The Midlands

The Midlands (, Plateau ') are the central part of England around Birmingham. They correspond roughly to the Middle English lowlands, the traditional center of coal production (see the term Black Country ) and today the industry. The Midlands were, form the middle between the South of England (Bristol - Southampton - London - Norfolk ) and the North of England (Liverpool - Manchester via Sheffield to Humber lowlands).

Three regions and twelve to fourteen counties

For this area, which extends from London's city limits just 200 km to the northwest, including the counties of Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.

Your urban center is the agglomeration of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry, with several million inhabitants.

Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire are now commonly considered one of the Midlands, although at their extreme southern corner. On the other hand Cheshire could be part of the Midlands, but is often reckoned to the north west of England.

For the historical development

The region largely corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia.

Already in 1790 were the Midlands - connected by water with Oxford and London, what to trade significantly simplified and economic advancement of the region contributed significantly - with the completion of the Oxford Canal.

In the east, the South Midlands by the government were defined as development area. They consist of Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire and the northern Buckinghamshire. The latter two are usually not to the Midlands.

East Midlands and West Midlands are English administrative units, but not quite cover the traditional Midlands region. They include parts of northern Lincolnshire that belong to Yorkshire and the Humber ( see also Unitary Authority), and Peterborough, which was part of Northamptonshire again, but now with Cambridgeshire in the East of England is one.

Major cities in the Midlands

( Marked in bold cities over 200,000 inhabitants)

  • Midlands
  • Geography (England)
  • Region in Europe
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