738 George III's long reign was marked by a series of military conflicts involving his kingdom much of the rest of Europe and places Blandford Forum, Sherborne, Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton are historical market towns which serve the farms and villages of the Blackmore Vale (Hardy's Vale of the Little Dairies). Sherborne is an affluent Market town in north west Dorset, England, situated on the River Yeo Not to be confused with Gillingham Kent Gillingham ( is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. Shaftesbury is a Town in North Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 Miles west of Sturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets Blandford is home to the Badger brewery of Hall and Woodhouse. Hall and Woodhouse is a British Regional brewery founded in 1777 by Charles Hall in Blandford Forum, Dorset, UK. Bridport, Lyme Regis, Wareham and Wimborne Minster are also market towns. Bridport is a town in Dorset, England. Located near the Coast at the Western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the rivers Lyme Regis (ˌlaɪmˈriːdʒɪs is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 Miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter Wareham is a historic Market town and under the name Wareham Town, a Civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. This article is about the town Wimborne Minster For the church of Wimborne Minster see Wimborne Minster. Lyme Regis and Swanage are small coastal towns popular with tourists. Swanage is a small coastal Town in the south east of Dorset, England.

Still in construction on the western edge of Dorchester is the experimental new town of Poundbury, commissioned and co-designed by Prince Charles. A new town, planned community or planned city is a City, Town, or Community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically Poundbury is an experimental New town — or more correctly a new Village — on the outskirts of Dorchester in the County of Dorset The suburb is designed to integrate residential and retail buildings and counter the growth of dormitory towns and car-oriented development.

Dorset is connected to London by two main railway lines. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. The West of England Main Line runs through the north of the county at Gillingham and Sherborne. The West of England Main Line is a British railway line running from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. The South Western Main Line runs through the south at Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and the terminus at Weymouth. The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. Additionally, the Heart of Wessex Line runs from Weymouth to Bristol. The Heart of Wessex Line, also known as the Bristol to Weymouth line, is a United Kingdom railway line that runs from Bristol to Westbury Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Dorset is one of only four non metropolitan counties in England not to have a single motorway. The A303, A31 and A35 trunk roads run through the county. The A303 is a Trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The A31 is a major Trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset. The A35 is a Trunk road in southern England, running from Honiton in Devon, that then passes through Dorset and terminates in Southampton A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major Road &mdashusually connecting two or more cities, Ports Airports The only passenger airport in the county is Bournemouth International Airport, and there are two passenger sea ports, at Poole and Weymouth. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land For the World War II use of this facility see RAF Hurn Bournemouth Airport (previously known as Hurn Airport) is an airport ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo

Education

Responsibility for education in Dorset is divided between three local authorities, previously referred to as LEAs: the Unitary authorities of Bournemouth and Poole, and Dorset County Council which covers the rest of the county. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The county of Dorset has a comprehensive education system, primarily based on First, Middle and Upper schools, with transfer between schools at age 9 and 13. A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic First school and lower school are terms used in some areas of the United Kingdom to describe the first stage of Primary education. Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School Upper Schools tend to be schools within Secondary education. Outside England the term normally refers to a section of a larger school This system has allowed the predominantly rural county to provide early years education close to home, and to minimise transport requirements for older students. As school populations have fallen in parts of the county, however, the authority has begun to reintroduce a primary/secondary system with transfer at age 11, particularly in the more urban areas such as in Blandford. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Australia See also Education There are 19 state and 8 independent upper or secondary schools in Dorset, with year sizes in the state schools of around 200. State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from privately An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local Government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges gifts and As a comparison, Bournemouth has a selective system, with 10 state and 2 independent secondary schools, and Poole also has a selective system, with 8 state and 2 independent secondary schools - both councils have two single-sex selective grammar schools. A selective school is a school which admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria usually academic West Dorset has the biggest school population - almost twice that of any other district. None of the three secondary schools in the Weymouth and Portland district has a sixth form, nor does one school in the North Dorset district. The sixth form, in the English, Welsh and Northern Irish education systems Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Belize Purbeck and East Dorset districts only have two secondary schools. Bournemouth University is the Dorset's only university-level institution. Bournemouth University is a University in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK (although its main campus is actually situated in

See also

• Flag of Dorset
• List of Dorset beaches
• List of Dorset schools
• List of places of interest and tourist attractions in Dorset
• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Dorset
• West Country dialects

References and notes

Notes

References

External links

• Full list of Dorset links at dmoz.org
• Dorset travel guide from Wikitravel
• Dorset County Council
• Dorset County Museum
• The Dorset Echo
• Dorchester County Hospital
• Dorset Wildlife Trust
• BBC Dorset 'Where I Live' website
• Dorset Family History - Online Parish Clerk Project (OPC)
• Dorset Echo — Dorset Beach Guide
• Dorset Genealogy heraldry and history
• FlagForDorset website forum

Photographs

• Aerial photographs
• Information and photographs of Dorset
• Photographs by Wikipedian Steinsky
• Photographs
• Photographs
• Photographs

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