County in England
| Coordinates: | 51.05, -1.33 |
|---|---|
| OS grid ref: | SU 47 28 |
Hampshire sits on England’s south coast between the chalk ridges of the South Downs and the ancient woodlands of the New Forest, with a long, indented coastline along the Solent. The county’s landscape mixes rolling downland, fast chalk rivers such as the Test and the Itchen, and a string of historic and busy settlements from the cathedral city of Winchester to the ports of Southampton and the naval hub of Portsmouth.
Hampshire’s identity is shaped by maritime and military history, a strong marine and port economy (cruise, container shipping and naval shipyards), and a significant high‑tech and research presence around local universities. Cultural highlights range from Jane Austen’s house in Chawton to the New Forest’s free‑roaming ponies; socially it spans affluent coastal towns, commuter belts into London and rural communities, making it a county of contrasts that’s popular with tourists and residents alike.
BH24, BH25, GU11, GU14, GU17, GU30, GU31, GU32, GU33, GU34, GU35, GU46, GU51, GU52, PO7, PO8, PO9, PO10, PO11, PO12, PO13, PO14, PO15, PO16, PO17, RG21, RG22, RG23, RG24, RG25, RG26, RG27, RG28, RG29, SO20, SO21, SO22, SO23, SO24, SO30, SO31, SO32, SO40, SO41, SO42, SO43, SO45, SO50, SO51, SO52, SO53, SP6, SP10, SP11