▁all ▁of ▁the ▁far ▁South ▁of ▁England ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Channel ▁Islands . ▁ ▁Location ▁The ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Port sm outh , ▁situated ▁cent r ally ▁within ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Province ▁of ▁South w ark , ▁extending ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Ab ing don ▁in ▁the ▁North ; ▁and ▁down ▁to ▁and ▁including ▁the ▁Channel ▁Islands ▁in ▁the ▁South , ▁and ▁roughly ▁from ▁Li ph ook ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁to ▁And over ▁in ▁the ▁West . ▁The ▁dioc ese ▁ad jo ins ▁the ▁dioc eses ▁of ▁B irmingham ▁and ▁North am pton ▁to ▁the ▁North , ▁the ▁dioc ese ▁of ▁A rund el ▁& ▁Bright on ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁the ▁dioc eses ▁of ▁P ly mouth ▁and ▁Cl if ton ▁to ▁the ▁West . ▁It ▁officially ▁compr ises ▁the ▁count ies ▁of ▁Ham pshire , ▁Ber k shire ▁( s outh ▁of ▁the ▁Th ames ), ▁Oxford shire ▁( s outh ▁of ▁the ▁Th ames ), ▁Dor set ▁( the ▁B ourn em outh ▁area ), ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁W ight ▁and ▁the ▁Channel ▁Islands . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Port sm outh ▁is ▁ 6 , 3 3 9   km 2 ▁( 2 , 4 4 7 sq ▁Mil es ) ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁population ▁( 2 0 0 1 ▁census ) ▁of ▁ 2 , 9 6 0 , 0 7 7 . ▁Its ▁estimated ▁Catholic ▁population ▁( 2 0 0 4 ) ▁is ▁ 1 6 7 , 0 0 0 . ▁There