Kent
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{{Infobox England county
| name = Kent
| image = [[Image:Kent flag.svg|150px|Invicta Flag of Kent]]
| motto =
| map = [[Image:EnglandKent.png]]
| status = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial]] & (smaller) [[Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|Non-metropolitan]] county
| origin =
| region = [[South East England]]
| arearank = [[List of Ceremonial counties of England by Area|Ranked 10th]]
| area_km2 = 3736
| adminarearank = [[List of Administrative shire counties of England by Area|Ranked 10th]]
| adminarea_km2 = 3544
| adminhq = [[Maidstone]]
| iso = GB-KEN
| ons = 29
| nuts3 = UKJ42
| poprank = [[List of ceremonial counties of England by population|Ranked {{English cerem counties|RNK=Kent}}]]
| popestdate = {{English statistics year}}
| pop = {{English cerem counties|POP=Kent}}
| density_km2 = {{English cerem counties|DEN=Kent}}
| adminpoprank = [[List of non-metropolitan counties of England by population|Ranked {{English admin counties|RNK=Kent}}]]
| adminpop = {{English admin counties|POP=Kent}}
| ethnicity = 96.9% White<br>1.9% Asian
| council = Kent County Council<br />http://www.kent.gov.uk/<br />Medway Council<br />http://www.medway.gov.uk/
| exec = {{English county control|CTY=Kent}}
| mps = *[[Julian Brazier]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Greg Clark]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Paul Clark (politician)|Paul Clark]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[Michael Fallon]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Roger Gale]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Damian Green]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Adam Holloway]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Michael Howard]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Stephen Ladyman]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[Bob Marshall-Andrews]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[Gwyn Prosser]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[Hugh Robertson]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Jonathan Shaw]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[John Stanley (politician)|John Stanley]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Howard Stoate]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
* [[Ann Widdecombe]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
* [[Derek Wyatt]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
| subdivmap = [[Image:KentDistrictsNumbered.svg]]
| subdivs = #[[Sevenoaks (district)|Sevenoaks]]
# [[Dartford (borough)|Dartford]]
# [[Gravesham]]
# [[Tonbridge and Malling]]
# [[Medway]] (Unitary)
# [[Maidstone (borough)|Maidstone]]
# [[Tunbridge Wells (borough)|Tunbridge Wells]]
# [[Swale]]
# [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]]
# [[City of Canterbury|Canterbury]]
# [[Shepway]]
# [[Thanet (district)|Thanet]]
# [[Dover (district)|Dover]]
}}
'''Kent''' is a [[Counties of England|county]] in southeast [[England]], and is one of the [[home counties]]. It borders [[East Sussex]], [[Surrey]] and [[Greater London]] and has a defined boundary with [[Essex]] in the middle of the [[River Thames]] [[estuary]]. The [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county boundaries]] of Kent include the [[Kent County Council|shire county of Kent]] and the [[unitary authority|unitary borough]] of [[Medway]]. Kent has a nominal border with [[France]] halfway through the [[Channel Tunnel]]. [[Maidstone]] is its [[county town]] and historically [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] and [[Canterbury]] have been accorded [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] though only the latter still holds it.
Kent's location between London and the [[continental Europe|continent]] has led to its being a front line of several conflicts, including the [[Battle of Britain]] during [[World War II]]. East Kent was named ''Hell Fire Corner'' during the conflict. England has relied on the county's ports to provide warships through much of the past 800 years; the [[Cinque Ports]] in the 12th–14th centuries and Chatham Dockyard in the 16th–20th centuries were of particular importance to the country's security. France can be seen clearly in fine weather from the iconic White Cliffs of [[Dover]]
Because of its abundance of [[orchard]]s and [[Hop (plant)|hop]] gardens, Kent is widely known as "The Garden of England" — a name often applied when marketing the county or its produce, although other regions have tried to lay claim to the title.<ref name=goe1>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/country/article/0,,1787332,00.html#article_continue Kent loses its Garden of England title to North Yorkshire] The Guardian [[June 1]], [[2006]]</ref><ref name=goe2>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5037566.stm Garden of England title defended] BBC [[1 June]] [[2006]]</ref>
Major industries in the north-west of Kent have included [[cement]], [[papermaking]], and [[aircraft industry|aircraft construction]], but these are now in decline. South and East Kent rely on tourism and agriculture.
