View source for West Midlands (county)

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{Distinguish|West Midlands (region)|West Midlands conurbation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox English county
| official_name          = West Midlands
 |image_main             = {{multiple image
 |border                 = infobox
 |perrow                 = 1/2
 |total_width            = 250
 |image1                 = Birmingham_Skyline_from_Edgbaston_Cricket_Ground_(cropped,_edited).jpg
 |image2                 = Godiva statue Broadgate Oct 2011.jpg
 |image3                 = Dudley Castle - panoramio - Tanya Dedyukhina (2).jpg
 }}
| image_caption          = [[Birmingham]] skyline, the ''[[Self Sacrifice (statue)|Self Sacrifice]]'' ([[Lady Godiva]]) statue in [[Coventry]], and [[Dudley Castle]]
| locator_map            = West Midlands UK locator map 2010.svg
| map_caption            = West Midlands within England
| coordinates            = {{coord|52.5|N|1.9|W|region:GB_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| region                 = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| established_date       = 1 April 1974
| established_by         = [[Local Government Act 1972]]
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands
| lord_lieutenant_name   = Dr Derrick Anderson, CBE
| high_sheriff_office    = High Sheriff of the West Midlands
| high_sheriff_name      = Wade Lyn, CBE<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62943|page=5161|date=13 March 2020 }}</ref> (2020–21)
| ethnicity              = {{ubl|61.4% White|22.9% Asian|8.1% Black|4.2% Mixed|3.5% Other}} <ref>{{cite web |title=West Midlands County Demographics {{!}} Age, Ethnicity, Religion, Wellbeing |url=https://www.varbes.com/demographics/west-midlands-county-demographics |website=Varbes |access-date=10 February 2023 |language=en-gb }}</ref>
| county_council         = <!-- ''No county council''<br />[http://birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=SystemAdmin%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092745907&packedargs=currentType%3DDate%26eventSearchType%3Ddate%26website%3D1&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper&rendermode=live West Midlands Joint Committee]<br />Responsible for Public Transport ([[Transport for West Midlands|Centro/Network West Midlands]]) & West Midlands Police, Fire Services -->
| unitary_council        = 
| unitary_council1       = 
| government             = [[West Midlands Combined Authority]]
| mayor_office           = Mayor of the West Midlands
| mayor_name             = [[Richard Parker (mayor)|Richard Parker]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
| admin_hq               = [[Birmingham]]
| iso_code               = 
| gss_code               = {{Unbulleted list
 |E11000005 (county)
 |E47000007 (city region)
 }}
| nuts_code              = TLG3
| districts_map          = [[File:West Midlands numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key          = [[Metropolitan borough|Metropolitan districts]]
| districts_list         = 
# [[Wolverhampton]]
# [[Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|Dudley]]
# [[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall]]
# [[Sandwell]]
# [[Birmingham]]
# [[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]]
# [[City of Coventry|Coventry]]
| MPs                    = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (county)|28 MPs]]
| police                 = [[West Midlands Police]]
| website                = {{URL|wmca.org.uk}}
}}

'''West Midlands''' is a [[Metropolitan county|metropolitan]] and [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in the larger [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] region of England. A landlocked county, it is bordered by [[Staffordshire]] to the north and west, [[Worcestershire]] to the south, and is almost surrounded by [[Warwickshire]] to the east. The largest settlement is the city of [[Birmingham]].

The county has an area of {{Convert|902|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and is almost entirely urban, with a population of {{English cerem counties|POP=West Midlands}} in {{English cerem counties|TXT=Year}}; this made it the [[List of ceremonial counties of England|second most populous county]] in England after [[Greater London]]. Birmingham is located in the centre of the county, with [[Solihull]] and the city of [[Coventry]] to the east and [[West Bromwich]] and the city of [[Wolverhampton]] to the west. [[Sutton Coldfield]] lies to the north. Nearly all of the county's settlements belong to either the [[West Midlands conurbation]] or the [[Coventry and Bedworth urban area]], but the "[[Meriden Gap]]" between them is rural. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes West Midlands comprises seven [[metropolitan borough]]s: Birmingham, Coventry, [[Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|Dudley]], [[Sandwell]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall]], and Wolverhampton. They collaborate through the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]]. The county was historically part of [[Shropshire (Detached)|Shropshire]], Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.

