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West Midlands | |
|---|---|
From top, left to right: Birmingham; Coventry; Malvern Hills; the Wrekin; Trentham Estate; Shakespeare's Birthplace; Droitwich Canal | |
 West Midlands, highlighted in red on the map of England | |
| Coordinates: 52°28′43.9″N 2°15′22.7″W / 52.478861°N 2.256306°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Combined authorities | West Midlands |
| Districts | |
| Counties | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Leaders' board |
| • Body | West Midlands Councils |
| • House of Commons | 59 MPs (of 650) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,021 sq mi (13,004 km2) |
| • Land | 5,019 sq mi (12,998 km2) |
| • Water | 2 sq mi (5 km2) |
| • Rank | 7th |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
| • Total | 5,954,240 |
| • Rank | 5th |
| • Density | 1,190/sq mi (458/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| GSS code | E12000005 |
| ITL code | TLG |
| GVA | 2021 estimate[4] |
| • Total | £146.1 billion |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Per capita | £24,530 |
| • Rank | 6th |
| GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate[5] |
| • Total | £164.6 billion |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Per capita | £27,649 |
| • Rank | 7th |
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The West Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of International Territorial Level for statistical purposes. It covers the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. The region consists of the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. The region has seven cities; Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Worcester.
The West Midlands region is geographically diverse, from the urban central areas of the West Midlands conurbation to the rural counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire which border Wales. The region is landlocked. However, the longest river in the UK, the River Severn, traverses the region southeastwards, flowing through the county towns of Shrewsbury and Worcester, and the Ironbridge Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Staffordshire is home to the industrialised Potteries conurbation, including the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the Staffordshire Moorlands area, which borders the southeastern Peak District National Park near Leek. The region also encompasses five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Wye Valley, Shropshire Hills, Cannock Chase, Malvern Hills, and parts of the Cotswolds. Warwickshire is home to the towns of Stratford upon Avon, birthplace of writer William Shakespeare, Rugby, the birthplace of Rugby football and Nuneaton, birthplace to author George Eliot.
Geography
The official region contains the ceremonial counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.
There is some confusion in the use of the term "West Midlands", as the name is also used for the much smaller West Midlands county and conurbation which is in the central belt of the Midlands and on the eastern side of the West Midlands Region. It is also still used by various organisations within that area, such as West Midlands Police and West Midlands Fire Service.
The highest point in the region is Black Mountain, at 703 metres (2,307 ft) in west Herefordshire on the border with Powys, Wales.
The region contains five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), including the Shropshire Hills, Malvern Hills and Cannock Chase, and parts of the Wye Valley and Cotswolds. The Peak District national park also stretches into the northern corner of Staffordshire.
Towns and cities
Major towns and cities in the West Midlands region include:[6]
- Bold indicates city status.