west dorset

olspan=2 align=center bgcolor="#ff9999"\|West Dorset District
olspan=2 align=center\| Shown within Dorset
olspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"\|Geography
idth="45%"\|Status:	District
a href="/encyclopedia/Regions-of-England" title="Regions of England">Region:	South West England
dmin. County:	Dorset
a href="/encyclopedia/Surface-area" title="Surface area">Area: - Total	Ranked 20th 1,081.48 km²
dmin. HQ:	Dorchester
a href="/encyclopedia/ONS-coding-system" title="ONS coding system">ONS code:	19UH
olspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"\|Demographics
a href="/encyclopedia/Population" title="Population">Population: - Total (2002 est.) - Density	Ranked 233rd 94,007 87 / km²
thnicity:	98.7% White
olspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"\|Politics
olspan=2 align=center\| West Dorset District Council http://www.westdorset-dc.gov.uk/
a href="/encyclopedia/Local_government_in_England#Councils_and_councillors" title="Local_government_in_England#Councils_and_councillors">Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
xecutive:	Conservative
a href="/encyclopedia/MPs-elected-in-the-UK-general-election,-2001" title="MPs elected in the UK general election, 2001">MPs:	Jim Knight, Oliver Letwin

West Dorset is a local government district in Dorset, England. Its council is based in Dorchester.

Demographics

In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a population of 92,350, estimated to be 94,000 as of 2004. The population structure reflects the rural nature of the district. 52% of the population are female. The area is a popular retirement area which also exports young people due the low choice of career options. This is reflected in the age structure, with 12.3% of the population over 75, compared to 7.5% in England; 51.7% are between 15 and 59, compared to 59.1% in England. 34.4% of dwellings are pensioner households, compared to 23.8% in England. The district is an extreme example of the low ethnic minority populations in rural areas, with 96.7% white British ethnicity, compared to 87.0% in England. The district has a high level of car ownership, at 83.1% of households compared to 73.2% in England.

Settlements

The main settlements in West Dorset are Dorchester, the county town of Dorset, in the south of the district, an important settlement since Roman times. In the north of the district Sherborne is an important market town which was, for a time, the capitol of Wessex. Lyme Regis and Bridport are tourist towns on the Jurassic Coast in the south of the district.

Settlements with a population over 2,500 are in 'bold'.

Abbotsbury, Allington, Alton Pancras, Askerwell
Batcombe, Beaminster, Beer Hackett, Bettiscombe, Bincombe, Bishops Caundle, Bothenhampton, Bradford Abbas, Bradford Peverell, Bradpole, Bridport, Broadmayne, Broadwindsor, Buckland Newton, Burstock, Burton Bradstock, Castleton, Cattistock, Caundle Marsh, Cerne Abbas, Charminster, Charmouth, Cheselbourne, Chetnole, Chickerell, Chideock, Clifton Maybank, Compton Valence, Corscombe, Crossways
Dewlish, Dorchester
Evershot
Fleet, Folke, Frampton, Frome St Quintin, Frome Vauchurch
Godmanstone
Halstock, Hermitage, Hilfield, Holnest, Holwell, Hooke
Langton Herring, Leigh, Lillington, Littlebredy, Litton Cheney, Loders, Long Bredy, Longburton, Lyme Regis
Maiden Newton, Marshwood, Melbury Bubb, Melbury Osmond, Melcombe Horsey, Minterne Magna, Mosterton
Netherbury, Nether Compton
Oborne, Osmington, Over Compton, Owermoigne
Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, Portesham, Poundbury, Powerstock, Poyntington, Puddletown, Puncknowle, Purse Caundle
Rampisham, Ryme Intrinseca
Sandford Orcas, Seaborough, Sherborne, Shipton Gorge, South Perrott, Stanton St Gabriel, Stinsford, Stoke Abbott, Stratton, Swyre, Sydling St Nicholas, Symondsbury
Thorncombe, Thornford, Tincleton, Toller Porcorum, Tolpuddle, Trent
Warmwell, West Knighton, West Stafford, Whitechurch Canonicorum, Winterborne Monkton, Winterborne St Martin, Winterbourne Abbas, Winterbourne Steepleton, Woodsford, Wootton Fitzpaine
Yetminster

West Dorset

Demographics

Settlements

Places of intrest

See also