Maps are an excellent means of visualising and understanding geography, and the Beginners' Guide to UK Geography is accordingly supported by a range of reference maps.
These can be downloaded directly by clicking on the appropriate link.
The maps may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for research, private study or internal circulation within an organisation, subject to being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. Any other use of the material is prohibited without prior permission - please contact us.
Administrative geography maps
1) Regions (former Government Office Regions (GORS)) effective at 31st December, 2011 (256 Kb Pdf)
2) Government Office Regions (GORs) as at August 1998 (161.1 Kb Pdf)
3) Regions (GORs) and their constituent counties / unitary authorities as at 2011 (641.3 Kb Pdf) - Map also covers unitary authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Northern Irish Health and Social Services Boards (HSSBs) are also shown.
4) UK counties and unitary administrations effective at 31st December, 2011 (2.02 Mb Pdf)
5a) All local authorities in the UK before 1 April 2009
(1.56 Mb Pdf)
5b) All local authorities in the UK effective at 31st December, 2011 (3.45 Mb Pdf) - This structure was reorganised on 1 April 2009. These maps include counties and districts in areas with a two tier local government structure.
6) Greater London and the London boroughs as at December 2002 (456.5 Kb Pdf)
Health geography maps
1) UK health geography effective at 31st December, 2011
(2.06 Mb Pdf)
2) UK health geography from 1 July 2006
(1.44 Mb Pdf)
3) UK health geography from 9 February 2004 to 30 June 2006
(277.4 Kb Pdf)
- Reflects the renaming of some Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in England.
4) UK health geography from July 2003 to 8 February 2004
(277.6 Kb Pdf)
- Reflects the abolition of the Directorates of Health and Social Care (DHSCs) in England.
5) UK health geography, April 2003 - June 2003
(294.7 Kb Pdf)
- Reflects the introduction of Regional Offices in Wales.
6) UK health geography, April 2002 - March 2003
(289 Kb Pdf)
- Reflects the reorganisation of English health geography into Directorates of Health and Social Care (DHSCs) and Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
7) UK health geography, April 2001 - March 2002
(336.4 Kb Pdf)
- Includes NHS Executive Regional Offices and Health Authorities (HAs) in England; HAs in Wales; Health Boards (HBs) in Scotland; and Health and Social Services Boards (HSSBs) in Northern Ireland.
8) England and Wales primary care geography effective at 31st December, 2011
(2.84 Mb Pdf)
9) England and Wales primary care geography, October 2006
(2.69 Mb Pdf)
- Includes Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in England, primary care organisations (PCOs) in England and Local Health Boards (LHBs) in Wales.
Electoral geography maps
1) Great Britain: Westminster parliamentary constituencies, 2010 (2.2 Mb Pdf)
Note: These are the boundaries that were in force on the day of the 2010 general election.
The boundaries for England and Wales have both changed since the previous general election.
Those for Scotland remain the same as at the May 2005 general election.
NUTS / LAU area maps - NUTS levels 1, 2 and 3 and LAU level 1
1) NUTS level 1 areas in the UK effective at 31st December, 2011 (2.75 Mb Pdf) (2.7Mb Pdf)
2) NUTS levels 1, 2 and 3 areas in the UK effective at 31st December, 2011 (1.45 Mb Pdf) (2.2Mb Pdf)
3) NUTS levels 1, 2, 3 and LAU level 1 areas in the UK effective at 31st December, 2011 (2.27 Mb Pdf) (1.4Mb Pdf)
Maps of other geographies
1) National parks in Great Britain effective at 31st December, 2011 (2.43 Mb Pdf)
2) Travel-to-Work Areas (TTWAs) 2001, United Kingdom (based on 2001 Census data) (1.69 Mb Pdf)
3) Registration districts in England and Wales effective at 31st December, 2011 (2.45 Mb Pdf)
Output Area and Super Output Area Maps
Reference (outline) PDF maps showing output areas and super output areas, used to present census statistics. Select a region to download a PDF map of output areas or super output areas for either 2001 or 2011.