==History==
[[Image:Arms-kent.jpg|thumb|left|The coat of arms of Kent County Council]]
{{Main|History of Kent}}
The area has been occupied since the [[Palaeolithic]] era, as attested by finds from the quarries at [[Swanscombe]]. The [[Medway megaliths]] were built during the [[Neolithic]] era. There is a rich sequence of [[Bronze Age]], [[Iron Age]], and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] era occupation, as indicated by finds and features such as the [[Ringlemere gold cup]] and the Roman villas of the [[River Darent|Darent valley]].<ref name="prehistoric">{{cite book | last=Ashbee|first=Paul|title = Kent in prehistoric times | publisher = Tempus | | date = 2005 }}</ref>
The modern name of Kent is derived from the [[Brythonic]] word ''Cantus'' meaning "rim" or "border". This describes the eastern part of the current county area as a border land or coastal district. [[Julius Caesar]] had described the area as ''Cantium'', or home of the [[Cantiaci]] in 51 BC.<ref name="name">{{cite book | last=Glover|first=J.|title = Place names of Kent | }}</ref>
The extreme west of the modern county was occupied by Iron Age tribes, known as the [[Regnenses]]. It is possible that another ethnic group occupied [[The Weald]] and East Kent. East Kent became a kingdom of the [[Jutes]] during the 5th century<ref name="kingdom">{{cite book | last=Witney|first=K. P.|title = The Kingdom of Kent | date=1982}}</ref> and was known as ''Cantia'' from about 730 and as ''Cent'' in 835. The early medieval inhabitants of the county were known as the ''Cantwara'', or Kent people. These people regarded the city of Canterbury as their capital.<ref name="history">{{cite web | title = Victoria County History of Kent | publisher = KentArchaeology.org.uk | url = http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/03/03/01C/064.htm|date=May 2006 | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
In 597, [[Pope Gregory I]] appointed [[Augustine of Canterbury|Augustine]] as the first [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. In the previous year, Augustine successfully converted the [[Pagan]] King [[Æthelberht of Kent]] to Christianity. The [[Diocese of Canterbury]] became Britain's first [[Episcopal See]] and has since remained Britain's centre of Christianity.<ref name="Archbishop">{{cite web | title = Archbishop of Canterbury | publisher = Spartacus.SchoolNet.co.uk | url = http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/NORarchcanterbury.htm | accessdate = 2007-06-19 }}</ref>
In the 11th century, the people of Kent adopted the motto ''[[Invicta (motto)|Invicta]]'', meaning "undefeated". This naming followed the invasion of Britain by [[William of Normandy]]. The Kent people's continued resistance against the [[Normans]] led to Kent's designation as a semi-autonomous [[County Palatine]] in 1067. Under the nominal rule of William's half-brother [[Odo of Bayeux]], the county was granted similar powers to those granted in the areas bordering [[Wales]] and [[Scotland]].<ref name="odo"> {{cite book|author= [[David Bates (historian)|David Bates]]|title = The Character and Career of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux (1049/50-1097) |publisher = Speculum | date = 1975 | }}</ref>
During the medieval and early modern period, Kent played a major role in several of England's most notable rebellions, including the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381, led by [[Wat Tyler]],<ref name="revolt">{{cite web | title = Peasants' Revolt | publisher = Britannia.com | url = http://www.britannia.com/history/articles/peasantsrevolt.html | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
[[Jack Cade]]'s Kent rebellion of 1450, and [[Thomas Wyatt the younger|Wyatt's]] Rebellion of 1553 against Queen [[Mary I of England|Mary I]].<ref name="wyatt">{{cite web | title = Sir Thomas WYATT, "The Younger" | publisher = TudorPlace.com.ar | url = http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/ThomasWyatt(Sir)2.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
The [[Royal Navy]] first used the [[River Medway]] in 1547.<!-- *otheus*: nonsensical>> when a storehouse was rented on 'Jyllingham Water'. --> By the reign of [[Elizabeth I]] (1558–1603) a small dockyard had been established at [[Chatham, Kent|Chatham]]. By 1618, storehouses, a [[ropewalk]], a [[drydock]], and houses for officials had been built downstream from Chatham.<ref name=THDC>{{cite book | title = The Historic Dockyard Chatham — where legends were created | publisher = Jarrold Publishing |date = 2005 }}</ref>
By the 17th century, tensions between Britain and the powers of the Netherlands and France led to increasing military build-up in the county. Forts were built all along the coast following the [[raid on the Medway]], a successful attack by the Dutch navy on the shipyards of the [[Medway]] towns in 1667.<ref name="ruyter">{{cite web | title = The Dutch In The Medway | publisher = DeRuyter.org | url = http://www.deruyter.org/CHATHAM_Dutch_in_the_Medway.html | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
The 18th century was dominated by wars with France, during which the Medway became the primary base for a fleet that could act along the Dutch and French coasts. When the theatre of operation moved to the [[Atlantic]], this role was assumed by [[Portsmouth]] and [[Plymouth]], with Chatham concentrating on shipbuilding and ship repair. <!-- *otheus* I can't see relevance of this sentence:--><!-- In peacetime the work force at [[Chatham Dockyard]] was reduced to a quarter of its size during wartime.<ref name=THDC/> --> As an indication of the area's military importance, the first [[Ordnance Survey]] map ever drawn was a one-inch map of Kent, published in 1801.<ref name="ccs">{{cite book |last= Oliver|first=Richard| title = Ordnance Survey maps: a concise guide for historians 2nd Ed | publisher = Ordnance Survey | date = 1995 |isbn=1870598245}}</ref> <!-- *otheus* confusing and out-of-place; this is a history of Kent, not of the Dockyard --><!-- Chatham Dockyard built over 400 naval ships, including [[HMS Victory]] in the age of [[ship-of-the-line]], ironclads such as [[HMS Africa]], and 57 submarines. During [[World War II]], Chatham refitted 1360 warships such as [[HMS Ajax]].<ref name=THDC/> -->Many of the [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] naval buildings during this time still stand.
