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. This is one of 361 LAD 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.
Isles of Scilly Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Isles of Scilly local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of Isles of Scilly can also 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
Isles of Scilly is divided into 1 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
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. We have this list page for easy browsing of all electoral wards: List of all Electoral Wards in the UK.
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.
We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Post Towns in Isles of Scilly
Below is a list of post towns in Isles of Scilly, grouped by postcode area:
TR ▸ Isles of Scilly (TR21 / TR22 / TR23 / TR24 / TR25)
The UK postal hierarchy begins with broad postcode areas (such as “CB” or “M”), which are divided into smaller postcode districts (such as “CB8” or “M1”) to support accurate mail routing. Each postal address is anchored by a designated post town, the official locality name used in the UK postcode system, which operates independently from Local Authority Districts —the administrative boundaries used for council tax and local government services. Because they serve different purposes, a property’s postal address and its local authority district do not always align exactly.
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.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
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)
Population and Migration Trends in Isles of Scilly
This chart shows the population trend for Isles of Scilly from 2015 to 2024. It provides a quick overview of whether the local authority is growing, stable, or declining over time, and helps set context for the migration patterns shown below.
Population change is influenced by natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. The net migration chart below focuses on migration, separating internal migration (moves within the UK) from international migration (moves to and from abroad). Positive values indicate net inflows, while negative values indicate net outflows. The rate labels (per 1,000 residents) help compare migration intensity across years, even when the population size changes.
More local statistics and data for Isles of Scilly can be found on the ONS statistics for Isles of Scilly.