Peterborough County

For other uses, see Peterborough (disambiguation).
Peterborough County
County (upper-tier)
County of Peterborough

Location of Peterborough County
Coordinates: 44°30′N 78°10′W / 44.500°N 78.167°W / 44.500; -78.167Coordinates: 44°30′N 78°10′W / 44.500°N 78.167°W / 44.500; -78.167
Country  Canada
Province  Ontario
Region Central Ontario
Founded 1838 (as District of Colborne)
County seat Peterborough
Municipalities
Area[1]
  Land 3,769.29 km2 (1,455.33 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
  Total 54,870
  Density 14.6/km2 (38/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Website www.county.peterborough.on.ca

Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, Canada. The county seat is Peterborough, which is independent of the county.

The southern section of the county is mix of agriculture, urban and lakefront properties. The northern section of the county is mostly sparsely populated wilderness with numerous rivers and lakes, mostly within the recently expanded Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.

The County contains the Lang Pioneer Village, and the Kawarthas are a major tourist region.

Subdivisions

The county consists of eight townships:

Within the Peterborough census division but independent of county administration are two First Nations reserves:

The City of Peterborough is within the Peterborough County census division, but is separated from the county's administration.

History

The county was founded as the District of Colborne in 1838, centred on Peterborough, which became the County of Peterborough in 1850. In 1862, the County was redivided into Haliburton County, Peterborough County, and Victoria County (now the City of Kawartha Lakes). The centre of the County was originally the courthouse, which is still considered an important historical site.

The county was named in honor of Col. Peter Robinson, who in 1825 brought 2,000 settlers from Ireland. The route taken was by way of Port Hope, Rice Lake and the Otonabee River, the same route used by the first settlers that entered this region in 1818.

The county was originally divided in these townships:[2]

Demographics

The figures below are for the Peterborough census division, which combines Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough and the two First Nations reserves.

Canada census – Peterborough County community profile
2011 2006 2001
Population: 134,933 (1.4% from 2006) 133,080 (5.7% from 2001) 125,856 (2.0% from 1996)
Land area: 3,847.77 km2 (1,485.63 sq mi) 3,805.71 km2 (1,469.39 sq mi) 3,806.03 km2 (1,469.52 sq mi)
Population density: 35.1/km2 (91/sq mi) 35.0/km2 (91/sq mi) 33.1/km2 (86/sq mi)
Median age: 43.6 (M: 42.5, F: 44.6) 41.1 (M: 40.1, F: 42.1)
Total private dwellings: 68,009 67,281 62,304
Median household income:
References: 2011[1] 2006[3] 2001[4]

The county is projected to reach a population of 159,840 by 2031, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's Ontario Population Projections Update[5]

Historic populations:[4]

The City of Peterborough makes up the majority of the population of the census division. Statistics for Peterborough County—without Peterborough and the First Nations reserves—are:

Major places

Cities

Rural scene, Peterborough County, near Lakefield, Ontario

Towns/Villages

Media

In 1994, the Connection newspaper (previously known as Causeway Connection) established in Selwyn in central Peterborough County. The free monthly cottage country newspaper is distributed by mail, providing non-partisan news and information. The Connection is expanding both its distribution areas and internet presence.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Peterborough County census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  2. Jesse Edgar Middletwon & Fred Landon, Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto
  3. "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  4. 1 2 "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  5. "Ontario Population Projections Update" (PDF). Ontario Ministry of Finance. April 2006. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
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