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Borough of Swale facts for kids

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Borough of Swale
Non-metropolitan district
Swale shown within Kent
Swale shown within Kent
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South East England
Non-metropolitan county Kent
Status Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ Sittingbourne
Incorporated 1 April 1974
Government
 • Type Non-metropolitan district council
 • Body Swale Borough Council
Area
 • Total 144.2 sq mi (373.4 km2)
Area rank 110th (of 326)
Population
 (2005 est.)
 • Total 150,082
 • Rank 137th (of 326)
 • Density 1,041.00/sq mi (401.93/km2)
 • Ethnicity
96.1% White
1.3% S.Asian
1.1% Black
1.0% Mixed Race
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 29UM (ONS)
E07000113 (GSS)
Kingsferry Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 4251
The Kingsferry Bridge

Swale is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England and is bounded by Medway to the west, Canterbury to the east, Ashford to the south and Maidstone to the south west. Its council is based in Sittingbourne. The district is named after the narrow channel called The Swale, that separates the mainland of Kent from the Isle of Sheppey, and which occupies the central part of the district.

The district was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, from the Borough of Faversham; the Borough of Queenborough-in-Sheppey, which covered the whole of Sheppey; the Sittingbourne and Milton Urban District; and Swale Rural District.

Most of the southern half of the Borough lies within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, whilst Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey forms the concluding part of the Thames Gateway growth area.

There are four towns in the borough: Sittingbourne and Faversham on the mainland, and Sheerness and Queenborough on Sheppey.

Economy

Swale is a mainly rural borough, containing a high proportion of the UK's apple, pear, cherry and plum orchards (the North Kent Fruit Belt), as well as many of its remaining hop gardens.

Sheerness is a busy port and previously produced steel. Sittingbourne has a variety of smaller industrial sites.

Transport

The Roman Watling Street passed through the area, as witness the straightness of the A2 main road, now by-passed by the M2 motorway.

There are two railway lines in Swale: the Chatham Main Line and the Sheerness Line, which meet at Sittingbourne.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Swale para niños

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