Bournemouth

Bournemouth
Town
Top to bottom, left to right: The seafront, the town hall, St. Peter's Church, Bournemouth Pier, the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth Gardens
Bournemouth Coat of Arms
Bournemouth Location within Dorset
Area	15.54 sq mi (40.2 km2)
Population	196,455 (Built up area, 2021)[1]
Unitary authority	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BOURNEMOUTH
Postcode district	BH1-11
Dialling code	01202
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Bournemouth West, Bournemouth East
List of places UK England Dorset 50°43′12″N 1°52′48″W / 50.72001°N 1.87995°W / 50.72001; -1.87995

Bournemouth (/ˈbɔːrnməθ/ ^ⓘ BORN-məth) is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The built-up area had a population of 196,455 at the 2021 census, making it the largest town in Dorset. The town is part of the South East Dorset conurbation.

It was founded in 1810 as a health resort by Lewis Tregonwell, in an area of uninhabited heathland that was previously rarely visited other than by occasional fishermen and smugglers.^[2] Bournemouth grew into an important resort town, particularly following the arrival of the railway in 1870. It was historically part of Hampshire, but was transferred to Dorset in 1974. Bournemouth Borough Council was made a unitary authority in 1997, but was abolished in 2019 when the current unitary authority of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council was created, also covering Poole, Christchurch and adjoining areas.

Victorian architecture is notable in the town centre. The 202-foot (62 m) spire of St Peter's Church, one of three Grade I listed churches in the borough, is a local landmark. The town's location has made it a popular destination for tourists, attracting over five million visitors annually with its beaches and popular nightlife. It is also a regional centre of business, home of the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and a financial sector that is worth more than £1 billion in gross value added.