In the early 1800s, [[Smuggling|smugglers]] were very active on the Kent coastline. Gangs such as [[The Aldington Gang]] brought spirits, tobacco and salt to the county, and transported goods such as wool across the sea to France.<ref name="Aldington">{{cite web | title = South-East England | publisher = Smuggler's Britain | url = http://www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_se_14.html | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
In 1889, the [[County of London]] was created and the townships of [[Deptford]], [[Greenwich]], [[Woolwich]], [[Lee, London|Lee]], [[Eltham, London|Eltham]], [[Charlton, London|Charlton]], [[Kidbrooke]] and [[Lewisham]] were transferred out of Kent and in 1900 the area of [[Penge Urban District|Penge]] was gained.
During World War II, much of the [[Battle of Britain]] was fought in the skies over the county. Between June 1944 and March 1945, over 10,000 [[V1 flying bomb]]s, known as "Doodlebugs", were fired on London from bases in Northern France. Many were destroyed by aircraft, anti-aircraft guns, and [[barrage balloon]]s, yet both London and Kent were hit by around 2,500 of these bombs.<!-- What areas? --><!-- These areas became known as ''Doodlebug Alley''. --><!--<ref name="doodle">{{cite web | title = WW2 People's War | publisher = BBC | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/00/a7642000.shtml| date=[[2005-12-09]] | accessdate = 2007-04-19 }}</ref>-->
After the war, Kent's borders changed several more times. In 1965 the London boroughs of [[London Borough of Bromley|Bromley]] and [[London Borough of Bexley|Bexley]] were created from nine towns formerly in Kent.<ref name="KHI"> {{cite book|last=Jessup|first=Frank W.|title =Kent History Illustrated |publisher = Kent County Council| date = 1966 | }}</ref> In 1998, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, and [[Rainham, Kent|Rainham]] left the administrative county of Kent to form the [[Unitary Authority]] of [[Medway]]. They have, however, remained in the ceremonial county of Kent.<ref name="unitary">{{cite web | title = Medway | publisher = Communities and Local Government | url = http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1170128 | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref> During this reorganisation, through an administrative oversight, the city of Rochester lost its official [[City status in the United Kingdom#The Former City of Rochester|city status]].<ref name="rochester">{{cite web | title = Error costs Rochester city status | publisher = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/england/1991827.stm | date=[[2002-05-16]] | accessdate = 2007-04-20}}</ref>
<!-- *otheus* the following should NOT be in the history section! Perhaps geography? --><!--
Kent is traditionally divided into [[West Kent]] and [[East Kent]] by the River Medway. Residents east of the Medway are called "Men of Kent" and "Maids of Kent", while those to the west "Kentish Men" and "Kentsish Maids".<ref name="man">{{cite news | first=Stephen|last=Rayner|title = Men of Kent: Sorry ... but we're joining a new tribe | publisher = Medway News | url = | date = October 2004 }}</ref>
-->
==Physical geography==
{{Main|Geography of Kent}}
[[Image:White cliffs of dover 09 2004.jpg|thumb|right|'The White Cliffs of Dover']]
Kent is at the southeastern end of England. It borders the [[River Thames]] and the [[North Sea]] to the north, and the [[Straits of Dover]] and the [[English Channel]] to the south. France is {{convert|21|mi|km|0}} across the Strait.<ref name="msn">{{cite web | title = English Channel | publisher = Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007 | url = http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761564966 | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
The major geographical features of the county are determined by a series of ridges and valleys running east-west across the county. These are the results of [[weathering]] to the [[Weald]]en dome, a dome across Kent and [[Sussex]] created by [[geography of the Alps|Alpine]] movements 10–20 million years ago. This dome consists of an upper layer of [[chalk]] above subsequent layers of upper [[greensand]], upper [[clay]], lower greensand, lower clay, and [[New Red Sandstone|red sandstone]]. The ridges and valleys formed as the exposed clay eroded faster than the exposed chalk, greensand, or red sandstone.
[[Image:KentGeology.JPG|thumb|left|Geological map of southeast England, showing a concentric circular pattern formed by the weathering of the Wealden dome.]]
