Wokingham

Wokingham, local government unitary authority, or administrative area, in southern England. Located west of London, it is bordered by Buckinghamshire to the north, Windsor and Maidenhead to the north-east, Bracknell Forest to the east and south-east, Hampshire to the south, West Berkshire to the south-west, Reading to the west, and Oxfordshire to the north-west. The town of Wokingham is the administrative centre of the unitary authority, which has an area of 179 sq km (69 sq mi). Wokingham came into existence on April 1, 1998, and was established as a result of the review of local administration in the non-metropolitan counties of England carried out by the Local Government Commission that was established under the Local Government Act of 1992. Previously Wokingham was administered by a district council, which was part of a two-tier structure with Berkshire County. However on March 31, 1998, the county was abolished and six unitary authorities created in its place. For the physical geography, settlement, economy, and history of the area, see Berkshire. Population 150,257 (2001).