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