UK Geographies

UK Nations and Regions

The United Kingdom is divided into 12 broad regions, which are the largest administrative geographical areas used for statistical and organisational purposes. Three of these are the nations of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, each counted as a single region. England, being much larger in both population and land area, is further divided into nine distinct regions: London, North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, East of England, and South West.

These English regions vary significantly in both size and population. The South East is the most populous, home to around 9.3 million people, while the North East is the least populated with about 2.7 million, accounting for only 5% of England’s total. London, despite occupying just 1% of England’s land area, is one of the most densely populated parts of the country, with nearly 8.9 million residents—around 16% of the national population.

Although English regions no longer hold devolved governmental powers, they remain important for planning, analysis, and administration, helping to compare economic, social, and demographic trends across the UK.

Ceremonial Counties in England

A ceremonial county is an area that has an appointed Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff and is used for ceremonial purposes in relation to the monarchy. These areas are referred to as ceremonial counties in England, as Scottish lieutenancy areas in Scotland, and as preserved counties in Wales. Legally, the ceremonial counties are defined by the Lieutenancies Act 1997 as "Counties and areas for the purposes of the lieutenancies in Great Britain" with reference to the areas used for local government. Ceremonial counties are not updated; therefore, the lifecycle dates will not change.

There are 48 Ceremonial Counties in England. In this website, we have County detail pages. You can easily find them in Region detail pages.

Local Authority Districts in the UK

Local Authority Districts (LADs) are a key level of administrative geography in the United Kingdom, serving as the primary units for local governance and statistical reporting below the regional and county levels. Introduced largely through the local government reorganisations of the 1970s, LADs encompass different types of areas, including metropolitan districts, non-metropolitan districts, unitary authorities, London boroughs, and the City of London. Across the UK, Scotland uses council areas, Wales has principal areas, and Northern Ireland is divided into district councils, all of which are considered equivalent to LADs in statistical terms. These districts vary significantly in size, population, and character, ranging from densely populated urban centres to vast rural areas.

UK parliamentary constituencies

UK parliamentary constituencies are the fundamental electoral areas that form the basis of representation in the House of Commons. Each constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) through general elections or by-elections, making them central to the democratic process. There are currently 650 constituencies across the United Kingdom, covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These constituencies are drawn to reflect communities, balancing population size with geographical boundaries, although they vary widely in area and density—from compact urban seats to expansive rural ones.

Beyond their political role, parliamentary constituencies are also important in the geography of the UK because they provide a consistent territorial framework for studying representation, population distribution, and local identities. Boundaries are periodically reviewed by independent commissions to ensure fairness and account for demographic changes. Constituencies thus serve as both political and geographical units, linking citizens to their national legislature while reflecting the diversity and structure of communities across the UK.

International Territorial Levels (ITLs)

International Territorial Levels (ITLs) are the UK’s official statistical geography system, created to replace the EU’s Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS) after Brexit. They divide the UK into a consistent, hierarchical set of regions for collecting and comparing economic, demographic, and social data. The system has three main levels—ITL1 (broad regions), ITL2 (sub-regions), and ITL3 (smaller local areas)—ensuring compatibility with international statistical standards.