The county of Dorset
The county of Dorset lies in the southwest of England, and it is said often to combine the "best of both worlds" in itself, namely, beautiful sandy beaches and lively resorts on parts of the coast , and unspoilt countryside with a fascinating history. No wonder Dorset in terms of overnight stays by tourists is ranked third of all counties in England.
The story of Dorset begins about 8,000 BC with the settlement by Middle Stone Age hunters.  Thousands settled here mainly for the  high limestone hills in the region where the raised position could be used to protect against possible attacks. The Romans, however, shifted their settlements into the valleys especially in the area of Dorchester where many Roman artifacts  can still be found that document this era.

The landscape diversity of Dorset
Behind the natural diversity lies above all the geology of the Dorset region.  Throughout the county there are numerous first-limestone and chalk formations.  Between these elevations are many agricultural valleys and floodplains. In the southeast of Dorset a mixture of clay, sand and gravel breeding ground for a heathland  is home to native reptiles.  The Dorset coast is one of the most visited and explored coastal regions of the world. Their origin dates back to the Triassic, about 250 to 200 million years ago. Besides fossil records from this period also geological features are on display such as Lulworth Cove, a bay, which is due to their shape as a kind of natural wonder, or Durdle Door, a natural arch of limestone making  the coast  unique  The Jurassic Coast  since 2001  is a  UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dorset has about 410,000 people living there,  the population of Bournemouth (about 165,000) and Poole (about 138,000) are not counted here, because both cities are classed as  unitary authority they are managed independently.  25.9% of Dorset's residents are older than 65 years, which makes the county  after East Sussex  the "second oldest" of England.

Culture in Dorset
Theaters, concert halls and museums are found primarily in the larger cities such as Poole, Bournemouth and Weymouth.  The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1893, is one of the best known cultural institutions in  Dorset.  In the literature  the county is also  considered to be the birthplace of author Thomas Hardy.
More information
Cities in Devon : Bournemouth , Dorchester