Leicestershire is in the heart of England. It borders with Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and Rutland.
The county covers an area of 2083 square kilometres and its population at the end of 2003 was 609,578.
Leicestershire is served by Leicestershire County Council and seven borough/district councils which are:
For further information on any of the above borough / district councils, please click on the appropriate one to link to their website.
Because of Leicestershire’s central location, it has exceptional transport links, including the M1, M69 and M42, and is less than an hour and a half by train direct to London.
Leicestershire is home to picturesque landscapes including Charnwood Forest, the Soar and the Leicestershire Vales. Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the craggy summit of Beacon Hill as well as the hilltop folly known as Old John at Bradgate Park. The ruined birthplace of Lady Jane Grey can be seen in Bradgate Park below the folly.
Leicestershire also has the attractive remains of Kirby Muxloe Castle and the great ruined tower of Ashby de la Zouch Castle, which was the setting for Sir Walter Scott’s story about Ivanhoe.
Leicestershire is the place where history was changed when Richard III fell at Bosworth Field and the birthplace of tragic Lady Jane Grey, the nine-day Queen of England.
Leicestershire has a diverse economy, which is generally robust and prosperous, and the second largest in the East Midlands. Leicestershire’s gross domestic product (GDP) per head is also second highest in the region.
For more facts and figures about Leicestershire and its population, please follow visit our Leicestershire Research and Statistics Online website.