South Yorkshire
Metropolitan county of northeast England, created 1974; in 1986, most
of the functions of the former county council were transferred
to the metropolitan borough councils
Area:
1,560 sq km/602 sq mi
Towns:
Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield (all administrative centres
for the districts of the same name)
Physical:
River Don; part of Peak District National Park The county contains
a part of the Peak District National Park, and a rich diversity
of rural landscapes formed between the barren Pennine moors in
the southwest and the very low, flat carr- lands (a mixture of
marsh and copses) in the east.
Features:
A 1995 Millennium Commission award will enable the Earth Centre for
Environmental Research to be built near Doncaster.
Agriculture:
Sheep; dairy and arable farming
Industries:
Metal-work, coal, engineering, iron, and steel
Population:
(1995) 1,298,000
Famous People:
Ian Botham, Arthur Scargill
Population and industry
The overall rate of increase in population in the South Yorkshire area
in recent years has been below the national average due to outward
migration. Over 90 % of the population reside in the urban areas,
which are concentrated along the valley of the River Don, which
runs from southwest to northeast, and along the valleys of the
Don's main tributaries, the Dearne and the Rother. There is a
high level of unemployment; most employed persons are engaged
in coal-mining, steel manufacturing and processing, and in the
glass, brass, wire, and various engineering industries. Sheffield
is especially noted for its high-quality alloy steels, machine
tools, heavy engineering, and cutlery.
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