Gloucestershire

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Gloucestershire County in sw England; the county town is Gloucester. Other important towns include Cheltenham and Stroud. There was a strong Roman presence in the county and in later periods it became important for coal-mining and the wool industry. The Cotswolds, to the e, sustain dairy and arable farming. The fertile Severn River valley is home to dairying. Industries: engineering, scientific instruments, plastics. Area: 2642sq km (1020sq mi). Pop. (1997 est.) 561,900.

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