[[Sevenoaks]], [[Maidstone]], [[Ashford]], and [[Folkestone]] are built on greensand,<ref name="gswik"/> while [[Tonbridge]] and [[Tunbridge Wells]] are built on red sandstone.<ref name="stamp"/> [[Dartford]], [[Gravesend, Kent|Gravesend]], the Medway towns, [[Sittingbourne]], [[Faversham]], [[Canterbury]], [[Deal, Kent|Deal]], and [[Dover]] are built on chalk.<ref name="gswik">{{cite book | title = Greensand Way in Kent | publisher = Kent Count Council | date = 1992|isbn=1-873010-23-0}}</ref><ref name="stamp"> Britain's Structure and Scenery, [[Laurence Dudley Stamp|L.Dudley Stamp]], Pub Sept 1946, Collins [[New Naturalist]] Series. </ref> The easterly section of the Wealden dome has been eroded away by the sea, and cliffs such as the [[white cliffs of Dover]] are present where a chalk ridge known as the [[North Downs]] meets the coast. Spanning Dover and [[Westerham]] is the [[Kent Downs AONB|Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]].<ref name="downs">{{cite web | title = Kent Downs | publisher = KentDowns.org | url = http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/ | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
The Wealden dome is a [[Mesozoic]] structure lying on a [[Palaeozoic]] foundation, which usually creates the right conditions for coal formation. This is found in East Kent roughly between Deal, Canterbury, and Dover. The [[coal measure]]s within the Westphalian Sandstone are deep (below 244 m – 396 m) and subject to flooding. They occur in two major troughs, which extend under the English Channel where similar coalfields are located.<ref name="gkb">{{cite web | title = Geology of Kent and Boulonnais | publisher = The Geology Shop | url=http://www.geologyshop.co.uk/geolkb.htm | date=2000 | accessdate = 2007-04-21 }}</ref>
Seismic activity has occasionally been recorded in Kent, though the [[epicentre]]s were offshore. In 1382 and 1580 there were two earthquakes exceeding 6.0 on the [[Richter Scale]]. In 1776, 1950, and on [[28 April]] [[2007]] there were earthquakes of around 4.3. The [[2007 Kent earthquake|2007 earthquake]] caused physical damage in Folkestone.<ref name="gquake">{{cite web | title = Quake causes Kent Families to flee Homes | publisher = The Guardian | url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2068090,00.html | date=[[2007-04-29]] | accessdate = 2007-04-28}}</ref>
[[Image:KentGeologyWealdenDome.svg|thumb|Geological cross section of Kent, showing how it relates to major towns]]
The coastline of Kent is continuously changing, due to [[tectonic uplift]] and [[coastal erosion]]. Until about 960, the [[Isle of Thanet]] was an island, separated by the [[Wantsum channel]], formed around a deposit of chalk; over time, the channels silted up with [[alluvium]]. Similarly [[Romney Marsh]] and [[Dungeness (headland)|Dungeness]] have been formed by accumulation of alluvium.<ref name="stamp"/>
Kent's principal river, the River Medway, rises near [[East Grinstead]] in [[Sussex]] and flows eastwards to a point near [[Maidstone]]. Here it turns north and breaks through the North Downs at Rochester, then joins the River Thames as its final tributary near [[Sheerness]]. The Medway is some {{convert|70|mi|km|0}} long.<ref name="medway">{{cite book | last=Bowskill|first=Derek | title = Map Of The River Medway | }}</ref> The river is tidal as far as [[Allington, Kent|Allington]] lock, but in earlier times, cargo-carrying vessels reached as far upstream as [[Tonbridge]].<ref name="medway">{{cite book | last=Bowskill|first=Derek | title = Map Of The River Medway | }}</ref> The Medway has captured the head waters of other rivers such as the [[River Darent]]. Other [[rivers of Kent]] include the [[River Stour, Kent|River Stour]] in the east.
==Demographics==
{| class="wikitable" id="toc" style="float: right; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; font-size: 90%;" cellspacing="3"
!colspan="4"|'''Kent Compared'''
|-
|'''[[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 UK census]]'''||'''Kent'''||[[South East England]]'''||'''England'''
|-
|Total population||1,579,206||8,000,645||49,138,831
|-
|Foreign born||5.8%||8.1%||9.2%
|-
|White||96.5%||95.1%||90.9%
|-
|Asian||2.0%||2.7%||4.6%
|-
|Black||0.4%||0.7%||2.3%
|-
|Christian||74.6%||72.8%||72%
|-
|Muslim||0.6%||1.4%||3.1%
|-
|Sikh||0.7%||0.5%||0.7%
|-
|}
As of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 UK census]],<ref name="Statistics.gov.uk">{{cite web | title = Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadHome.do;jsessionid=ac1f930bce6a711447e60ba4446bb56c21648d42c51.e38PbNqOa3qRe38OaNeKahqMai1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0?bhcp=1 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 }}</ref> Kent, including Medway, had 1,579,206 residents and 646,308 households, of which 1,329,718 residents and 546,742 households were within the administrative boundaries. Of those households, 48.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% were [[Cohabitation|co-habiting]] couples and 8.7% were lone parents; 28.0% of households consisted of individuals, 14.6% had someone of [[pension]]able age living alone, and 30.4% included children aged under 16 or a person aged 16 to 18 who was in full-time education. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males.
The ethnicity of the Kent was 96.5% White, 0.9% mixed race, 0.3% Chinese, 1.7% other Asian and 0.4% Black. The place of birth for residents was 94.2% United Kingdom, 0.7% Republic of Ireland, 0.5% Germany, 0.9% other [[Western Europe]] countries, 0.3% [[Eastern Europe]], 0.8% Africa, 0.6% [[Far East]], 0.9% [[South Asia]], 0.2% [[Middle East]], 0.4% North America, 0.1% South America and 0.3% [[Oceania]]. Religion was recorded as 74.6% [[Christian]], 0.7% [[Sikh]], 0.6% [[Muslim]], 0.4% [[Hindu]], 0.2% [[Buddhist]] and 0.1% [[Jew]]ish, while 15.2% were recorded as having no religion, 0.3% had an alternative religion, and 7.8% did not state their religion.
