Wiltshire

Wiltshire
Ceremonial county
Marlborough Downs, Salisbury Cathedral, and a view of Swindon
Wiltshire within England
Coordinates: 51°18′N 1°54′W / 51.3°N 01.9°W / 51.3; -01.9
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South West
Established	Ancient
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)
UK Parliament	List of MPs
Police	Wiltshire Police
Ceremonial county
Lord Lieutenant	Sarah Troughton
Area	3,485 km2 (1,346 sq mi)
• Rank	14th of 48
Population  (2022)[1]	751,542
• Rank	34th of 48
Density	216/km2 (560/sq mi)
Unitary authorities
Councils	Wiltshire Council Swindon Borough Council
Districts
Districts of Wiltshire   Unitary
Districts	Wiltshire Swindon

Wiltshire (/ˈwɪlt.ʃər, -ʃɪr/;^[2] abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon, and Trowbridge is the county town.

The county has an area of 3,485 km² (1,346 square miles) and a population of 720,060. The county is mostly rural, and the centre and south-west are sparsely populated. After Swindon (183,638), the largest settlements are the city of Salisbury (41,820) and the towns of Chippenham (37,548) and Trowbridge (37,169). For local government purposes, the county comprises two unitary authority areas: Swindon and Wiltshire.

Undulating chalk downlands characterize much of the county. In the east are Marlborough Downs, which contain Savernake Forest. To the south is the Vale of Pewsey, which separates the downs from Salisbury Plain in the centre of the county. The south-west is also downland, and contains the West Wiltshire Downs, the Vale of Wardour to their south, and part of Cranborne Chase in the far south of the county. The north-west of Wiltshire is part of the Cotswolds, a limestone area. The county's two major rivers are both called the Avon; the northern Avon enters the county in the north-west and flows in a south-westerly direction before leaving it near Bradford-on-Avon, and the southern Avon rises on Salisbury Plain and flows through Salisbury, then into Hampshire. The far south-east contains part of the New Forest. Much of the county is protected: the Marlborough Downs; West Wiltshire Downs, Vale of Wardour, and Cranbourne Chase; and the Cotswolds are all part of designated national landscapes, and the New Forest is a national park.

Salisbury Plain is noted for the Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles, which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and other ancient landmarks. Much of the plain is a training area for the British Army. The city of Salisbury is notable for its medieval cathedral. Large country houses open to the public include Longleat, where there is also a safari park, and the National Trust's Stourhead.