Key facts and figures

Almost four out of ten people in the East Midlands live in communities of less than 10,000 people. Using this broad definition, this means that almost 40% of the East Midland's population live in a 'rural area'. This is much more than the national average as for England as a whole, this figure is two in ten or 20%.

In terms of land area, about 90% of the East Midlands is classed as 'rural'. This rural landscape is very diverse in character. It ranges from the green fields under pressure from development in Northamptonshire to the moors of Derbyshire and the Peak District National Park, from the Lincolnshire Fens and coasts in the east to the coalfield areas in the north and west. Using the Countryside Agency's Countryside Character map, there are 34 out of 159 identified 'character areas' within the East Midlands region (see www.countryside.gov.uk/cci).

The Countryside Agency's State of the Countryside Report 2001 for the East Midlands paints a picture of this rural region. This is based on a number of indicators being developed by the Countryside Agency (see section on indicators below). To access a full hard copy, visit www.countryside.gov.uk/eastmidlands/default.htm for contact details. This report states that:

• Agriculture is still the dominant land use in the region, covering nearly 80% by area compared with 72% for England as a whole
  
• Rural population growth is greater than urban population growth and rural areas have fewer young people and more elderly people than urban areas
  
• The region's rural parishes have fewer village halls and pubs as well as poorer access to services than the national average
  
• Headline figures for health, education and crime hide the fact that rural parts of the region include some very deprived people and places
  
• While rural house prices in the region are lower than the average for rural England, the average price of homes in rural wards is significantly higher than in urban wards
  
• Local authority spending on public and community transport is significantly lower in rural compared to urban areas
  
• Although the economic activity rate is higher and unemployment claimant rates are lower in rural areas, many residents have been affected by restructuring in agriculture and manufacturing sectors
  
• Both chemical and biological river quality in the East Midlands has seen significant improvements during the 1990s
  
• There has been significant decrease in the mountain, moor, heath and down habitat category between 1990 and 1998
  
• The public rights of way network is a major recreational asset in the East Midlands, comprising an estimated 19,061 km of footpaths, bridleways and byways open to traffic