The west of the county encloses the valley of the [[River Tame, West Midlands|River Tame]] and its tributaries; the highest point of the surrounding area is [[Turners Hill, West Midlands|Turners Hill]], at {{Convert|271|m|ft}}. West Midlands contains the [[Sutton Park, West Midlands|Sutton Park]] [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands|Site of Special Scientific Interest]], which has an area of {{convert|970|ha|acre}} and is one of the largest urban parks in Europe. The area between Solihull and Coventry is part of the [[Forest of Arden]], and the rivers [[River Sowe|Sowe]] and [[River Sherbourne|Sherbourne]] flow through Coventry.

==Status==
The metropolitan county exists in law, as a geographical frame of reference,<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/ons_geography/Gazetteer_v3.pdf Office for National Statistics] {{Webarchive |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20031223023527/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/ons_geography/Gazetteer_v3.pdf |date=23 December 2003}} – Gazetteer of the old and new geographies of the United Kingdom, p48. URL accessed 10 March 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/metropolitan.asp Metropolitan Counties and Districts] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315074635/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/metropolitan.asp |date=15 March 2008}}, Beginners' Guide to UK Geography, ''[[Office for National Statistics]]'', 17 September 2004. URL accessed 10 March 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/your-area/west-midlands.cfm West Midlands Counties] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410070530/http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/your-area/west-midlands.cfm |date=10 April 2007}}, The Boundary Commission for England. URL accessed 10 March 2007.</ref> and as a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]]. As such it has a [[Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands|Lord Lieutenant]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wmlieutenancy.org/about.html |title=West Midlands Lieutenancy |access-date=24 November 2013 |publisher=The West Midlands Lieutenancy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235231/http://www.wmlieutenancy.org/about.html |archive-date=2 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and a [[High Sheriff]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.highsheriffs.com/West%20Midlands/Index.htm |title=West Midlands 2013/2014 |access-date=24 November 2013 |publisher=High Sheriff's Association of England and Wales (The Shrievalty Association) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005122618/http://highsheriffs.com/West%20Midlands/Index.htm |archive-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Between 1974 and 1986, the [[West Midlands County Council]] was the administrative body covering the county; this was abolished on 31 March 1986, and the constituent metropolitan boroughs effectively became [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]]. A new administrative body for the county (and some of the district surrounding it as Non-Constituent members), the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]], was created in June 2016. Since May 2017, the authority has been headed by a directly elected [[Mayor of the West Midlands]], a position currently held by [[Richard Parker (mayor)|Richard Parker]] of the [[Labour and Co-operative Party|Labour and Co-operative Parties]]. Other county-wide bodies include the [[West Midlands Police]], the [[West Midlands Fire Service]] and [[Transport for West Midlands]].

The county is sometimes described as the "West Midlands [[metropolitan area]]" or the "[[West Midlands conurbation]]" or "Greater Birmingham", although these have different, less clearly defined, boundaries. The main [[conurbation]] or urban area does not include Coventry, for example. The name "West Midlands" is also used for the much larger [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands region]], which sometimes causes confusion. Geographically the county is on the eastern side of the region, the western side comprising [[Shropshire]] and [[Herefordshire]] and the southern side comprising [[Worcestershire]] and [[Warwickshire]].

