NORTH DORSET

district, administrative and historic county of Dorset, south-central England. North Dorset is an area of rolling countryside diagonally split by chalk downs 400 to 900 feet (120 to 275 metres) high, ranging northeast to southwest, which are in turn breached northwest to southeast by the valley of the meandering River Stour. The district is generally fertile, with dairy cattle and cereals raised throughout. The northerly section of the chalk downs (Cranborne Chase) was formerly part of a royal hunting preserve; much mixed deciduous forest remains in this area. The largest agricultural centres of the district, Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum, the district seat, are both old towns (parishes) and were important button-manufacturing towns prior to the 19th century. Blandford Forum has developed a light industrial base (including hospital equipment and steel products), and a military camp is located 2 miles (3 km) northeast of the town. Area 235 square miles (609 square km). Pop. (1998 est.) 60,500.