North Yorkshire

Shire county

North Yorkshire is the largest county in England, covering 3,109 square miles as the shire county area which will become a single unitary authority in 2023.

North Yorkshire can also reference a wider area than covered here including the City of

York unitary authority in relation to police and fire services. It may additionally include the unitary authorities of

Middlesbrough,

Redcar and Cleveland and

Stockton-on-Tees south of the River Tees in relation to the North Yorkshire lieutenancy area.

The county stretches across around 92 miles west to east and around 67 miles from its northernmost tip to its southernmost point.

North Yorkshire is, until 2023, made up of seven district council areas -

Scarborough and

Selby.

The North Yorkshire County Council is responsible for some services across all seven local authorities including highways, schools, library services and health and social care.

District authorities currently have a wide range of functions including refuse collection, planning, tourism, sport and leisure, housing, parking, cemetaries, crematoriums and community centres.

Each of the seven districts covers a vast area with many communities including multiple towns and dozens of villages. Although large in area, populations of the districts reflect the rural nature of this part of Yorkshire.

More facts and figures about North Yorkshire:

• North Yorkshire has only one city, Ripon, which is in Harrogate district council's area.

County Hall, Northallerton • The county town of North Yorkshire and the location of its County Hall is Northallerton, originally the headquarters of the North Riding county.

• The county of North Yorkshire was formed in 1974, including much of the former North Riding of Yorkshire but also large portions of the West Riding and some areas of the East Riding.

Lost from the historic North Riding in 1974 were areas that originally formed the county of Cleveland, some of which had become the County Borough of Teesside just six years earlier. After further changes the area is now in the unitary districts of Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and the part of Stockton-on-Tees borough south of the River Tees. These districts are part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority. These areas remain part of the North Yorkshire ceremonial county, but are not part of the county council area. Also lost from the historic North Riding in 1974 was a large area of upper Teesdale which now forms part of the Durham County Council unitary authority.

• North Yorkshire includes two National Parks, the North York Moors National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is also within North Yorkshire and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is partly within the county.

• North Yorkshire also has one of Yorkshire's three stretches of heritage coast.

• The highest of North Yorkshire's mountains is Whernside at 736 metres (2,415ft).

Places in North Yorkshire

Find cities, towns and villages in the districts of North Yorkshire:

CRAVEN district

HAMBLETON district

HARROGATE district

RICHMONDSHIRE district

RYEDALE district

SCARBOROUGH district

SELBY district

Links to useful North Yorkshire websites

North Yorkshire County Council
County authority providing services including highways, schools, library services and health and social care across seven shire districts.

North Yorkshire County Council website.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North Yorkshire
Covers the county of North Yorkshire and City of York.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North Yorkshire website.

Emergency services

North Yorkshire Police

North Yorkshire Police website.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service website.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust website.

Also in Yorkshire.guide

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