==History==
{{main|History of the West Midlands}} {{see also|History of Birmingham|History of Coventry}}

Although the modern county has only existed since 1974, the settlements of the West Midlands have long been important centres of commerce and industry as well as developing a good local infrastructure. Coventry was one of England's most important cities during the [[Middle Ages]], with its prosperity built upon wool and cloth manufacture. Birmingham and Wolverhampton have a tradition of industry dating back to the 16th century, when small metal-working industries developed. Birmingham was known for its manufacture of [[small arms]], whereas Wolverhampton became a centre of lock manufacture and brass working. The coal and iron ore deposits of the [[Black Country]] area provided a ready source of raw materials. The area grew rapidly during the [[Industrial Revolution]], and by the 20th century had grown into one large conurbation. Coventry was slower to develop, but by the early 20th century it had become an important centre of bicycle and car manufacture.

1966 saw a substantial reform in the local government of the area as the patchwork of [[County Borough|county boroughs]] with [[municipal borough]]s and [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district councils]] in between was replaced by a core of county boroughs covering a contiguous area, roughly as follows:
* [[Birmingham]], which remained substantially unaltered
* [[Dudley]], which absorbed all [[Brierley Hill]], most of [[Coseley]] and [[Sedgley]], and part of [[Amblecote]], [[Tipton]] and [[Rowley Regis]]
* [[Solihull]], which remained substantially unaltered
* [[Walsall]], which absorbed all [[Darlaston]], most of [[Willenhall]], and parts of [[Wednesbury]], [[Coseley]], [[Wednesfield]] and [[Bilston]]
* [[County Borough of Warley|Warley]], which was created by amalgamating most of [[Smethwick]], [[Oldbury, West Midlands|Oldbury]] and [[Rowley Regis]], and parts of Dudley, Tipton, West Bromwich and [[Halesowen]]
* [[West Bromwich]], which absorbed most of Wednesbury and Tipton, and parts of [[Bilston]], Oldbury, [[Smethwick]] and Walsall
* [[Wolverhampton]], which absorbed most of [[Bilston]], [[Wednesfield]] and [[Tettenhall]], and parts of Sedgley, Coseley and Willenhall

Near the area, three other towns remained separate ([[Halesowen]], [[Stourbridge]] and [[Sutton Coldfield]]), while [[Aldridge]] and [[Brownhills]] joined to form a single unit, called [[Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District|Aldridge-Brownhills]]. In the same year, a single [[West Midlands Constabulary]] was formed for the Black Country county boroughs, whilst Birmingham retained its [[Birmingham City Police]] and Solihull continued being policed by the [[Warwickshire Constabulary]]. The [[Transport for West Midlands|West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority]] was established in 1968.

===County creation===
In 1974, the [[Local Government Act 1972]] came into effect, creating the metropolitan county of West Midlands. This area was based on the seven county boroughs and the other non-county boroughs and urban districts around the fringe of the conurbation.

The new area consisted of seven new metropolitan boroughs, with [[Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District|Aldridge-Brownhills]] added to [[Walsall]]; Halesowen and Stourbridge to Dudley and Sutton Coldfield to Birmingham. A new borough of [[Sandwell]] was formed by the merger of West Bromwich and Warley. The actual designation of Warley itself was abolished and the three towns of Smethwick, Oldbury and Rowley Regis reinstated as component parts of Sandwell, although these areas formed the Warley postal district. Solihull took in much of the suburban fringe to the east of Birmingham, including the former villages of [[Chelmsley Wood]] and [[Castle Bromwich]], also [[Birmingham Airport]], and the area of countryside between Solihull and Coventry, whilst Coventry itself received only small changes and Wolverhampton was unaltered. This led to (apart from in the east, with Coventry and the Meriden Gap) quite a tightly defined metropolitan border, excluding such places as [[Burntwood]], [[Bromsgrove]], [[Cannock]], [[Kidderminster]], [[Lichfield]] and [[Wombourne]] which had been considered for inclusion in the West Midlands metropolitan area by the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report]].

