East of England

The East of England is a largely rural region known for its fertile farmland, historic cities, and long North Sea coastline. It includes world-famous sites such as Cambridge University and the coastal resorts of Great Yarmouth and Southend-on-Sea. The region’s flat fenland landscapes, market towns, and strong commuter links to London make it a popular area for both living and tourism. Its economy is diverse, spanning agriculture, technology, education, and financial services.

The region stretches from the fenlands of Cambridgeshire to the coastal areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. It has a combination of two-tier counties and unitary authorities shaped by local government reforms. Proximity to London has encouraged the growth of commuter towns and infrastructure improvements, while traditional county identities remain strong.

Ceremonial Counties in East of England region

The East of England comprises six ceremonial counties: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. Each offers a distinct blend of landscapes and economies, from the farmland of Norfolk to the urban centres of Luton, Chelmsford, and Cambridge.

There are 48 Ceremonial Counties in England. The above lists 6 Ceremonial Counties in East of England region.

Districts in East of England

The UK is divided into Local Authority Districts (LADs) as the main building blocks of local government and statistical geography. The following lists all the LADs in this region.

Local Authority District (LAD) is a statistical geography used by the ONS to describe areas governed by local authorities. LADs include: Non-metropolitan districts (often called district councils); Metropolitan districts; London boroughs; Unitary authorities; Council areas in Scotland; Local government districts in Northern Ireland. In total, there are around 360+ LADs across the UK.

International Territorial Levels in East of England Region

The International Territorial Levels (ITLs) are a hierarchical system of geographic boundaries used for statistical purposes in the UK, specifically for regional data analysis and international comparisons. It has three levels: ITL1, ITL2, and ITL3, with ITL1 being the broadest level and ITL3 the most detailed.

East of England Region is one of ITL 1 areas in the UK. It is then divided ino the following ITL 2 areas (names in bold letters) and ITL 3 areas.

  • Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire — Luton ⁞ Bedford ⁞ Central Bedfordshire ⁞ North and East Hertfordshire ⁞ South West Hertfordshire
  • Essex — Southend-on-Sea ⁞ Thurrock ⁞ Essex Haven Gateway ⁞ West Essex ⁞ Heart of Essex ⁞ Essex Thames Gateway
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough — Peterborough ⁞ Cambridgeshire CC
  • Norfolk — Norwich and East Norfolk ⁞ North and West Norfolk ⁞ Breckland and South Norfolk
  • Suffolk — Babergh and Mid Suffolk ⁞ Ipswich ⁞ East Suffolk ⁞ West Suffolk
In the UK in total there are: 12 ITLs 1, 46 ITLs 2, and 182 ITLs 3. Our information about ITLs hierarchy and names is based on this ONS website: International geographies - Office for National Statistics.

Constituencies in East of England

The region contains 61 parliamentary constituencies, ranging from major urban centres such as Norwich, Luton, and Chelmsford to coastal resorts and rural districts. Many constituencies are shaped by commuter patterns to London, alongside strong agricultural and high-tech sectors.

There are 650 constituencies in the United Kingdom. These constituencies are the areas each represented by one Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons.

Population of East England

East England is home to around 6.4 million people (mid-2022, ONS). Spanning 19,119 square kilometres (7,382 square miles), it has a population density of 335 people per square kilometre.

East England Population Compared to UK Regions' Figures
East of England Population Compared to other UK Regions

How it compares to the rest of England

  • Population share: The region accounts for 11.2% of England’s 57.1 million residents, making it the 4th most populated of the nine English regions.
  • Population density: With 335 people per km², East England is less crowded than the national average of 438 people per km²—103 fewer people per km². This places it 6th out of 9 regions for population density.

Region detail pages