| Type | Number | Example | |------|--------|---------| | Historic Shires (this paper) | 39 | Yorkshire (one unit) | | Ceremonial Counties (modern) | 48 | East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire | | Metropolitan & Non-Metropolitan Counties | 83 | Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Tyne & Wear |
If someone asks for "shires in order" without specifying, they almost always mean historic shires – the 39 listed above. Conclusion / Quick Answer Card "There are 39 historic shires in England. In alphabetical order, the first is Bedfordshire and the last is Yorkshire. In geographical order from north to south, Northumberland is first and Cornwall is last." Would you like a printable one-page summary of this paper? how many shires in england in order