The county has a population of 565,943 as of the 2001 Census and covers 123,465 hectares (305,088) acres. It borders onto Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. Luton was part of Bedfordshire until 1997 when it was made a unitary authority, it is however still part of Bedfordshire for some ceremonial purposes.
Towns and villages