==Government==
[[Kent County Council]] (KCC) and its 12 [[Local government in the United Kingdom|district council]]s administer most of the county (3352 km²), while the [[Medway]] [[unitary authority]] administers the more densely populated remainder (192 km²). Together they have around 300 [[town council|town]] and [[parish council]]s. Kent County Council's headquarters are in [[Maidstone]],<ref name="kccdem">{{cite web | title = Council and democracy | publisher = Kent County Council | url = http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/ | accessdate = 2007-04-19 }}</ref> while Medway's offices are in [[Strood]] and [[Gillingham, Kent|Gillingham]].
As of the [[United Kingdom local elections, 2005|2005 county council elections]], Kent County Council was controlled by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]];<ref name="libdem">{{cite web | title = 2005 - Election Results In Kent | publisher = Kent Liberal Democrat | url = http://www.kent.libdems.org.uk/pages/election-results-2005.html?PHPSESSID=ef6ae3bdad68f6598ef0262e00c52abe | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref> 57 of the Council's 84 seats were held by the Conservatives, 21 by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], 6 by the [[Liberal Democrats]] and 1 by an Independent.<ref>{{cite web | title = Councillors | publisher = Kent County Council | url = http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors/ | accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref> As of the [[United Kingdom local elections, 2007|2007 local elections]], Medway Council was controlled by the Conservatives; 33 of the Council's 55 seats were held by the Conservatives, 13 by the Labour Party, 8 by the [[Liberal Democrats]] and 1 by an Independent.<ref>{{cite web | title = Democratically elected representatives in Medway | publisher = Medway Council | url = http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/council/councillor.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref> Currently, all of Kent's district councils are controlled by the Conservatives; the only British county that is in this position.
There is a growing call within Kent for greater self-rule. Many residents advocate the creation of a [[Kent Assembly]], along the lines of those for [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]], and/or a separate Kent Development Agency, a result of discontent with the South East Regional Development Agency. There are similar calls for [[devolution]] in other counties such as [[Cornish Assembly| Cornwall]].{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
At the national level, Kent is represented in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] by 17 MPs, 10 of whom are Conservative and 7 are Labour. Kent is in the [[European Parliament]] constituency of [[South East England (European Parliament constituency)|South East England]], which elects ten [[members of the European Parliament]].<ref name="euro">{{cite web | title = UK MEPs | publisher = UK Office Of The European Parliament | url = http://www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref>
==Economy==
As of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 UK census]],<ref name="Statistics.gov.uk">{{cite web | title = Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadHome.do;jsessionid=ac1f930bce6a711447e60ba4446bb56c21648d42c51.e38PbNqOa3qRe38OaNeKahqMai1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0?bhcp=1 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 }}</ref> employment statistics for the residents in Kent, including Medway, were as follows: 41.1% in full-time employment, 12.4% in part-time employment, 9.1% self-employed, 2.9% unemployed, 2.3% students with jobs, 3.7% students without jobs, 12.3% retired, 7.3% looking after home or family, 4.3% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.7% economically inactive for other reasons. Of residents aged 16–74, 16% had a [[higher education]] qualification or the equivalent, compared to 20% nationwide.<ref name="Statistics.gov.uk"/>
[[Image:StreetFarmOastFrittendenKent(ValVannet)Apr2006.jpg|thumb|right|Converted oast at [[Frittenden]].]]
The average hours worked per week by residents of Kent were 43.1 for males and 30.9 for females. Their industry of employment was 17.3% retail, 12.4% manufacturing, 11.8% real estate, 10.3% health and social work, 8.9% construction, 8.2% transport and communications, 7.9% education, 6.0% public administration and defence, 5.6% finance, 4.8% other community and personal service activities, 4.1% hotels and restaurants, 1.6% agriculture, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.2% mining, and 0.1% private households. This is higher than the whole of England for construction and transport/communications, and lower for manufacturing.
Kent is sometimes known as the "Garden of England" for its abundance of orchards and [[Hop (plant)|hop]] gardens. Distinctive hop-drying buildings called [[oast house|oasts]] are common in the countryside, although many have been converted into dwellings. Nearer to London, market gardens also flourish.
