Editing Clacton-on-Sea (section)

{{short description|Seaside town in Essex, England}}
{{Redirect|Clacton}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{infobox UK place
|country                  = England
|static_image_name        = Clacton-on-Sea.jpg
|static_image_caption     = Clacton-on-Sea from the air in 2004
|official_name            = Clacton-on-Sea
|coordinates              = {{coord|51.7918|1.1457|display=inline,title}}
|label_position           = left
|population_ref           = {{nowrap|53,200 (Built-up area, 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |website=Census 2021 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=3 September 2023}}</ref>}}
|shire_district           = [[Tendring District|Tendring]]
|shire_county             = [[Essex]]
|region                   = East of England
|constituency_westminster = [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]]
|post_town                = CLACTON-ON-SEA
|postcode_district        = CO15, CO16
|postcode_area            = CO
|dial_code                = 01255
|os_grid_reference        = TM170150
}}

'''Clacton-on-Sea''', often simply called '''Clacton''', <!-- redirects here --> is a [[seaside town]] and [[seaside resort|resort]] in the county of [[Essex]], on the east coast of [[England]]. It is located on the Tendring Peninsula and is the largest settlement in the [[Tendring District]], with a population of 53,200 (2021). The town is situated around {{convert|77|mi|km|abbr=off}} northeast of [[London]], {{convert|40|mi|km|round=5|abbr=on}} east-northeast of [[Chelmsford]], {{convert|58|mi|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Southend-on-Sea]], {{convert|16|mi|km|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Colchester]] and {{convert|16|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of [[Harwich]].

The area was historically in the parish of '''Great Clacton'''.<!-- redirects here --> The development of the seaside resort began in the 1870s and was called Clacton-on-Sea to distinguish it from the older village about {{convert|1|mile|km}} inland. Great Clacton and Clacton-on-Sea were always administered together, forming a single [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban district]] called Clacton between 1895 and 1974. The two settlements gradually merged into a single urban area during the twentieth century.

The town's economy continues to rely significantly on entertainment and day-trip facilities; it is strong in the service sector, with a large retired population. The north-west part of the town has two business/industrial parks. In the wider district, agriculture and occupations connected to the [[Harwich|Port of Harwich]] provide further employment. It lies within the United Kingdom Parliament [[United Kingdom Parliament constituencies|constituency]] of [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]].