{{Short description|Unitary authority area in County Durham, England}} {{more footnotes|date=December 2023}} {{Use British English|date=May 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | name = County Durham | settlement_type = Unitary authority area | image_skyline = {{multiple image |border=infobox |perrow=1/2/2 |total_width=280 |align=center |image1 = Durham MMB 02 Cathedral.jpg |image2 = Seaham Beach - geograph.org.uk - 2842298.jpg |image3 = Aerial view of Chester Burn Railway Viaduct, Chester-le-Street.jpg |image4 = Barnard Castle - geograph.org.uk - 2482223.jpg |image5 = Shildon Locomotion Museum - geograph.org.uk - 4285945.jpg}} |image_caption = {{ubl|From left to right|Top: Durham Cathedral|Middle: Seaham Beach and Chester-le-Street aerial|Bottom: Barnard Castle and Shildon Locomotion Museum }} | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_flag = Flag of Durham County Council.svg <!--banner of arms represents the district, flag is for historic county--> | flag_alt = | image_shield = Arms of Durham County Council.svg | shield_alt = | shield_link = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_size = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_link = | etymology = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = County Durham Council UK locator map.svg | mapsize = | map_alt = | map_caption = Shown within ceremonial County Durham | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_label_position = | coordinates = {{coord|54.7143|-1.7976|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Sovereign state | subdivision_name = United Kingdom | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = England | subdivision_type2 = Region | subdivision_name2 = North East | subdivision_type3 = Ceremonial county | subdivision_name3 = County Durham | subdivision_type4 = City region | subdivision_name4 = North East | subdivision_type5 = Historic counties | subdivision_name5 = {{unbulleted list |County Durham |Yorkshire (North Riding) }} | established_title = Created | established_date = 1 April 2009 | established_title1 = | established_date1 = | named_for = County Durham | seat_type = Administrative HQ | seat = County Hall, Durham | parts_type = | parts = <!-- Government --> | government_footnotes = <ref name="Council leadership">{{cite web |url=https://www.durham.gov.uk/councillorsinfo |title=Councillors and MPs |website=Durham County Council |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> | government_type = Unitary authority | governing_body = Durham County Council | leader_title = Executive | leader_name = Leader and cabinet | leader_title1 = Control | leader_name1 = {{English district control|GSS=E06000047}} | leader_title2 = Leader | leader_name2 = Andrew Husband (R) | leader_title3 = Chair | leader_name3 = Joan Nicholson | leader_title4 = MPs | leader_name4 = {{Collapsible list |title=6 MPs | Luke Akehurst (L) | Mary Kelly Foy (L) | Grahame Morris (L) | Sam Rushworth (L) | Alan Strickland (L) | Liz Twist (L) }} <!-- Area --> | total_type = <!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion --> | area_footnotes = <ref>{{United Kingdom district population citation|area}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = {{English district area|GSS=E06000047}} | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_rank = {{English district area rank|GSS=E06000047}} <!-- Population --> | population_footnotes = <ref name="popstats">{{United Kingdom district population citation}}</ref> | population_as_of = {{English statistics year}} | population_total = {{English district population|GSS=E06000047}} | population_rank = {{English district rank|GSS=E06000047}} | population_density_km2 = {{English district density|GSS=E06000047}} | population_demonym = <!-- demographics (section 1) --> | demographics_type1 = Ethnicity <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span> | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis">{{NOMIS2021 |id=E06000047 |title=County Durham Local Authority |access-date=13 July 2024 }}</ref> | demographics1_title1 = Ethnic groups | demographics1_info1 = {{Collapsible list | 96.8% White | 1.5% Asian | 0.9% Mixed | 0.4% other | 0.3% Black }} <!-- demographics (section 2) --> | demographics_type2 = Religion <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span> | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis"/> | demographics2_title1 = Religion | demographics2_info1 = {{Collapsible list | 54.6% Christianity | 38.6% no religion | 0.6% Islam | 0.2% Buddhism | 0.2% Hinduism | 0.2% Sikhism | 0.1% Judaism | 0.4% other | 5.1% not stated }} | timezone1 = GMT | utc_offset1 = +0 | timezone1_DST = BST | utc_offset1_DST = +1 <!-- Codes --> | postal_code_type = Postcode areas | postal_code = DH1–99 | area_code_type = Dialling codes | area_code = 0191 | iso_code = GB-DUR | blank1_name = GSS code | blank1_info = E06000047 | website = {{URL|durham.gov.uk}} | module = | footnotes = }} '''County Durham''' is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is governed by Durham County Council.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 July 2007 |title=Durham unitary authority approved |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/6915882.stm |access-date=1 August 2021 |website=BBC News }}</ref> The district has an area of {{convert|{{English district area|GSS=E06000047}}|km2|sqmi}}, and contains 135 civil parishes.<ref>{{cite web |title=County Durham |url=http://data.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/doc/7000000000043607 |accessdate=23 May 2021 |publisher=Ordnance Survey}}</ref> It forms part of the larger ceremonial county of Durham, together with boroughs of Darlington, Hartlepool, and the part of Stockton-on-Tees north of the River Tees.
