Dorset
§ This page provides an overview of a UK's local authority district, bringing together various information to help you better understand this district.
Dorset is a county district famed for its Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with dramatic cliffs, coves, and fossil-rich beaches. Landmarks include Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Chesil Beach, alongside seaside resorts like Weymouth and Lyme Regis. Inland, the landscape features rolling chalk hills, heathland, and the Blackmore Vale. Historic towns such as Dorchester, Sherborne, and Blandford Forum showcase heritage buildings and markets. The mix of coastline, countryside, and historic towns defines Dorset’s diverse geography.
The local government for this district is: Dorset Council (Unitary Authority).
Constituencies in Dorset
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 Dorset
Dorset is divided into 52 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Beacon
- Beaminster
- Blackmore Vale
- Blandford
- Bridport
- Chalk Valleys
- Charminster St Mary's
- Chesil Bank
- Chickerell
- Colehill & Wimborne Minster East
- Corfe Mullen
- Cranborne & Alderholt
- Cranborne Chase
- Crossways
- Dorchester East
- Dorchester Poundbury
- Dorchester West
- Eggardon
- Ferndown North
- Ferndown South
- Gillingham
- Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants
- Littlemoor & Preston
- Lyme & Charmouth
- Lytchett Matravers & Upton
- Marshwood Vale
- Melcombe Regis
- Portland
- Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- Radipole
- Rodwell & Wyke
- Shaftesbury Town
- Sherborne East
- Sherborne Rural
- Sherborne West
- South East Purbeck
- St Leonards & St Ives
- Stalbridge & Marnhull
- Stour & Allen Vale
- Sturminster Newton
- Swanage
- Upwey & Broadwey
- Verwood
- Wareham
- West Moors & Three Legged Cross
- West Parley
- West Purbeck
- Westham
- Wimborne Minster
- Winterborne & Broadmayne
- Winterborne North
- Yetminster
Dorset in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Dorset is within one of ITLs Level 2 area, North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset, that contains the following 4 ITLs Level 3 areas:
(ITL 1) South West
(ITL 2) ⇒ North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset
(ITL 3) ⇒⇒ North Somerset ⁞ Somerset ⁞ Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ⁞ Dorset
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.