Essex

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This article is about the county of Essex in England. For other places named Essex, see Essex (disambiguation).

Essex
Geography
† Administrative County ‡ Ceremonial County
Region:	East of England
Area:	†3,465 km² ‡3,670 km²
Admin HQ:	Chelmsford
Borders on (land):	Greater London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk
Borders on (estuarine):	Kent (cerem.)
Demographics
Population: (2002 est.)	†1,318,408 ‡1,622,403
Density:	†380 / km² ‡442 / km²
‡Ethnicity:	96.8% White 1.2% S. Asian
Politics
Essex County Council http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/
Administration:	Conservative
‡MPs:	David Amess John Baron Simon Burns Mark Francois Alan Haselhurst Ivan Henderson Alan Hurst Bernard Jenkin Eleanor Laing Andrew Mackinlay Eric Pickles Bill Rammell Bob Russell Angela Smith Bob Spink Teddy Taylor John Whittingdale
Districts
Harlow Epping Forest Brentwood Basildon Castle Point Rochford Maldon Chelmsford Uttlesford Braintree Colchester Tendring ‡Thurrock (Unitary) ‡Southend-on-Sea (Unitary)

Essex is a county located northeast of London, part of the East of England region. Because of its proximity to London and the economic magnetism which that city exerts, many of Essex's settlements function as dormitory towns or villages where London workers raise their families. In 2001 Essex had a population of 1,310,900.

The name of the county is derived from the ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Essex.

In 1998 the districts of Southend-on-Sea (pop. 160,300) and Thurrock (pop. 143,000) separated from the county of Essex becoming unitary authority areas. Until 1965 the county included also the present-day London boroughs of Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Newham (except for the small enclave of North Woolwich, formerly in Kent).

The Lakeside shopping centre at Thurrock was one of England's first out-of-town shopping centres; it remains popular despite congestion on the nearby M25 motorway and competition from newer, more glamorous destinations.

Essex also contains Stansted Airport and several smaller aerodromes that have evolved from bomber or fighter bases constructed during World War II.

The port of Tilbury remains important and, despite the road crossing to Dartford in Kent across the River Thames, a pedestrian ferry to Gravesend still operates from Tilbury during limited hours.

The reputation of the County has been somewhat dirtied in recent years by rather unfortunate associations. White stilettos and a garish fashion sense have come to represent the vulgar "Essex Girl", while the Ford Escort has come to represent the carnal "Essex Man". The Essex stereotype was coined in the 1980s as the County homed the many upwardly-mobile children of the Thatcher generation, parodied by the Harry Enfield character "Loadsa Money". These stereotypes do not reflect the County's history or its "Little England" atmosphere.

Towns and villages

• Basildon
• Billericay
• Braintree
• Brentwood
• Chelmsford (the county town)
• Chigwell
• Colchester (the home of the University of Essex)
• Epping
• Grays
• Great Baddow
• Great Dunmow
• Harlow
• Harwich
• Maldon
• Rayleigh
• Rochford
• Saffron Walden
• Shelley
• Shenfield
• Shoeburyness
• Southend-on-Sea
• Witham
• Wivenhoe

See also

• Earl of Essex
• GHQ Line - World War II fortification
• UK topics

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