Bedfordshire | |
---|---|
![]() Location of Bedfordshire in England | |
Coordinates: 52°05′N 0°25′W / 52.083°N 0.417°W | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | East |
Established | Ancient |
Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
UK Parliament | List of MPs |
Police | Bedfordshire Police |
Largest town | Luton |
Ceremonial county | |
Lord Lieutenant | Susan Lousada |
High Sheriff | Russel Beard (2023-24) |
Area | 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) |
• Rank | 41st of 48 |
Population (2022)[1] | 715,940 |
• Rank | 36th of 48 |
Density | 580/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
Ethnicity | 72.0% White 16.6%. Asian 5.6% Black Mixed 3.8% 1.9% Other[2] |
Districts | |
![]() Districts of Bedfordshire Unitary | |
Districts |
Bedfordshire (/ˈbɛdfərdʃɪər, -ʃər/; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Luton (225,262),[3][not verified in body] and Bedford is the county town.[4]
The county has an area of 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) and had a population of 704,736 at the 2021 census.[2] Its other towns include Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Biggleswade, Houghton Regis, and Flitwick. Much of the county is rural. For local government purposes, Bedfordshire comprises three unitary authority areas: Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, and Luton.
The county's highest point is 243 m (797 ft) on Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns.[5]