However, in recent years, there has been a significant drop in agriculture, and industry and services are increasing their utilization of the area. This is illustrated by the following table of economic indicator [[gross value added]] (GVA) between 1995 and 2000 (figures are in millions of British Pounds Sterling).<ref name="dunge">{{cite web | title = Regional Gross Value Added | publisher = Office for National Statistics | url = http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf|format=PDF | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" align=left
|-
! Year || Regional GVA{{ref label|rounding|A|A}} ||COLSPAN=2| Agriculture ||COLSPAN=2| Industry{{ref label|energy|B|B}} ||COLSPAN=2| Services{{ref label|financial|C|C}}
|-
|COLSPAN=8 | County of Kent (excluding Medway)
|-
| 1995 || '''12,369''' || 379 || 3.1% || 3,886 || 31.4% || 8,104 || 65.5%
|-
| 2000 || '''15,259''' || 259 || 1.7% || 4,601 || 30.2% || 10,399 || 68.1%
|-
| 2003 || '''18,126''' || 287 || 1.6% || 5,057 || 27.9% || 12,783 || 70.5%
|-
|COLSPAN=8 | Medway
|-
| 1995 || '''1,823''' || 21 || 3.1% || 560 || 31.4% || 1,243 || 68.2%
|-
| 2000 || '''2,348''' || 8 || 1.7% || 745 || 30.2% || 1,595 || 67.9%
|-
| 2003 || '''2,671''' || 10 || 1.6% || 802 || 27.9% || 1,859 || 69.6%
|}
:{{note label|rounding|A|A}} Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
:{{note label|energy|B|B}} includes energy and construction
:{{note label|financial|C|C}} includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured
<br clear=all>
North Kent is heavily industrialised with [[cement]]-making at [[Northfleet]] and [[Cuxton]], [[brickmaking]] at Sittingbourne, [[shipbuilding]] on the Medway and [[The Swale|Swale]], [[engineering]] and [[aircraft design]] and construction at Rochester, [[chemicals]] at Dartford and [[papermaking]] at [[Swanley]], and [[oil refinery|oil refining]] at [[Isle of Grain|Grain]].<ref name=KHI/> A [[steel]] mini mill in [[Sheerness]] and a rolling mill in [[Queenborough]].There are two [[Dungeness Power Station|nuclear power stations]] at [[Dungeness (headland)|Dungeness]], although the older one, built in 1965, was closed at the end of 2006.<ref name="dunge">{{cite web | title = Closure of Dungeness Power Station | publisher = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6203953.stm |date=[[2006-12-31]] | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref>
Cement-making, papermaking, and coal-mining were important industries in Kent during the 19th and 20th century. Cement came to the fore in the 19th century when massive building projects were undertaken. The ready supply of chalk and huge pits between [[Stone, Kent|Stone]] and [[Gravesend, Kent|Gravesend]] bear testament to that industry. There were also other workings around [[Burham]] on the tidal Medway.<ref name="ChathamNews">{{cite web | title = The Chatham News Index | publisher = Parret & Neves | url = http://www.gparrett.btinternet.co.uk/chatnews/cnidx_r2.pdf |format=PDF |date=1996 |accessdate = 2007-04-19 }}</ref>
Kent's original [[paper mill]]s stood on streams like the [[River Darent]], tributaries of the River Medway, and on the [[River Stour, Kent|River Stour]]. Two 18th century mills were on the [[Rivers of Kent|River Len]] and at [[Tovil]] on the [[River Loose, Kent|River Loose]]. In the late 19th century huge modern mills were built at Dartford and Northfleet on the River Thames and at [[Sittingbourne|Kemsley]] on The Swale. In pre-industrial times, almost every village and town had its own [[windmill]] or [[watermill]], with [[List of windmills in Kent|over 400 windmills]] known to have stood at some time. Twenty eight survive within the county today, plus two replica mills and a further two in that part of Kent now absorbed into [[London]]. All the major rivers in the county were used to power watermills.
From about 1900, several coal pits operated in East Kent. The [[Kent coalfield]] was mined during the 20th century at several collieries,<ref name="chik">{{cite web | title = Coal fields Heritage Initiative | publisher = Dover Museum | url = http://www.dover.gov.uk/kentcoal/intro.asp | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
including Chislet, Tilmanstone, Betteshanger, and the Snowdown Colliery, which ran from 1908 to 1986.<ref name="snowdown">{{cite web | title = Snowdown Colliery | publisher = FreeUK.com | url = http://home.freeuk.com/eastkent/mining/snowdown_colliery.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-19 }}</ref>
The west of the county (including Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells & Sevenoaks) is generally more affluent than the east, especially when compared to the coastal regions of Folkestone, Dover & Thanet. This is partly due to the former's proximity to London, making it prime "commuter belt" and the latter's geographic extremities. The eagerly awaited CTRL 2009 domestic service, bringing coastal areas' travel times to London down to around an hour, is hoped to further regeneration.
==Arts==
Kent has provided inspiration for several notable writers and artists. Canterbury's religious role gave rise to [[Geoffrey Chaucer|Chaucer]]'s ''Canterbury Tales'', a key development in the English language. The father of novelist [[Charles Dickens]] worked at the Chatham Dockyard; in many of his books, the celebrated novelist featured the scenery of Chatham, Rochester, and the [[Cliffe-at-Hoo|Cliffe]] marshes.<ref name="dickens">{{cite web | title = Charles Dickens | publisher = InfoBritain | url = http://www.infobritain.co.uk/Charles_Dickens.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-20 }}</ref>
The landscape painter [[J. M. W. Turner]] spent part of his childhood in the town of [[Margate]] in East Kent, and regularly returned to visit it throughout his life. The East Kent coast inspired many of his works, including some of his most famous seascapes.<ref name="turner">{{cite web | title = The Turner Connection | publisher = TurnerContemporary.org | url = http://www.turnercontemporary.org/about/?p=15 | accessdate = 2007-06-20 }}</ref>
During the late 1930s, [[Nobel Prize]]-awarded novelist [[William Golding]] worked as a teacher at [[Maidstone Grammar School]], where he met his future wife Ann Brookfield.<ref name="turner">{{cite web | title = William Golding — Biography | publisher = William-Golding.co.uk | url = http://www.william-golding.co.uk/p_biography.html | accessdate = 2007-06-20 }}</ref> In addition, the highly successful current pop production team [[Xenomania]] work out of a converted [[rectory]] in Kent.