The 1974 reform created the [[West Midlands County Council]] that covered the entire area and dealt with strategic issues. A new [[West Midlands Police]] service was formed covering the entire area, with the West Midlands Constabulary and Birmingham City Police abolished, and also taking over responsibility from the county forces.

West Midlands was also established as a new [[ceremonial county]], with the offices of [[Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands|Lord Lieutenant]] and [[High Sheriff of the West Midlands|High Sheriff]] created. Its constituent components had previously been, for ceremonial purposes, under the equivalent offices of [[Warwickshire]] ([[Birmingham]] [[County borough|CB]], [[Coventry]] CB, [[Solihull]] CB, [[Sutton Coldfield]] [[Municipal borough|MB]] and [[Meriden Rural District|Meriden]] [[Rural district|RD]]), [[Staffordshire]] ([[Wolverhampton]] CB, [[Walsall]] CB, [[West Bromwich]] CB, [[Dudley]] CB and Aldridge-Brownhills [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|UD]]) and [[Worcestershire]] ([[County Borough of Warley|Warley]] CB, [[Stourbridge]] MB and [[Halesowen]] MB).

{|class="wikitable" style="border:0px;text-align:left;line-height:150%;"
! colspan="2" |[[Local Government Act 1972|post-1974]]
! colspan="4" |[[Local Government Act 1888|pre-1974]]
|-
! Metropolitan county
! Metropolitan borough
! [[County boroughs]]
! [[Municipal borough|Non-county boroughs]]
! [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban districts]]
! [[Rural district]]s
|-
|rowspan=7|[[File:West Midlands County.png|400px]]<br />{{center|West Midlands is an amalgamation of 14 former local government districts, including eight county boroughs.}}
|[[Birmingham]]
|Birmingham
|[[Sutton Coldfield]]
|–
|–
|-
|[[City of Coventry|Coventry]]
|[[County Borough of Coventry|Coventry]]
|–
|–
|[[Meriden Rural District|Meriden]] ''(part)''<ref name=Whitaker1974>{{cite book |title=Whitaker's Almanack 1974, complete edition |edition=106th |year=1973 |orig-date=1868 |publisher=J. Whitaker & Sons |location=London |isbn=0-85021-067-4 |page=672 }}</ref>
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|Dudley]]
|[[County Borough of Dudley|Dudley]]
|{{ubl|[[Halesowen]]|[[Stourbridge]]}}
|–
|–
|-
|[[Sandwell]]
|{{ubl|[[County Borough of Warley|Warley]]|[[County Borough of West Bromwich|West Bromwich]]}}
|–
|–
|–
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]]
|[[County Borough of Solihull|Solihull]]
|–
|–
|{{ubl|[[Meriden Rural District|Meriden]] ''(part)''<ref name=Whitaker1974 />|[[Stratford-on-Avon District|Stratford-on-Avon]] ''(part)''<ref name=Whitaker1974 />}}
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall]]
|[[County Borough of Walsall|Walsall]]
|–
|[[Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District|Aldridge-Brownhills]]
|
|-
|[[Wolverhampton]]
|Wolverhampton
|–
|–
|–
|-
|}

===West Midlands County Council===
[[File:Arms_of_West_Midlands_Metropolitan_County_Council.svg|thumb|right|The arms of the [[West Midlands County Council]], depicted here, became redundant with the abolition of the council in 1986 (though similar arms are used by the [[West Midlands Fire Service]]).]]

Between 1974 and 1986, the county had a two-tier system of local government, and the seven districts shared power with the [[West Midlands County Council]]. However, the [[Local Government Act 1985]] abolished the metropolitan county councils, and the West Midlands County Council ceased to exist in 1986. Most of its functions were devolved to the West Midland boroughs, which effectively became [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]], with responsibility for most local authority functions.

Following the abolition of the county council, some county-wide bodies continued to exist, which were administered by various joint-boards of the seven districts, among these were the [[West Midlands Police]], the [[West Midlands Fire Service]] and the [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]].

