| Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the | | | | Historically the area has always had some |
| Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South | | | | importance, it has been valuable agricultural land |
| East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, | | | | resting between the main southern cities and |
| Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, | | | | containing the prestigious settlement at Oxford |
| Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. | | | | (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon Oxenaford |
| It is divided into five local government districts: | | | | = "ford for oxen"). Ignored by the Romans, it |
| Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of the White Horse (after | | | | was not until the formation of a settlement at |
| the Uffington White Horse), West Oxfordshire and | | | | Oxford that the area grew in importance. Alfred |
| South Oxfordshire. | | | | the Great was born in Wantage. The University of |
| The county has a major tourism industry. The | | | | Oxford was founded in 1096. The area was part |
| area is noted for the concentration of | | | | of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th |
| performance motorsport companies and facilities. | | | | century. The Great Western Railway reached |
| Oxford University Press has headed a | | | | Didcot in 1839. Morris Motors was founded in |
| concentration of print and publishing firms; the | | | | Oxford in 1912 and MG in Abingdon in 1929. The |
| university is also linked to the concentration of | | | | importance of agriculture as an employer has |
| local biotechnology companies. | | | | declined rapidly in the 20th century; currently |
| The main centre of population is the city of | | | | under one percent of the county's population are |
| Oxford. Other significant settlements are Bicester, | | | | involved. |
| Banbury, Kidlington, and Chipping Norton to the | | | | In 1808 the county had fourteen hundreds, |
| north of Oxford; Witney to the west; Thame and | | | | namely Bampton, Banbury, Binfield, Bloxham, |
| Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, | | | | Bullingdon, Chadlington, Dorchester, Ewelme, |
| Didcot and Henley-on-Thames to the south. | | | | Langtree, Lewknor, Pyrton, Ploughley, Thame and |
| Future population growth in the county is hoped | | | | Wootton. |
| to be concentrated around Banbury, Bicester, | | | | The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light |
| Didcot and Witney, near the South Midlands | | | | Infantry was based at the Barracks on Bullingdon |
| growth area. | | | | Green, Cowley. |
| The highest point of the county is Whitehorse Hill, | | | | The Vale of the White Horse and parts of South |
| in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 856 feet | | | | Oxfordshire south of the River Thames were |
| (261m). | | | | historically part of Berkshire, but were added to |
| Oxfordshire's county flower is the Snake's-head | | | | the administrative county in 1974. Conversely, the |
| Fritillary. | | | | Caversham area of Reading was historically part |
| The county of Oxfordshire, at that time entirely | | | | of Oxfordshire. (See History of Oxfordshire for |
| situated to the north of the River Thames, was | | | | the traditional county boundaries). |
| formed in the early years of the 10th century. | | | | |