Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire | |
|---|---|
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 state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| UK Parliament | 7 Members of Parliament |
| Police | Thames Valley Police |
| Largest city | Oxford |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Lord Lieutenant | Marjorie Glasgow |
| High Sheriff | John May (2025–26) |
| Area | 2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 22nd of 48 |
| Population (2024) | 763,218 |
| • Rank | 35th of 48 |
| • Density | 293/km2 (760/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity | 86.9% White, 6.4% Asian/Asian British/Asian Welsh, 3.1% Mixed, 2.1%, Black/Black British/Black Welsh |
| Non-metropolitan county | |
| County council | Oxfordshire County Council |
| Control | Liberal Democrat |
| Admin HQ | Oxford |
| Area | 2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 12th of 21 |
| Population (2024) | 763,218 |
| • Rank | 15th of 21 |
| • Density | 293/km2 (760/sq mi) |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-OXF |
| GSS code | E10000025 |
| ITL | TLJ14 |
| Website | oxfordshire |
| Districts | |
Districts of Oxfordshire | |
| Districts | |
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.
The county is largely rural, with an area of 1,006 sq mi (2,605 km2) and an estimated population of 763,218 in 2024. Oxford, which is famous for its university, is near the centre of the county. Other settlements include Banbury in the north, Bicester in the north-east, Abingdon-on-Thames and Didcot in the south, and Witney in the west. 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.