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| Newsletter 8 November 2003 Download Archive |
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| NEWS & EVENTS | |
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| Introduction to the West Midlands The West Midlands lies at the heart of the United Kingdom and has a population of some 5.3 million people. It is the country's manufacturing and agricultural heartland and the hub of the national transportation network. A region with a proud and unique industrial heritage as the birthplace of the worldwide Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, the region has been, and remains, synonymous with innovation and change.  The region, with its varied topography and startling contrasts between urban and rural communities, covers and area of 13,000 square kilometres, its western edge bordering Wales. It is a cosmopolitan region with vibrant multi-ethnic and multi-faith communities - with a vitality of community life expressed though local arts, culture, music festivals and events. There are 38 local authorities within the region encompassing the large rural counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire and the seven metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall. Together the metropolitan boroughs form the second largest conurbation in the United Kingdom. The west of the region has large rural areas, and there are also extensive rural areas around the north of Staffordshire conurbation, including the Peak District National Park.  The diverse landscape is reflected in the region's economic profile. Historically the urban areas have been internationally famous for manufacturing of a wide variety of products. North Staffordshire is the centre of UK ceramics, Birmingham has long been known as the city of a Thousand Trades, Coventry grew with the cycle, vehicle and aircraft industries and the Black Country towns of Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley were the focus of metal production and fabrication. Restructuring of those industries has reduced the number of people working in the sector, but the West Midlands is still the UK's main manufacturing centre. Manufacturing now produces 30% of the region's GDP and 27% of employees rely of manufacturing for their livelihood although growth in the service sector - particularly retail, distribution, hotel and catering and business services - has been the fastest of any UK region. Many manufacturing businesses have diversified away from their traditional markets in order to reduce dependence on the automotive sector, but key products are also designed and made in plastics and rubber, electronics and telecommunications, food and drink, jewellery, glass and leather and ICT Software. As with other UK regions business growth has been in the small to medium enterprise sector. Over the last decade the West Midlands has experienced real economic growth with GDP increasing by around 29%, an additional 240,000 people in employment and a fall in unemployment rates from 12.1% to below 6%, although there are some significant unemployment blackspots. |
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