West Country

The West Country is an informal term for the area of south-western England encompassing the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Avon (sometimes includes the more northerly counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire).

The area is mostly rural, with a few notable cities, such as Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth. Tourism and agriculture, especially dairy farming, play a significant role in the economy. The landscape is principally granite moorland in the west, chalk and limestone downland and clay vales in the east. Historically, tin mining and the fishery were sources of income and employment, but not so much today, although the latter still contributes to the economy. The region is most famous for its produce of cider, clotted cream and pasties.