Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

§ This page gives an overview of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. One of 361 district profiles on Baseview.

Overview ⁞ Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole form a large coastal district on the south coast of Dorset. Bournemouth is a major resort with sandy beaches, gardens, and a lively pier, while Poole is famous for its natural harbour, Brownsea Island, and maritime activities. Christchurch adds historic charm with its priory and riverside setting. The coastline features cliffs, bays, and nature reserves, while the New Forest lies nearby. This combined district balances urban vibrancy with seaside and natural landscapes.

The administrative boundary of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Map of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Administrative Boundary of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (Local Authority District)

Key Facts about Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

What region are Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in? Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are in the South West of England, a region within the UK.

What county is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in? Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is in the county of Dorset.

Is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole a city? No, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)

Who governs Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole? The local government for this district is: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (Unitary Authority).

▶ Official website of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council 🔗 bcpcouncil.gov.uk

Website of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Website of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (captured on 2025-09-20)

Which police force covers Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole? Policing in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is provided by Dorset Police 🔗 dorset.police.uk, which serves 2 local authority districts: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ⁞ Dorset.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in International Geographies

In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is an ITLs Level 3 area:

  1. (ITL 1) South West
  2. (ITL 2) ⇒ North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset
  3. (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.

This district page, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, is a sub-page of this county page: Dorset and this region page: South West. It zooms in to local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, and provides a list of wards in this district. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK local authority districts: List of Local Authority Districts.

Constituencies in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.

Wards in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is divided into 33 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.

  • Alderney & Bourne Valley
  • Bearwood & Merley
  • Boscombe East & Pokesdown
  • Boscombe West
  • Bournemouth Central
  • Broadstone
  • Burton & Grange
  • Canford Cliffs
  • Canford Heath
  • Christchurch Town
  • Commons
  • Creekmoor
  • East Cliff & Springbourne
  • East Southbourne & Tuckton
  • Hamworthy
  • Highcliffe & Walkford
  • Kinson
  • Littledown & Iford
  • Moordown
  • Mudeford, Stanpit & West Highcliffe
  • Muscliff & Strouden Park
  • Newtown & Heatherlands
  • Oakdale
  • Parkstone
  • Penn Hill
  • Poole Town
  • Queen's Park
  • Redhill & Northbourne
  • Talbot & Branksome Woods
  • Wallisdown & Winton West
  • West Southbourne
  • Westbourne & West Cliff
  • Winton East

In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data.

Parishes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is fully parished: 5 civil parishes, listed A-Z below.

  • Burton and Winkton
  • Christchurch
  • Highcliffe and Walkford
  • Hurn
  • Throop and Holdenhurst

A civil parish is the lowest tier of local government in England, used for villages, small towns, and suburbs. They have their own local authority, either a parish council or a parish meeting, which provides local services like managing parks, allotments, and streetlights, and represents the community's views to larger councils.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole compared with other districts in the UK

This section shows how Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has 33 electoral wards.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole compared with other districts
Smaller: 303  Similar: 14  Larger: 44 (compared with 361 districts)

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has a population of 408,967 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)

Population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole compared with other districts
Population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, compared with other districts in England and Wales

More local statistics and data for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole can be found on the ONS statistics for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.