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Colchester (borough)
Encyclopedia
Colchester is a local government district
and borough
in Essex
, England
, the district is named after its main town, Colchester
. The borough covers an area of 125 square miles (323.7 km²) and stretches from Dedham Vale
on the Suffolk border in the north to Mersea Island
on the Colne Estuary in the south.
The borough was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of the former borough of Colchester
with the urban districts of West Mersea
and Wivenhoe
, along with Lexden and Winstree Rural District.
of September 4, 2009 said that "Government estimates" made Colchester the largest borough in the county: its officially acknowledged population is second highest among non-London boroughs, behind Northampton.
According to the Office for National Statistics
as of 2008, Colchester had a population of approximately 181,000. Average life expectancy was 78.7 for males. and 83.3 for females.
Based on ethnic groups, predominantly of 92.1% of the population is White
(86.9% British
, 0.7% Irish and 4.5 other), Asians
were the second largest making up 2.5% (1.1% Indian
, 0.3% Pakistani and 0.3% Bangladeshi
, other 0.8%), Blacks
constituted 1.5% (0.4% Caribbean
, 0.9% African, 0.1% other), those of mixed race made up 1.7% and the remaining were Chinese
and other ethnic groups (2.2%).
In the 2001 census, 71.6% identified themselves as Christian
, while 18.5 % had no affiliation to a religion. Of other religions, 0.8% identified as Muslim
, 0.5% Hindu
, 0.4% Buddhist
, 0.2 Jewish
, 0.4% others, and 7.8% did not answer. There are more than 100 churches located in Colchester
: other religious places of worship include the Colchester Islamic Cultural Association and the Jewish Community Synagogue.
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
and borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the district is named after its main town, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. The borough covers an area of 125 square miles (323.7 km²) and stretches from Dedham Vale
Dedham Vale
Dedham Vale is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Essex-Suffolk border in east England. It comprises the area around the River Stour between Manningtree and Bures, including the village of Dedham in Essex. It is part of the area known since the artist's lifetime as Constable...
on the Suffolk border in the north to Mersea Island
Mersea Island
Mersea Island is the most easterly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, located marginally off the coast of Essex, England, to the southeast of Colchester. It is situated in the estuary area of the Blackwater and Colne rivers and has an area of around...
on the Colne Estuary in the south.
The borough was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of the former borough of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
with the urban districts of West Mersea
West Mersea
West Mersea is a small town in the Colchester borough of Essex, England. It is the larger of two settlements on Mersea Island, located south east of Colchester. The smaller settlement on the island is the village of East Mersea....
and Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe is a town in north eastern Essex, England, approximately south east of Colchester. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the...
, along with Lexden and Winstree Rural District.
Demographics
The Essex County StandardEssex County Standard
The Essex County Standard is a weekly newspaper, published in Colchester, Essex. As of January 2011, it has an average circulation of 16,614 per issue. It is currently owned by the Newsquest Media Group, part of the American Gannett Company.- History :...
of September 4, 2009 said that "Government estimates" made Colchester the largest borough in the county: its officially acknowledged population is second highest among non-London boroughs, behind Northampton.
According to the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
as of 2008, Colchester had a population of approximately 181,000. Average life expectancy was 78.7 for males. and 83.3 for females.
Based on ethnic groups, predominantly of 92.1% of the population is White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
(86.9% British
White British
White British was an ethnicity classification used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White...
, 0.7% Irish and 4.5 other), Asians
British Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
were the second largest making up 2.5% (1.1% Indian
British Indian
The term British Indian refers to citizens of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in India. This includes people born in the UK who are of Indian descent, and Indian-born people who have migrated to the UK...
, 0.3% Pakistani and 0.3% Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
, other 0.8%), Blacks
Black British
Black British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
constituted 1.5% (0.4% Caribbean
British African-Caribbean community
The British African Caribbean communities are residents of the United Kingdom who are of West Indian background and whose ancestors were primarily indigenous to Africa...
, 0.9% African, 0.1% other), those of mixed race made up 1.7% and the remaining were Chinese
British Chinese
British Chinese , including British-born Chinese are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in, or have migrated to, the United Kingdom. They are part of the Chinese diaspora, or overseas Chinese...
and other ethnic groups (2.2%).
In the 2001 census, 71.6% identified themselves as Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, while 18.5 % had no affiliation to a religion. Of other religions, 0.8% identified as Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, 0.5% Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, 0.4% Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, 0.2 Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, 0.4% others, and 7.8% did not answer. There are more than 100 churches located in Colchester
Colchester churches
Colchester in Essex, England, has a number of notable churches.- Butt Road Roman Church :During excavations in the 1980s for a new police station close to the Maldon Road roundabout, 371 Roman graves and a long narrow building were excavated. The building was constructed between AD320 and 340....
: other religious places of worship include the Colchester Islamic Cultural Association and the Jewish Community Synagogue.