Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial and historic county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Luton which had a population of 225,262 in 2021.The county has an area of 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) and a population of 704,736 as of the 2021 census. Bedford is the county town. Market towns include Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, and Biggleswade. Much of the county is rural. Bedfordshire consists of the unitary authority areas of the Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton. The county's highest point is 243 m (797 ft) on Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns. Source: Wikipedia (en)