Isles of Scilly
§ This page gives an overview of the Isles of Scilly 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 ⁞ The Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall, form an archipelago of over 100 islands, of which five are inhabited: St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher, and St Agnes. Known for their mild climate, white sandy beaches, and clear waters, the islands offer unique flora and fauna. Tresco Abbey Gardens showcases subtropical plants, while St Mary’s is the main hub with its harbour at Hugh Town. The islands are surrounded by rocky outcrops, wildlife sanctuaries, and scenic coastlines, giving them a character unlike anywhere else in England.
The administrative boundary of Isles of Scilly can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Isles of Scilly.
Key Facts about Isles of Scilly
What region is Isles of Scilly in? Isles of Scilly is in the South West of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Isles of Scilly in? Isles of Scilly is in the county of Cornwall.
Is Isles of Scilly a city? No, Isles of Scilly is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)
Who governs Isles of Scilly? The local government for this district is: Council of the Isles of Scilly (Unitary Authority).
▶ Official website of Council of the Isles of Scilly 🔗 scilly.gov.uk
Which police force covers Isles of Scilly? Policing in Isles of Scilly is provided by Devon & Cornwall Police 🔗 devon-cornwall.police.uk, which serves 12 local authority districts: Cornwall ⁞ East Devon ⁞ Exeter ⁞ Isles of Scilly ⁞ Mid Devon ⁞ North Devon ⁞ Plymouth ⁞ South Hams ⁞ Teignbridge ⁞ Torbay ⁞ Torridge ⁞ West Devon.
Isles of Scilly in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Isles of Scilly is within an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) South West
- (ITL 2) ⇒ Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
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.
Constituencies in Isles of Scilly
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 Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly is divided into 5 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Bryher
- St Agnes
- St Martin's
- St Mary's
- Tresco
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 Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly is fully parished: 5 civil parishes, listed A-Z below.
- Bryher
- St Agnes
- St Martin's
- St Mary's
- Tresco
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.
Built-up Areas in Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly covers 2 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Hugh Town
- Old Town
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Isles of Scilly.)
Isles of Scilly compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Isles of Scilly compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Isles of Scilly has 5 electoral wards.
Isles of Scilly has a population of 2,366 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
More local statistics and data for Isles of Scilly can be found on the ONS statistics for Isles of Scilly.