Oxfordshire

For other uses, see Oxfordshire (disambiguation).

Oxfordshire
Non-metropolitan and ceremonial county
Clockwise from top left: the Radcliffe Camera, part of the University of Oxford; Islip, in the Cherwell district; and the Uffington White Horse

Ceremonial Oxfordshire within England

Historic Oxfordshire in the British Isles
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
UK Parliament7 Members of Parliament
PoliceThames Valley Police
Largest cityOxford
Ceremonial county
Lord LieutenantMarjorie Glasgow
High SheriffAmanda Ponsonby[1] (2020–21)
Area2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi)
 • Rank22nd of 48
Population 
(2022)[2]
738,276
 • Rank35th of 48
Density283/km2 (730/sq mi)
Ethnicity
90.9% White, 4.8% Asian/Asian British[3]
Non-metropolitan county
County councilOxfordshire County Council[4]
ControlNo overall control
Admin HQOxford
Area2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi)
 • Rank12th of 21
Population 
(2022)[5]
738,276
 • Rank15th of 21
Density283/km2 (730/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2GB-OXF
GSS codeE10000025
ITLTLJ14
Websiteoxfordshire.gov.uk
Districts

Districts of Oxfordshire
Districts
  1. Oxford
  2. Cherwell
  3. South Oxfordshire
  4. Vale of White Horse
  5. West Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire (/ˈɒksfərdʃər, -ʃɪər/ OKS-fərd-shər, -⁠sheer; abbreviated Oxon) is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The city of Oxford is the largest settlement and county town.

The county is largely rural, with an area of 2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi) and a population of 691,667. After Oxford (162,100), the largest settlements are Banbury (54,355) and Abingdon-on-Thames (37,931). For local government purposes Oxfordshire is a non-metropolitan county with five districts. The part of the county south of the River Thames, largely corresponding to the Vale of White Horse district, was historically part of Berkshire.

The lowlands in the centre of the county are crossed by the River Thames and its tributaries, the valleys of which are separated by low hills. The south contains parts of the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills, and the north-west includes part of the Cotswolds; all three regions are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The county's highest point is White Horse Hill (261-metre (856 ft)), part of the Berkshire Downs.[6]

  1. ^ "No. 62943". The London Gazette. 13 March 2020. p. 5161.
  2. ^ "Mid-2022 population estimates by Lieutenancy areas (as at 1997) for England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  3. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Oxfordshire Local Authority (E10000025)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Homepage". Archived from the original on 23 November 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2002.
  5. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  6. ^ Edwardes, Simon (2001). "County and Unitary Authority Tops". The Mountains of England and Wales. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.