==History== Between 1974 and 1 April 2009, County Durham was governed as a two-tier non-metropolitan county, with a county council and district councils. The original eight districts were Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Derwentside, Durham (city), Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale, and Wear Valley.<ref>{{cite web |title=Durham council leader explains the benefits of a becoming large unitary authority |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19127107.durham-council-leader-explains-benefits-becoming-large-unitary-authority/ |access-date=1 August 2021 |website=The Northern Echo |date=2 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> In 1997 Darlington was removed from the non-metropolitan county and became a separate unitary authority.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Durham (Borough of Darlington) (Structural Change) Order 1995 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1772/made |access-date=18 June 2023 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> In 2009 the remaining districts were abolished and replaced by a single district covering the non-metropolitan county, with Durham County Council as the sole local authority.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The County Durham (Structural Change) Order 2008 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/493/part/2/made |access-date=18 June 2023 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>
==Geography== The district has multiple hamlets and villages. Settlements with town status include Consett, Barnard Castle, Peterlee, Seaham, Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Shildon, Chester-le-Street, Crook, Stanley, Willington, Stanhope, Spennymoor, Ferryhill and Sedgefield while Durham is the only city in the district.{{fact|date=December 2023}}
{|class="wikitable sortable" |+Neighbouring council areas !Local authority !In relation to the district |- |Northumberland||North |- |Gateshead||North east |- |City of Sunderland||North east |- |Hartlepool||South east |- |Stockton-on-Tees||South east |- | Darlington||South |- |North Yorkshire || South |- |Westmorland and Furness||West |}
==Governance== Following the 2025 Durham County Council election, the council is under control of Reform UK.
==Economy== The main industries that people in County Durham work in are retail, health and social work, and manufacturing.<ref name=ocsi-hact2024>[https://ocsi.uk OCSI] and [https://hact.org.uk/ HACT] for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (10 January 2024). [https://archive.org/details/community-insight-co-durham-2024/ "Community Insight profile for 'County Durham' area"] (Report). Retrieved 27 July 2024{{snd}}via Internet Archive.</ref>{{rp|54}} The three largest industry groups{{ refn|group=lower-roman|The industry groups are derived from the UK's Standard Industrial Classification.}} for jobs based in the district are education, health, and manufacturing,<ref name=ocsi-hact2024 />{{rp|57}} while the three largest for businesses{{ refn|group=lower-roman|Covering all businesses registered for VAT.}} are construction, retail, and professional, scientific, and technical services.<ref name=ocsi-hact2024 />{{rp|58}}
==Education== {{further|List of schools in County Durham}} Durham LEA has a comprehensive school system with 36 state secondary schools (not including sixth form colleges) and five independent schools (four in Durham and one in Barnard Castle). Easington district has the largest school population by year, and Teesdale has the smallest with two schools. Only one school in Easington and Derwentside districts have sixth forms, with about half the schools in the other districts having sixth forms.{{fact|date=December 2023}}
==Media== Local TV coverage is provided by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. Local radio stations include BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Tees, Capital North East, Heart North East, Smooth North East, Greatest Hits Radio North East, Nation Radio North East, TFM; and community radio stations Durham On Air, Bishop FM in Bishop Auckland,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bishopfm.com/|title=Bishop FM|accessdate=21 August 2024}}</ref> and Darlo Radio serving Darlington.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 January 2019 |title=Darlington radio station makes move |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/17341566.darlington-radio-station-makes-move/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614144018/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/17341566.darlington-radio-station-makes-move/ |archive-date=14 June 2020 |access-date=21 August 2024 |publisher=The Northern Echo}}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-roman}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.geopunk.co.uk/council/county-durham Durham County Council] information from GeoPunk
{{County Durham}} {{Unitary authorities of England}} {{NE England}}
Category:County Durham Category:English unitary authorities created in 2009 Category:Local government districts of County Durham Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the United Kingdom Category:Unitary authority districts of England