North Somerset (pop. 216,728) is a region in southwestern England. In 1996, it became a unitary authority, a unit of government responsible for all local government services within its boundaries. North Somerset lies southwest of the city of Bristol.
The local economy is based on agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries. Local industries include defense products manufacturing, engineering, food processing, and printing and packaging. Hotelkeeping and catering are significant service industries for the region’s tourism. North Somerset benefits from its closeness to Bristol, which has an international airport and rail links with London and the Midlands.
The administrative center of North Somerset is Weston-super-Mare, a coastal resort that attracts many tourists. Other population centers include the resorts of Clevedon and Portishead and the town of Nailsea. The area includes part of the Mendip Hills, a region that includes the villages of Blagdon and Butcombe. Other historical sites are an Iron Age fort at Worlebury Hill, near Weston, and the Wansdyke, a defensive earthwork dating from the A.D. 400’s or 500’s (see Bath).
