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Cornwall is a county in the southwestern extremity of England. It is a peninsula bounded by the English Channel on the south and the Atlantic Ocean on the north and west, terminating at Land's End. Cornwall's population is 469,300 (1991 est.), and it covers 3,564 km sq (1,376 mi sq).
Although Bodmin is the county seat, Truro is the administrative centre. Most of Cornwall consists of rugged moorland that gradually declines in elevation to the heavily indented coastline. The SCILLY ISLANDS, located just offshore, are part of Cornwall.
Some agriculture is engaged in; dairy cattle are raised and fruits and vegetables grown. Tin and clay mining is also important. The port towns of Falmouth, Fowey, and Penzance are industrial centers. Tourism is important, and much of the scenic coast is protected from commercial development.
Cornwall was occupied by Romans, Saxons, and Celts before the Norman Conquest in 1066, after which it became an Earldom. Since 1337 the heir to the British crown has held the title of Duke of Cornwall.