North Yorkshire

Map of the North Yorkshire Area

Map of North Yorkshire

County Council

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire in the Yorkshire and Humber region is an administrative and ceremonial county in England. The county covers 8,654 kilometres or 3,341 square miles, making it England's largest county by area. North Yorkshire is home to the Yorkshire Moors and much of the Yorkshire Dales. From pre-historic settlements to the Roman and Norman conquests of Britain to the Tudor period and the Civil War, North Yorkshire has a rich past. The county's history is largely tied to the historic city of York, known as Eboracum when it was founded in 71 by the Romans and Jorvik by the Danes in the 9th century. Known as Yerk and Yourke following the Norman Conquest, York came into use during the 13th century.

The North Yorkshire County Council was founded in 1974, incorporating territory of the North Riding, West Riding and East Riding of Yorkshire. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the county had an estimated population of 602,600 in 2012. With a population density of just 125 people per square kilometre or 320 people per square mile, much of the county is sparsely populated. The county's main population centre is Harrogate, which had a population of approximately 76,260 in 2011. Other major urban areas include the coastal city of Scarborough, with approximately 52,870 residents. Additional settlements with over 15,000 residents are Acomb, Ripon and Northallerton. Other major towns in North Yorkshire include Knaresborough, Skipton, Whitby, Selby, Richmond, Tadcaster, Norton, and Pickering. Although not within the administrative borders of the county since 1996, York is the largest city within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire with nearly 200,000 residents.

Traditionally, agriculture has been a major economic driver in the largely rural North Yorkshire. Agriculture remains an important industry in the county, as well as mineral extraction and power generation. Areas of recent growth have also included technology and service sectors. The tourism industry is also a major employer thanks to popular tourist draws, including the Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire Moors. Other major tourist sites in the county include Bolton Abbey, Castle Howard, Richmond Castle, Ripley Castle and Cathedral, Scarborough Castle, Rievaulx Abbey, Whitby Abbey, and York.

Transport

Banks and Building Societies

Media

Tourism - Official Site

Museum

  • North Yorkshire Motor Museum
  • Pickering Rd Thornton Dale Pickering North Yorkshire YO18 7LH
  • Phone:01751 474455
  • http://www.nymm.co.uk/

University