Editing East Anglia (section)

==Area==
Definitions of what constitutes East Anglia vary. The [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] [[Kingdom of East Anglia]], established in the 6th century, originally consisted of the modern counties of [[Norfolk]] and [[Suffolk]] and expanded west into at least part of [[Cambridgeshire]], typically the northernmost parts known as [[The Fens]]. The modern [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS 2]] statistical unit of East Anglia comprises Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire (including the [[City of Peterborough]] unitary authority).<ref name="NUTS"/> Those three counties have formed the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia]] since 1976, and were the subject of a possible government devolution package in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cambridgeshire and Peterborough devolution deal|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cambridgeshire-and-peterborough-devolution-deal|website=GOV.UK|access-date=26 November 2017|language=en|date=16 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lamy |first=Joel |url=http://www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk/news/latest-news/east-anglia-devolution-deal-could-be-just-days-away-with-talks-over-geography-and-elected-mayor-ongoing-1-7398286 |title=East Anglia devolution deal could be just days away with talks over geography and elected mayor ongoing |publisher=Fenland Citizen |date=24 May 2016 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-date=11 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811212224/http://www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk/news/latest-news/east-anglia-devolution-deal-could-be-just-days-away-with-talks-over-geography-and-elected-mayor-ongoing-1-7398286 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Essex]] has sometimes been included in definitions of East Anglia, including by the London Society of East Anglians.<ref group=note>The First World War memorial at Liverpool Street Station, erected by the London Society of East Anglians, is "to the men of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire".</ref> Although the [[Kingdom of Essex]] to the south was a separate element of the [[heptarchy]] of [[Anglo-Saxon England]] and did not identify as [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]] but [[Saxons]], many people in Essex today still consider themselves to be East Anglian. For example, [[Colchester United F.C.]] is one of the clubs competing for the informal football title [[Pride of Anglia]], but not [[Southend United F.C.]] from further south in the county. Culturally, north Essex has much more in common with [[Suffolk]] and the rest of East Anglia due to its similar rural landscape, when compared to the south which is much more urban given its proximity to [[London]]. However, the county of Essex by itself forms a [[International Territorial Level|NUTS 2 statistical unit]] in the [[East of England]] [[Regions of England|region]].
[[File:Anglo-Saxon England 2.svg|thumb|Great Britain around the year 800 showing the East Angles]]
 
[[File:England RedcliffeMaud Provinces.png|frame|Redcliffe-Maud proposed provinces; East Anglia is marked 7]]
Other definitions of the area have been used or proposed over the years. For example, the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report]] in 1969, which followed the [[Royal Commission]] on the Reform of Local Government, recommended the creation of eight provinces in England. The proposed East Anglia province would have included northern Essex, southern [[Lincolnshire]] and a small part of [[Northamptonshire]] as well as Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

===Cultural identity===

Despite being considered by some to be a sub-region of the [[East of England]], it is considered to have its own differing cultural identity and characteristics, with some considering it an informal region in its own right.{{cn|date=April 2025}} It has more distinct accents within the area compared to the rest of the East of England region, such as the Norfolk and Suffolk accents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Technically Speaking East Anglian |url=https://dialectandheritage.org.uk/stories/spotlight-on-east-anglia/technically-speaking-east-anglian/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The Dialect and Heritage Project |language=en}}</ref> It is also considered a less commercialised area, with more agricultural business being based within East Anglia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-10 |title=Farming delivers in East Anglia |url=https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/farming-in-east-anglia/#:~:text=Farmers%20in%20East%20Anglia%20harvest,%25)%20of%20England's%20table%20chicken. |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=www.nfuonline.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> However, it must be noted that several areas of East Anglia are starting to experience a renaissance, with more frequent [[Decentralization|decentralisation]] and expansions of certain businesses taking place in several areas such as the recent introductions of commercial businesses such as [[Taco Bell]] and [[Odeon Cinemas]] into areas of East Anglia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home - New Anglia LEP |url=https://newanglia.co.uk/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250214183529/https://newanglia.co.uk/ |archive-date=2025-02-14 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=New Anglia |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Odeon cinema in Peterborough will create 40 jobs, firm says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjjej2dqz8wo |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-19 |title=Taco Bell plans set to be approved |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/20673962.taco-bell-plans-set-approved/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Ipswich Star |language=en}}</ref> However, despite a recent economic renaissance, East Anglia is also still a poorer area than the rest of the East of England region, with several areas suffering from intense deprivation and poverty.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-01 |title=Map of richest and poorest areas reveals huge income divide |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21278799.map-richest-poorest-areas-reveals-huge-income-divide/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=East Anglian Daily Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=East Anglia's Productivity Challenge |url=https://www.productivity.ac.uk/news/east-anglias-productivity-challenge/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=The Productivity Institute |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McNair |first=Stephen |date=2022-07-11 |title=East of England: growing but still unequal |url=https://eastangliabylines.co.uk/regions/anglia/east-of-england-growing-but-still-unequal/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=eastangliabylines.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

From a geographical perspective, East Anglia also differs hugely from the rest of the East of England due to it being somewhat situated on the east coast of England, leading to several seaside towns being situated within the area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-06 |title=East Anglia {{!}} Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/East-Anglia |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> A more noticeable differing geographical feature is [[The Fens]], an area of low-lying marshland populated throughout East Anglia as well as, to a lesser extent, the [[East Midlands]].<ref name=":2" /> It has managed to define East Anglia, especially from a historical perspective, and help it stand out from the rest of the East of England, with several plans recently set up to restore The Fens to its initial state, prior to its drainage, as a big wetland area.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> East Anglia is also more likely than any other area in the East of England to be considered part of the [[Midlands]].{{dub|date=April 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Midlands and East Anglia Discussion Circle {{!}} Genealogical Society of Victoria |url=https://www.gsv.org.au/midlands-and-east-anglia-discussion-circle |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.gsv.org.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-08 |title=Places that don't really fit in their region |url=https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/places-that-dont-really-fit-in-their-region.146507/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=RailUK Forums |language=en-GB}}</ref> This is mostly because East Anglia’s geographical location aligns with The Midlands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eurostat |url=https://circabc.europa.eu/webdav/CircaBC/ESTAT/regportraits/Information/ukh1_geo.htm#:~:text=East%20Anglia%20constitutes%20the%20northern,bordered%20by%20the%20North%20Sea. |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=circabc.europa.eu}}</ref> It is also likely due to several areas of East Anglia being situated above or on several somewhat common but unofficial borders that separate the Midlands and even the North in some cases, from [[Southern England]] such as [[River Great Ouse]], [[River Nene]] or even the [[Thames]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} East Anglia and the Midlands were also previously combined in a grouping known as “Central England” based on [[European Parliament constituencies in the United Kingdom]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} Similarly, some East Anglian citizens have expressed interests in turning East Anglia into its own independent state.{{dub|date=April 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-09-30 |title=We, the proud people of East Anglia, declare our statehood |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21708713.proud-people-east-anglia-declare-statehood/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=East Anglian Daily Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-20 |title=Is it time to revisit Home Rule for East Anglia? |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/20824641.time-revisit-home-rule-east-anglia/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Eastern Daily Press |language=en}}</ref>