South Yorkshire

Metropolitan county in northern England, created in 1974 from the south part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and a small part of northeastern Derbyshire. The county council was abolished in 1986and administrative powers were devolved to the unitary authorities of Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, and Barnsley. Agriculture is varied with sheep farming in the west on the Pennines, dairy farming on the lower slopes, and arable farming on the lowlands in the east. Industry includes iron and steel, and engineering. The county has an area of 1562 sq km (603 sq mi). Diverse terrain ranging from Pennine moorlands to river valleys & woodlands; occupied since prehistoric times & by Romans as a military post; sparsely populated until cutlery industry began at Sheffield; includes some of country's main coalfields.