South West region is home to 5 million people. South West England is the largest region in terms of area. The region includes the English counties of Gloucestershire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Much of the landscape of Devon and Cornwall consists of plateaux at varying levels. The high ground of Exmoor, made up from gritstones and slates, reaches 521 metres at its highest point. It lies in the counties of Devon and Somerset. The Isles of Scilly, which lie 40 km to the south-west of Cornwall, total approximately 18 square kilometres. St Mary's is the largest island and has a highest point of 51 metres.
Around two-thirds of people who move to the South West are of working-age although the region is a popular retirement destination. Almost 22% of the region’s population is over 65 years of age.
The region has the mildest climate in the UK. The sea which surrounds the area on three sides has the highest annual mean temperature of any sea area near to the UK, close to 11 to 12 °C. With winds mainly blowing from the sea the annual mean temperatures are close to this in coastal areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily temperatures ranging from around 19 °C in coastal Cornwall to 21 °C in inland areas of Somerset and North Somerset.
The South West is a beautiful and historic part of England. Its two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, cover 1,631 square kilometres and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty cover approximately a fifth of the region. The South West Coast Path, one of England’s most beautiful and diverse national trails, provides residents and visitors with an unsurpassed natural resource.
The Dorset and East Devon coast (Jurassic Coast) was declared a World Heritage Site in December 2001.South West England has an extensive road network. Overall there are more than 5,000km of major roads and 43,000km of minor roads. The busiest sections of road are the M4 and M5 motorways. The region has five airports in Bristol, Exeter, Bournemouth, Plymouth and Newquay.
There are also a number of major ports within the South West. Portbury and Avonmouth are Bristol's two main ports, concentrating on the import and export of cars, forest products and bulk cargo, such as animal feeds. Plymouth and Poole ports primarily deal with roll-on roll-off traffic and provide important linkages to France, Spain and the Channel Islands. Fowey, Par, Teignmouth and Falmouth are also important regional ports for freight transport.
The most economically productive areas within the region are Bristol, the M4 corridor and south east Dorset – that is, the areas with the best links to London. Bristol alone accounts for a quarter of the region's economy, with the surrounding areas of Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire accounting for a further quarter.
Bristol's economy has historically been built on maritime trade including the import of tobacco. Since the early 20th century, however, aeronautics have taken over as the bedrock of Bristol's economy, with companies including Airbus, Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace manufacturing in Filton, and Westland Helicopters (now AgustaWestland) in Yeovil and Weston-super-Mare. More recently defence, telecommunications, information technology and electronics have been important industries in Bristol, Swindon and elsewhere.
Traditionally, the South West of England has been well known for producing Cheddar cheese, which originated in the Somerset village of Cheddar, for Devon cream teas, and for cider. It is now probably equally well known as the home of the Eden Project, Aardman Animations, the Glastonbury festival, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, trip hop music, Cornwall's seafood restaurants and surfing beaches. Two National Parks and four World Heritage Sites fall within the region's boundaries.
South West Regional Development Agency
www.southwestrda.org.uk
South West Regional Assembly
www.southwest-ra.gov.uk
Tourism South East
www.visitsouthwest.co.uk