===Boundary changes===
In 1994, the western/southern shores of [[Chasewater]], plus the adjacent Jeffreys Swag, were transferred from the [[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall]] to the [[Lichfield (district)|District of Lichfield]], Staffordshire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930492_en_1.htm |title=The Hereford and Worcester, Staffordshire and West Midlands (County and Metropolitan Borough Boundaries) Order 1993 |publisher=Office of Public Sector Information |date=20 September 2000 |access-date=20 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121090113/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930492_en_1.htm |archive-date=21 January 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Further boundary changes came into effect in 1995, when part of the [[Hereford and Worcester]] parish of [[Frankley]] (including the south-west part of [[Bartley Reservoir]]) was transferred to Birmingham and became part of the county.

===West Midlands Combined Authority===
On 17 June 2016, a new administrative body, the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]] was created for the county, under the [[Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009]], which created several other [[Combined authority|combined authorities]] in England. The new body has powers over transport, economic development, skills and planning. A new directly elected position of [[Mayor of the West Midlands]] was created in 2017 to chair the new body.<ref>{{cite web |title=All systems go for West Midlands Combined Authority as MPs say 'Yes' |date=15 June 2016 |url=http://www.thechamberlainfiles.com/all-systems-go-for-west-midlands-combined-authority-as-mps-say-yes/ |publisher=The Chamberlain Files |access-date=23 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622080447/http://www.thechamberlainfiles.com/all-systems-go-for-west-midlands-combined-authority-as-mps-say-yes/ |archive-date=22 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The first [[2017 West Midlands mayoral election|Mayoral election]] was held in May 2017, and the position was won by [[Andy Street]] of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]].

==Geography==
{{See also|List of places in West Midlands (county)|List of settlements in West Midlands (county) by population|List of areas in Birmingham|List of areas in Dudley|List of areas in Sandwell|List of areas in Walsall|List of areas in Wolverhampton|West Midlands Green Belt}}

[[File:West Midlands outline map with UK.png|thumb|Map of West Midlands, showing urban areas in grey and metropolitan district boundaries]]
[[File:West Midlands population density map, 2011 census.png|thumb|Population density map]]

The West Midlands is a landlocked county that borders the counties of [[Warwickshire]] to the east, [[Worcestershire]] to the south, and [[Staffordshire]] to the north and west.

The West Midlands County is one of the most heavily urbanised counties in the UK. [[Birmingham]], [[Wolverhampton]], the [[Black Country]] and [[Solihull]] together form the [[List of urban areas in the United Kingdom|third most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom]] with a combined population of around 2.44 million.<ref name="BUA2011">{{cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/747.aspx |title=2011 Census – Built-up areas |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics|ONS]] |access-date=27 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921045319/http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/747.aspx |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the West Midlands is not entirely urban; [[Coventry]] is separated from the [[West Midlands conurbation]] by a stretch of [[green belt (UK)|green belt]] land approximately {{convert|13|mi}} across, known as the "[[Meriden Gap]]", which retains a strongly rural character. A smaller piece of green belt between Birmingham, Walsall and West Bromwich includes [[Barr Beacon]] and the [[Sandwell Valley]].

The highest point in the West Midlands is [[Turners Hill, West Midlands|Turners Hill]], with an elevation of {{cvt|271|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bathurst |first=David |year=2012 |title=Walking the county high points of England |location=Chichester |publisher=Summersdale |isbn=978-1-84-953239-6 |pages=111–114 }}</ref> The hill is a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]]. [[Barr Beacon]] is another hill in the West Midlands, located on the border of Birmingham and Walsall, with a height of {{convert|227|m}}.

