Its main cities are the ports of [[Southampton]], and [[Portsmouth]], and the historical city of [[Winchester]].
Much of England's newest [[National Park]], the [[The New Forest]], lies within the West of the County and is an important site for [[biodiversity]], being one of England's last remaining areas of extensive heath and oak forest. Wild horses, called New Forest Ponies, are found in this area.
Hampshire lies to the south-west of London and is situated centrally on England's south coast. It borders the counties of [[Dorset]], [[Wiltshire]], [[Berkshire]], [[Surrey]] and [[Sussex]]. The [[Isle of Wight]] lies a few miles offshore and was once administratively considered part of Hampshire; however, today the island is officially a county in its own right.