West Midlands (region)

West Midlands
West Midlands region shown within England
West Midlands region shown within England
Coordinates: 52°28′43.9″N 2°15′22.7″W / 52.478861°N 2.256306°W / 52.478861; -2.256306
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
GO established1994
RDA established1998
GO abolished2011
RDA abolished31 March 2012
Subdivisions
Government
 • MPs59 MPs (of 650)
Area
 • Total
5,021 sq mi (13,004 km2)
 • Land5,019 sq mi (12,998 km2)
 • Rank7th
Population
 (2022)[2]
 • Total
6,021,653
 • Rank5th
 • Density1,200/sq mi (463/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ITL codeTLG
GSS codeE12000005

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 known traditionally 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 south-eastwards, 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 south-eastern 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.

  1. ^ "Standard Area Measurements (Latest) for Administrative Areas in the United Kingdom". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – East Midlands Region (E12000005)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 14 August 2023.