==Transport==
{{Main|Transport in Kent}}
===Roads===
[[Image:MedwayM2BridgeCloud0169.JPG|thumb|right| The M2 and [[High Speed 1]] crossing the Medway Valley, south of Rochester.]]
With the Roman invasion, a road network was constructed to connect London to the Channel ports of Dover, Lympne and Richborough. The London–Dover road was [[Watling Street]]. These roads are now approximately the A2, B2068, A257, and the A28. The [[A2 road (Great Britain)|A2]] runs through Dartford (A207), Gravesend, Rochester, Canterbury and Dover; the A20 through Eltham, Wrotham, Maidstone, Charing, Ashford. Hythe, Folkestone and Dover; the [[A21 road|A21]] around Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and on to Hastings in East Sussex.<ref name=KHI/> In the 1960s, two motorways were built; the [[M2 motorway|M2]] from Medway to Faversham, and the [[M20 motorway|M20]] from Swanley to Folkestone. Part of the [[M25 motorway|M25]] runs through Kent, from Westerham to the [[Dartford Crossing|Kent and Essex tunnel at Dartford]]. The Dartford tunnel has been joined by the [[Dartford Crossing#The Bridge|Queen Elizabeth II Bridge]], together providing four lanes in each direction. The [[M26 motorway]], built in 1980, provides a short link between the M25 at [[Sevenoaks]] and the M20 near [[Wrotham]].
===Water===
The medieval [[Cinque Ports]], except for Dover, have all now silted up. The Medway Estuary has been an important port and naval base for 500 years. The River Medway is tidal up to [[Allington, Kent|Allington]] and navigable up to Tonbridge. Kent's two canals are the [[Royal Military Canal]] between Hythe and Rye, which still exists, and the Thames and Medway Canal between Strood and Gravesend. Built in 1824, it was purchased in 1846 by the railways, which partially backfilled it.<ref name=KHI/> Container ports are located at [[Ramsgate]] and [[Thamesport]].
===Railways===
[[Image:StroodCTRL2.JPG|thumb|right|A [[Eurostar]] train at km 48 on HS1, the [[High Speed 1]], near [[Strood]]]]
The earliest locomotive-driven passenger-carrying railway in Britain was the [[Canterbury and Whitstable Railway]] which opened in 1830.<ref>{{cite web | title = The lost railway | publisher = BBC| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/history/features/lost_railway.shtml| accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref> This and the [[London and Greenwich Railway]] later merged into [[South Eastern Railway (UK)|South Eastern Railways]] (SER).<ref name=potted>{{cite web | title = History of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway| publisher = The South Eastern & Chatham Railway Society | url = http://www.southeasternandchathamrailway.org.uk/webpages/History.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-22 }}</ref>
By the 1850s, SER's networks had expanded to Ashford, Ramsgate, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, and the Medway towns. SER's major London termini were [[London Bridge station|London Bridge]], [[Charing Cross station|Charing Cross]], and [[Cannon Street station|Cannon Street]]. Kent also had a second major railway, the [[London, Chatham and Dover Railway]] (LCDR). Originally the [[East Kent Railway]] in 1858, it linked the northeast Kent coast with London terminals at [[London Victoria station|Victoria]] and [[Blackfriars station|Blackfriars]].
The two companies merged in 1899, forming the [[South Eastern and Chatham Railway]] (SECR). In the aftermath of World War I, the government's [[Railways Act 1921]] grouped railway companies together; the SECR joined neighbouring [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]] (LBSCR) and [[London and South Western Railway]] (LSWR) to form the [[Southern Railway (Great Britain)|Southern Railway]].<ref name=potted/> Britain's railways were nationalised in 1948, forming [[British Rail]]. The railways were privatised in 1996 and most Kent passenger services were [[franchising|franchise]]d to [[Connex South Eastern]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Failed rail franchise 'needed time'| publisher = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3268719.stm | date=[[2003-11-13]] | accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref> Following financial difficulties, Connex lost the franchise and was replaced by [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Rail workers vote to hold strikes | publisher = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4905966.stm|date=[[2006-04-13]]|accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref>
The [[Channel Tunnel]] was completed in 1994 and [[High Speed 1]] in November 2007 with a London terminus at [[St Pancras railway station|St Pancras]]. A new station, [[Ebbsfleet International railway station|Ebbsfleet International]], opened between [[Dartford]] and [[Gravesend, Kent|Gravesend]], serving northern Kent.<ref>{{cite web | title = New station means Eurostar change | publisher = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/5337586.stm | date=[[2006-09-12]] | accessdate = 2007-04-22 }}</ref> .The high speed lines will be utilised to provide a faster train service to coastal towns like [[Ramsgate]] and [[Folkestone]]. This station is in addition to the existing station at [[Ashford International]], which has suffered a massive cut in service as a result.
