Region · England
East of England
Explore the East of England through the Norfolk coast, Suffolk's medieval wool towns, Cambridge and the waterways of the Broads.
Quick facts
- Type of place
- Region
- Nation
- England
- Official identifier
- gss:E12000006
- Part of
- England (Nation)
Overview
Norfolk’s coast, Suffolk’s coastal and medieval wool towns, Cambridge and Thetford Forest all feature in the East of England. The Broads add a landscape of waterways associated with boating. These are starting points for exploring the region’s contrasting places, from coasts and forest to historic towns. This profile brings those places together at a regional level. Lavenham’s timber-framed buildings and Cambridge’s early river connections offer two ways to explore the history behind the places.
This region helps you explore places in England. It does not have its own local council.
Population and demographics
- Land area
- 19,115.67 km²
-
Figures for . ONS EW MYE25 workbook geography: Notes April 2024; landing edition 2023 boundaries.
Office for National Statistics · ons-mid-2025 · MYE5!D157 (binary spreadsheet decimal rounded to 6 dp). Released 29 July 2026.
Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0
- Population
- 6,613,801 people
-
Figures for . ONS EW MYE25 workbook geography: Notes April 2024; landing edition 2023 boundaries.
Office for National Statistics · ons-mid-2025 · MYE2 - Persons!D157. Released 29 July 2026.
Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0
Population density: 346.0 people per km²
Calculated from the population and land area for 30 June 2025, using figures from the same release and covering the same boundaries.
Wool towns and river trade
Lavenham’s timber-framed buildings are connected with the medieval wool trade. It is one of Suffolk’s historic wool towns, giving a concrete example of how a past industry can be explored through the buildings that remain. Cambridge was a trading town before its university. A bridge over the Cam, also known as the Granta, existed by at least 875. By the Domesday survey of 1086, there was a castle north of the bridge and a settlement to its south. River connections through Ely and King’s Lynn helped traders reach the sea. Scholars from Oxford settled in Cambridge in 1209, adding another chapter to an already established town.