Shropshire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It was created on 1 April 2009 from the former districts of Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Atcham and South Shropshire. The district is governed by Shropshire Council. It contains 188 civil parishes.