Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (/ˈbɛdfərdʃɪər, -ʃər/; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Luton (225,262), and Bedford is the county town.
Bedfordshire | |
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Location of Bedfordshire in England | |
| Coordinates: 52°05′N 0°25′W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | East |
| Established | Ancient |
| Time zone | UTC±00:00 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+01:00 (British Summer Time) |
| Members of Parliament | List of MPs |
| Police | Bedfordshire Police |
| Largest town | Luton |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Lord Lieutenant | Susan Lousada |
| High Sheriff | Russel Beard (2023-24) |
| Area | 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) |
| • Ranked | 41st of 48 |
| Population (2021) | 704,736 |
| • Ranked | 36th of 48 |
| Density | 542/km2 (1,400/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity | 72.0% White 16.6%. Asian 5.6% Black Mixed 3.8% 1.9% Other |
| Districts | |
Districts of Bedfordshire Unitary | |
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The county has an area of 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) and had a population of 704,736 at the 2021 census. Its other towns include Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Biggleswade, Houghton Regis, and Flitwick. Much of the county is rural. For local government purposes, Bedfordshire comprises three unitary authority areas: Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, and Luton.
The county's highest point is 243 m (797 ft) on Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns.