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Economy

The Cumbrian Economy

Cumbria is England’s second largest county representing 48% of the land mass of the North West.   The area is home to the beautiful Lake District and half the county is designated as National Park or Areas of Outstanding National Beauty.   Alongside this physical beauty is an economy which provides employment for over 215,000 people in over 20,000 enterprises which together produces £6.7bn in gross value.   Major business sectors include manufacturing, tourism-related and the public sector.   The workforce has internationally renowned skills in nuclear, naval shipbuilding and specialist engineering.   However, Cumbria also has some of the most deprived wards in the UK, a dissipating and ageing population, and Gross Added Value (GVA) almost 25% below the national average. 

The statistics in the table below provide an overview of the economy in Cumbria with comparisons to the North West and the UK.   More detailed statistical summaries can be found via the menu on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An overview of Cumbria
Statistic_CumbriaNorth WestUK
Land area Hectares 676,715 1,410,571 13,027,872 (Eng) 

Population 2007 
ONS Mid Year Estimates

Total 496,900 6,864,300 59,216,200 (GB) 
Growth 2000-07 1.9% 1.3% 3.5% (GB) 
Density (ha pp) 1.36 0.21 0.22 

Enterprises 2007 
ONS Business Demography
 

Stock 19,885 232,935 2301,225 
Births 2,410 31,440 301,595 
Deaths 1,590 23,610 228,185 
5 Year survival 49.7% 44.8% 44.9% 
Gross Value Added 2005 
ONS
 
Total £6,687m £106,501m £1,096,629m 
Per head index 76 87 100 
Growth 2000-05 26% 26% 30% 
Workforce - March 2008 
Annual Population Survey
 
Total workforce 243,300 3,155,800 29,134,200 
Employees 204,000 2,780,100 25,186,000 
Self employed 36,900 361,600 3,845,900 
% in manufacturing 18.1% 14.8% 12.7% 
% in services 67.5% 75.6% 76.4% 
Gross Annual Earnings 2008 
Annual Survey of Hours & Earnings
 
Male £25,380 £24,885 £25,997 
Female £13,595 £15,407 £15,619 
Total £18,453 £19,866 £20,801 
Qualifications 2007 
Annual Population Survey
 
Level 4+ 25.4% 25.4% 28.5% 
Level 3+ 45.1% 44.0% 46.3% 
Economic Activity 2008 
Annual Population Survey
 
Working age rate 80.7% 76.8% 78.6% 
Claimant Count - Nov 2008 
ONS
 
Total 5,902 137,636 1,056,145 
Rate 2% 3.2% 2.8% 

Incapacity Benefit May 2008 DWP 

Working age rate 7.8% 9.3% 7.0% (GB) 
House Prices 2007 CLG/Land Registry Mean £168,006 £159,892 £219,804 (E&W) 

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