There are 23 [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands|Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] in the county.<ref>{{cite web |title=SSSIs in the West Midlands |work=Natural England |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/searchresults.cfm?sssi_name=&frmcounty=1043 |access-date=2 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003311/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/Special/sssi/searchresults.cfm?sssi_name=&frmcounty=1043 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> One of these SSSIs is [[Sutton Park, West Midlands|Sutton Park]] in Sutton Coldfield, which has an area of {{convert|970|ha|acre}}.<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/suttonpark?packedargs=website%3D1&rendermode=live Introduction To Sutton Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227034129/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/suttonpark?packedargs=website%3D1&rendermode=live |date=27 February 2010 }} Birmingham City Council</ref> As a result, it is one of the largest urban parks in Europe, and the largest outside of a capital city in Europe.{{citation needed|date=March 2010}} The park also has [[national nature reserve (United Kingdom)|national nature reserve]] status.

There are numerous rivers that pass through the county, including the [[River Tame, West Midlands|River Tame]]. The [[river basin]] is the most urbanised basin in the United Kingdom, with approximately 42% of the basin being urbanised.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sediment Dynamics and the Hydromorphology of Fluvial Systems |author=John S. Rowan |author2=R. W. Duck |author3=A. Werritty |year=2006 |publisher=IAHS |pages=98 |isbn=1-901502-68-6 }}</ref> The River Tame is fed by the [[River Rea]], [[River Anker]], and the [[River Blythe]], which in turn is fed by the [[River Cole, West Midlands|River Cole]]. The [[River Sowe]] and [[River Sherbourne]] both flow through Coventry. The [[River Stour, Worcestershire|River Stour]] flows through the west of the West Midlands county.

Like other [[Metropolitan county|metropolitan counties]], the West Midlands is divided into [[Districts of England|districts]] called [[metropolitan borough]]s. There are seven boroughs in the West Midlands, six of which are named after the largest settlement in their administrative area. The West Midlands is unusual amongst the metropolitan counties in that three of its boroughs have [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]]; Coventry is a city by [[time immemorial|ancient prescriptive usage]],<ref>Home Office List of English Cities by Ancient Prescriptive Right, 1927, cited in {{cite book |title=City status in the British Isles, 1830–2002 |last=Beckett |first=J V |year=2005 |publisher=Ashgate |location=Aldershot |isbn=0-7546-5067-7 |page=12 }}</ref> Birmingham was granted city status in 1889,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mayors |publisher=Birmingham.gov.uk |title=History of Mayoralty |access-date=17 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510232357/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mayors |archive-date=10 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Wolverhampton in 2000 as a "Millennium City".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1074434.stm |title=City winners named |work=BBC News |date=18 December 2000 |access-date=17 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831075352/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1074434.stm |archive-date=31 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="border:0; text-align:left; line-height:150%;"
