The District is the most westerly in North Yorkshire, spread across 450 square miles of land that extends north from a boundary near Skipton, with West Yorkshire to the southeast, Lancashire to the west, and Cumbria to the northwest.
The area covers 117,876 hectares (15% of North Yorkshire), and it has a population of 53,600, giving it a population density of 44 people per square kilometre, being in the top ten lowest population density councils in England . (UK average 245 people per sq km).
The District includes the upper reaches of Wharfedale, Ribblesdale, Airedale and part of Lonsdale, with great limestone ridges and caverns between the dales, and with the fells and moors rising to the higher Pennines that culminate in the Three Peaks of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent.
In addition to Craven's landscapes being of national renown, the area boasts many features of national and international significance due to their nature conservation or historic environmental interest.
The District is served by transport links of both strategic and historic importance. It contains the key trunk route of the A65 linking the conurbations of West Yorkshire to the Dales and further to the Lake District. Craven is bisected from North to South by the scenic Settle-Carlisle railway line, and in the south of the District by the popular Leeds- Liverpool Canal, which attains its most northerly point at Gargrave.
The District, although predominantly rural has a diverse economy, with agriculture and quarrying being the traditional mainstay. This diversity incorporates a variety of small to medium sized businesses, and a manufacturing sector including companies such as Johnson & Johnson Wound Management, Angus Fire and Transtechnology. Tourism is an important factor in Craven's local economy.
The District benefits from its proximity and excellent transport links to Leeds and Bradford, and also those to Lancashire and Cumbria. Craven's central location in the country as a whole is beneficial, and it is within easy reach of Leeds/Bradford and Manchester airports.
Craven benefits from a relatively stable economy with unemployment below regional and national levels. However, in spite of its high economic activity rate, Craven is recognized as being at the less prosperous end of North Yorkshire's "two tier economy", with low wage levels, restricted employment opportunities, and a lower (Gross Domestic Product) GDP than the County as a whole.
Income levels are substantially below the national average. With the decline of traditional employment such as farming, financial security for many people is poor.
Craven District boasts excellent standards of educational attainment. This is a key factor in attracting people to live in the area, with the resulting increasing pressure on house prices.
Craven College, in Skipton, is one of the largest FE Colleges in North Yorkshire, attracts many students from outside the District, and provides an outreach service to rural areas.
The recent Census information confirms that Craven's population is ageing more than other parts of the country. This is in part due to the net out-migration of young people (16-24 year olds) from Craven, which is exacerbated by the lack of facilities for young people in rural areas, a lack of local jobs to keep them in the District, and the lack of affordable housing - a key issue.
There is a small but significant ethnic minority population, concentrated mainly in the Broughton Road area of Skipton.
For more census information please follow the links to the National Statistics website or application for services can be made through the North Yorkshire County Council website.