North East

The North East of England is known for its rugged coastline, national parks, and industrial heritage in coal mining and shipbuilding. Bordering Scotland to the north and the North Sea to the east, it combines vibrant cities like Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, and Durham with rural landscapes such as Northumberland National Park. Tourism, energy, and advanced manufacturing play key roles in its economy.

The region includes both metropolitan and rural areas. Tyne and Wear contains major urban hubs governed by metropolitan borough councils, while Northumberland and County Durham cover more rural areas with unitary or county councils. Governance reflects a mix of historic county divisions and modern local authority structures.

Ceremonial Counties in North East region

The North East consists of three ceremonial counties: County Durham, Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear. Each offers a unique character, from the scenic uplands of Northumberland to the cultural and industrial heartlands of Durham and Tyneside.

There are 48 Ceremonial Counties in England. The above lists 3 Ceremonial Counties in North East region.

Districts in North East

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 North East 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.

North East 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.

  • Tees Valley — Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees ⁞ South Teesside ⁞ Darlington
  • Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear — Durham ⁞ Northumberland ⁞ Tyneside ⁞ Sunderland
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 North East

The region has 27 parliamentary constituencies, spanning cities such as Newcastle, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough, as well as smaller towns and rural communities. Though smaller in seat numbers than other UK regions, its marginal constituencies are politically important in national elections.

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 North East England

North East England is home to just over 2.68 million people (mid-2022, ONS). Spread across 8,574 square kilometres (3,311 square miles), that works out to around 313 people per square kilometre.

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

How it compares to the rest of England

  • Size in numbers: The region’s population makes up only 4.7% of England’s total 57.1 million residents, making it the least populated of England’s nine regions.
  • Room to breathe: With 313 people per km², the North East is less crowded than most places in England—about 125 people per km² fewer than the national average of 438. That puts it second only to one other region for having the lowest population density.

Region detail pages