|-
!colspan="2" |Metropolitan borough ||Administrative centre ||Other settlements
|-
|[[Birmingham|City of Birmingham]] ||[[File:WMids-Birmingham.png|50px|link=Birmingham|alt=]]
|[[Birmingham]]
|[[Aston]], [[Bournville]], [[Edgbaston]], [[Erdington]], [[Great Barr]], [[Hall Green]], [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]], [[Harborne]], [[Northfield, Birmingham|Northfield]], [[Quinton, Birmingham|Quinton]], [[Soho, West Midlands|Soho]], [[Sutton Coldfield]]
|-
|[[City of Coventry]] ||[[File:WMids-Coventry.png|50px|link=Coventry|alt=]]
|[[Coventry]]
|[[Allesley]], [[Binley, Coventry|Binley]], [[Keresley]], [[Stoke, Coventry|Stoke]], [[Tile Hill]]
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|Dudley]] ||[[File:WMids-Dudley.png|50px|link=Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|alt=]]
|[[Dudley]]
|[[Amblecote]], [[Brierley Hill]], [[Coseley]], [[Cradley, West Midlands|Cradley]], [[Gornal, West Midlands|Gornal]], [[Halesowen]], [[Kingswinford]], [[Lye, West Midlands|Lye]], [[Netherton, West Midlands|Netherton]], [[Sedgley]], [[Stourbridge]], [[Quarry Bank]]
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell|Sandwell]] ||[[File:WMids-Sandwell.png|50px|link=Sandwell|alt=]]
|[[Oldbury, West Midlands|Oldbury]]
|[[Bearwood, West Midlands|Bearwood]], [[Blackheath, West Midlands|Blackheath]], [[Cradley Heath]], [[Great Bridge, West Midlands|Great Bridge]], [[Old Hill]], [[Rowley Regis]], [[Smethwick]], [[Tipton]], [[Tividale]], [[Wednesbury]], [[West Bromwich]]
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]] ||[[File:WMids-Solihull.png|50px|link=Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|alt=]]
|[[Solihull]]
|[[Balsall Common]], [[Bickenhill]], [[Castle Bromwich]], [[Chelmsley Wood]], [[Dorridge]], [[Elmdon, West Midlands|Elmdon]], [[Hampton in Arden]], [[Kingshurst]], [[Knowle, West Midlands|Knowle]], [[Marston Green]], [[Meriden, West Midlands|Meriden]], [[Monkspath]], [[Hockley Heath]], [[Shirley, West Midlands|Shirley]]
|-
|[[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall]] ||[[File:WMids-Walsall.png|50px|link=Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|alt=]]
|[[Walsall]]
|[[Aldridge]], [[Birchills]], [[Bloxwich]], [[Brownhills]], [[Darlaston]], [[Leamore]], [[Palfrey, West Midlands|Palfrey]], [[Pelsall]], [[Pheasey]], [[Shelfield]], [[Streetly]], [[Willenhall]]
|-
|[[Wolverhampton|City of Wolverhampton]] ||[[File:WMids-Wolverhampton.png|50px|link=Wolverhampton|alt=]]
|[[Wolverhampton]]
|[[Bilston]], [[Blakenhall]], [[Bushbury]], [[Compton, Wolverhampton|Compton]], [[Ettingshall]], [[Heath Town]], [[Oxley, Wolverhampton|Oxley]], [[Penn, West Midlands|Penn]], [[Tettenhall]], [[Wednesfield]]
|}

