It is part of the London census metropolitan area.

Central Elgin was formed in 1998 through the amalgamation of the Township of Yarmouth with the Villages of Belmont and Port Stanley.

The municipality includes the population centres of Port Stanley and Belmont.

Other communities include Dexter, Lawton's Corners, Lyndale, Lynhurst, Mapleton, New Sarum, Norman, Sparta, Union, Whites and Yarmouth Centre.

It was an English public school prior to fall 2018.