Hampshire is a large ceremonial county on the southern coast of England, bordered by Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. It is home to the cities of Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth, as well as the New Forest National Park and significant stretches of the South Downs. Hampshire has a rich history ranging from its role as the capital of Anglo-Saxon England to its importance as a naval and maritime county, and today balances rural landscapes with thriving urban and commercial centres.