Cumbria Postcodes — England (ENG)

Cumbria

North West England's Cumbria (/kmbri/ KUM-bree-) is a border ceremonial and non-metropolitan county that shares land with Scotland. After the enactment of the Local Government Act of 1972, the county and its local government, Cumbria County Council, were officially established in 1974. Carlisle, in northern Cumbria, serves as the county seat. Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Whitehaven, and Workington are also prominent cities in the area.

There are a total of 500,012 people living in the six districts that make up the administrative county of Cumbria (which are named Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden, and South Lakeland). With only 73.4 inhabitants per square kilometer (190/sq mi), Cumbria is one of the least inhabited counties in England. Abolishing Cumbria as an administrative county on April 1, 2023, and splitting it into the new regions of Westmorland and Furness (including Barrow-in-Furness, Eden, and South Lakeland) and Cumberland (Allerdale, Carlisle, Copeland).

Cumbria ranks as England's third-largest ceremonial county. Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire and Lancashire to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders to the north are its nearest neighbors.

The majority of Cumbria is rural, and it is home to the Lake District National Park, which is a designated World Heritage Site and often regarded as one of England's most scenic regions. The Yorkshire Dales National Park occupies much of the county's southeast, while the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) touches its eastern border. A large portion of Cumbria is mountainous, and it is home to every peak in England that is higher than 3,000 feet (910 meters) above sea level. England's highest point, Scafell Pike, stands at 3,209 feet (978 meters) above sea level. Cumbria is characterized by its mountainous terrain, coastal location, and rural setting, and its history is marked by invasions, migration, settlement, and conflict between the English and the Scots. Carlisle Castle, Furness Abbey, Hardknott Roman Fort, Brough Castle, and Hadrian's Wall are just few of the many ancient landmarks to be found in Cumbria (also a World Heritage Site).

Geography

The county of Cumbria is the farthest to the northwest in England. Just west of Deadwater, Northumberland, and South Walney are Cumbria's northern and southernmost points. East and west extremities of the county are located at Kirkby Stephen (near Tan Hill, North Yorkshire) and St. Bees Head, respectively. Lake District and Pennine mountains (Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines) make up the bulk of Cumbria's hilly landscape, while the Pennines may be found in the county's eastern and southern reaches. Scafell Pike, at 3,209 feet (980 meters), is the tallest mountain in Cumbria and all of England. As England's largest natural lake, Windermere is a national treasure.

The Lancaster Canal, which stretches from Preston to South Cumbria, is partially operational. Although it was abandoned in 1945, the Ulverston Canal, which formerly extended to Morecambe Bay, is still in use. Towards the north and south, the county's lowlands are home to the Solway Coast and Arnside and Silverdale AONBs.

Boundaries and Divisions

The English counties of Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, and Lancashire, and the Scottish council districts of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders form Cumbria's borders to the south and west.

This area is bounded to the west by the Irish Sea and more specifically Morecambe Bay, and to the east by the Pennines. In the north, Cumbria is bounded by the Solway Firth, the Solway Plain, the Scottish border, and Northumberland to the east.

It consists of the six boroughs of Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden, and South Lakeland. The county of Cumbria is divided into an eastern, western, and southern region for administrative purposes. To the east are the municipalities of Carlisle and Eden; to the west, Allerdale and Copeland; and to the south, Lakeland and Barrow.

Two new unitary authorities, one for the east (Barrow-in-Furness, Eden, and South Lakeland), to be called Westmorland and Furness, and one for the west (Allerdale, Carlisle, and Copeland), to be called Cumberland, were proposed by the UK government in July 2021 to replace the county and district councils.

The county sends six representatives to Westminster: one each to the constituencies of Carlisle, Penrith & the Border, Workington, Copeland, Westmorland & Lonsdale, and Barrow & Furness.

Economy

Cumbria is home to numerous prominent institutions. Around 17,000 people are employed by the county council, whereas Sellafield, the largest private company in Cumbria, employs 10,000 people.To the right is a list of districts in Cumbria, and below that is a list of some of the major enterprises and employers in the county (excluding services like Cumbria Constabulary, Cumbria Fire and Rescue, and the NHS in Cumbria).