The latest census figures estimate the population of the area to be 107,300. The main town in the district is Dover - internationally famous for the White Cliffs and the busiest passenger ferry port in the world. Apart from the port and ferry industries, the main business in the area is tourism, packaging and chemical instruments. Ten miles to the north of Dover lies the coastal town of Deal which has often been called one of the first Georgian New Towns. It is a mecca for sea anglers and back in the 18th Century was renowned as a centre for smuggling.
Deal is home to numerous small businesses and is a popular residential area.
The last of the main towns is Sandwich , described as the best preserved medieval town in the United Kingdom with ancient streets and alleyways, which house an array of antique shops. The enormous Pfizer Pharmaceutical company is based on the outskirts of the town bringing employment to thousands of the areas residents. Sandwich also boasts two excellent golf courses, one of which is Royal St. George's, regularly hosts the British Open Championships. From Dover, ferries and catamarans provide many crossings to France and Belgium every day, depending on the time of year, but in addition to its proximity to Europe, the district has excellent internal road and rail links. The Channel Tunnel terminal at Cheriton is 20 minutes away and the Ashford International Passenger Station for the Eurostar service, half an hour.