[[Image:P9300406.JPG|thumb|left|Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway]]
In addition to the "mainline" railways, there are several light, heritage, and industrial railways in Kent. There are three heritage, standard gauge railways; [[Spa Valley Railway]] near Tunbridge Wells on the old Tunbridge Wells West branch, [[East Kent Railway (heritage)|East Kent Railway]] on the old East Kent coalfield area and the [[Kent and East Sussex Railway]] on the Weald around Tenterden. In addition there is the {{convert|15|in|mm|sing=on}} gauge, tourist-oriented [[Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway]] on the southeast Kent coast along the Dungeness peninsular. Finally, there is the {{convert|2|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}, industrial [[Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway]].
===Air===
A limited number of charter flights are provided by Kent's [[London Biggin Hill Airport]], [[Kent International Airport]] at [[Manston, Kent|Manston]], and [[London Ashford Airport]] at [[Lydd]]. However, most passengers across the South East use the larger [[London Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]], [[London Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]], [[London Stansted Airport|Stansted]] and [[London Luton Airport|Luton]] airports. In 2002, it was revealed that the government is considering building a new four-runway airport on the marshland near the village of [[Cliffe, Kent|Cliffe]] on the [[Hoo Peninsula]], but this plan was dropped following protests by cultural and environmental groups.<ref>{{cite web | title = Airport plan threatens Dickens' legacy | publisher = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2093415.stm | date=[[2006-09-12]] | accessdate = 2007-06-20 }}</ref>
==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Kent}}
The county has three universities; [[Canterbury Christ Church University]] with campuses throughout [[East Kent]], [[University of Kent]], with campuses in Canterbury and Medway, and [[University of Greenwich]], with sites at [[Woolwich]], [[Eltham, London]] and Medway.
Whereas much of the UK adopted a [[comprehensive education]] system in the 1970s, Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Unitary Authority are among around fifteen<ref>{{cite web | title = Call for end to selective education as 'grammar school areas' fail | date = [[2007-01-20]] | publisher = The Independent | url = http://education.independent.co.uk/news/article2169188.ece | accessdate = 2007-05-14 }}</ref>
local authorities still providing [[Education in the United Kingdom|wholly selective education]] through the [[eleven-plus]] [[Secondary modern school|high school]]s and [[grammar school]]s. Together, the two Kent authorities have 38 of the 164 grammar schools remaining in the UK.<ref name="grammar">{{cite web | title = Grammar schools have expanded | date = [[2004-03-26]]| publisher = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3571387.stm | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref>
KCC has the largest education department of any local authority in the UK,<ref>{{cite web | title = Kent's selective schools compared | date = [[2003-01-17]] | publisher = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2666605.stm | accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref>
providing school places for over 289,000 pupils.
<center>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!COLSPAN=10 | Schools in Kent (data from 2000)<ref>{{cite web | title = Department for Education and Skills| publisher = Department for Education and Skills | url = http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ | accessdate = 2007-05-13 }}</ref>
|-
! LEA || Nursery || Primary|| Secondary <br> (High) || Secondary <br> (Grammar) || [[Special school|Special]] || [[pupil referral unit|Pupil <br> Referral <br> Units]]||Independent|| [[City Technology College|City <br> Technology <br> College]] ||Total
|-
| KCC || 1 || 475 || 74 ||32|| 34 || 11 || 83 || 1 || 711
|-
| Medway || 0 || 89 || 14 || 6 || 3 || 1 || 7 || 0 || 120
|}</center>
For the 2005-06 school year, KCC and Medway introduced a standardised school year, based on six terms, as recommended by the [[Local Government Association]] in its 2000 report, "The Rhythms of Schooling".<ref name="Kent County Council">{{cite web | title = Kent County Council | publisher = Kent County Council | url = http://www.kent.gov.uk/ | accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal}}
{{commonscat|Kent}}
* [[List of places in Kent]]
* [[List of civil parishes in Kent]]
* [[:Category:Towns in Kent]]
* [[:Category:Villages in Kent]]
* [[List of tourist attractions in Kent]]
* [[Recreational walks in Kent]]
* [[Thames Gateway]] - includes details of regeneration projects in the northern areas of Kent
* [[List of people from Kent]]
* [[Thanet]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://www.kentparishes.co.uk Kent Parishes] – Forum for History, Genealogy, Ancestry and local information
* [http://www.kent.gov.uk/ Kent County Council] – local government website
* [http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk Kent Wildlife Trust] – [[Kent Wildlife Trust]] is the most active conservation trust in the county
* [http://www.kentonline.co.uk/ Kent Online] – a Kent Messenger Group website
* [http://www.camelotintl.com/heritage/counties/england/kent.html Camelot Village] – Kent heritage
* [http://www.kentdowns.org.uk Kent Downs] – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty website
* [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/ Village Net] – photographs and historic details of villages in Kent and East Sussex
* [http://www.cprekent.org.uk CPRE Kent]- Kent Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
* [http://www.historic-kent.co.uk/ historic-kent.co.uk] – further information on villages throughout Kent.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/places/names/index.shtml#a BBC – origins of Kent placenames]
* [http://www.kentcoast.org.uk/ Kent Coast in Pictures] – photographs of the coastline of Kent.
* [http://www.kent-ccc.co.uk// Kent County Cricket Club]
* [http://www.visitkent.co.uk/ Official Kent Tourism Guide]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/news/features/11plus/ BBC feature on the Kent eleven-plus]
<br />
{{Kent}}
{{England counties}}
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