==Demography==
[[File:Population Density West Midlands 2011 Census.png|thumb|300px|Population density in the 2011 census in the West Midlands.]]
[[File:Ethnic demography of the West Midlands county from 1971 to 2021.gif|thumb|Ethnic demography of the West Midlands county from 1971 to 2021]]
{{main|Demographics of the West Midlands County}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="14" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1966 estimations<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Patterson |first1=Sheila |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eT9EAAAAIAAJ |title=Immigration and Race Relations in Britain, 1960-1967 |last2=Relations |first2=Institute of Race |date=1969 |publisher=Institute of Race Relations |isbn=978-0-19-218174-9 |language=en }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1t8915s |title=Explaining ethnic differences: Changing patterns of disadvantage in Britain |date=2003 |publisher=Bristol University Press |edition=1 |doi=10.2307/j.ctt1t8915s |jstor=j.ctt1t8915s }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6 }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6 }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS006 - Ethnic group - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/ks006 |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS201EW (Ethnic group) - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks201ew |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/create/filter-outputs/9dc62a62-022a-4ac9-8577-53a13d6e47f1 |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=www.ons.gov.uk }}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!–
!–
!2,580,903
!93.2%
!2,371,072
!88.7%
!2,237,135
!85.1%
!2,043,231
!80%
!1,919,138
!70.1%
!1,793,173
!61.4%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,956,156
|76.5%
|1,806,708
|66%
|1,630,823
|55.9%
|-
|White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|54,011
|2.1%
|39,183
|1.4%
|31,490
|1.1%
|-
|White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]{{efn| name="2011Category"|New category created for the 2011 census}}
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|
|
|1,618
|
|2417
|
|-
|White: [[Romani people in the United Kingdom|Roma]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|
|
|–
|–
|4246
|
|-
|White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|33,064
|1.3%
|71,629
|2.6%
|124,197
|4.3%
|-
![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!206,289
!7.7%
!276,162
!10.5%
!352,288
!13.8%
!514,981
!18.8%
!667,315
!22.9%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|118,101
|4.4%
|148,320
|5.6%
|157,062
|6.1%
|185,271
|6.8%
|226,927
|7.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|65,985
|2.5%
|93,426
|3.6%
|138,007
|5.4%
|200,545
|7.3%
|278,837
|9.6%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|11,006
|0.4%
|19,131
|0.7%
|29,085
|1.1%
|48,727
|
|72,168
|2.5%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]{{efn|In 2001, listed under the 'Chinese or other ethnic group' heading.}}
|–
|–
|–
|–
|4,543
|0.2%
|6,119
|0.2%
|10,548
|0.4%
|21,430
|
|22,718
|0.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|6,654
|
|9,166
|
|17,586
|
|59,008
|
|66,665
|2.3%
|-
![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!80,412
!3%
!96,384
!3.7%
!95,234
!3.7%
!164,069
!6%
!236,047
!8.1%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Black British people|African]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,602
|0.1%
|4,134
|0.2%
|10,000
|0.4%
|55,557
|2%
|126,041
|4.3%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|63,597
|2.4%
|75,612
|2.9%
|76,386
|3%
|79,632
|2.9%
|81,732
|2.8%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|13,213
|
|16,638
|0.6%
|8,848
|0.3%
|28,880
|
|28,274
|1%
|-
![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!54,757
!2.1%
!96,204
!3.5%
!121,685
!4.2%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|31,525
|1.2%
|53,234
|1.9%
|59,903
|2.1%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,446
|
|6,053
|
|9,735
|
|-
|Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|12,641
|
|21,964
|
|28,872
|
|-
|Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|8,145
|
|14,953
|
|23,175
|
|-
!Other: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!15,327
!0.5%
!19,719
!0.7%
!10,082
!0.4%
!42,068
!1.5%
!101,435
!3.5%
|-
|Other: Arab{{efn|name="2011Category"}}
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|16,029
|
|28,083
|1%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|10,082
|0.4%
|26,039
|
|73,352
|2.5%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Ethnic minority: Total
!102,850
!–
!188,306
!6.8%
!302,027
!11.3%
!392,265
!14.9%
!512,361
!20%
!817,322
!29.9%
!1,126,482
!38.6%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total
!–
!100%
!2,769,209
!100%
!2,673,099
!100%
!2,629,400
!100%
!2,555,592
!100%
!2,736,460
!100%
!2,919,655
!100%
|}
{{Gallery
|title=Distribution of ethnic groups in the West Midlands according to the 2011 census.
|width=225
|align=center
|File:White West Midlands 2011 census.png|White
|File:British West Midlands 2011 census.png|White-British
|File:Irish West Midlands 2011 census.png|White-Irish
|File:White other West Midlands 2011 census.png|White-Other
|File:Asian West Midlands 2011 census.png|Asian
|File:Indian West Midlands 2011 census.png|Asian-Indian
|File:Pakistani West Midlands 2011 census.png|Asian-Pakistani
|File:Bangladeshi West Midlands 2011 census.png|Asian-Bangladeshi
|File:Chinese West Midlands 2011 census.png|Asian-Chinese
|File:Black West Midlands 2011 census.png|Black
|File:African West Midlands 2011 census.png|Black-African
|File:Caribbean West Midlands 2011 census.png|Black-Caribbean
|File:Arab West Midlands 2011 census.png|Other-Arab
}}

{{Gallery
|title=Distribution of religions in the West Midlands according to the 2011 census.
|width=225
|align=center
|File:Christianity West Midlands 2011 census.png|Christianity
|File:Islam West Midlands 2011 census.png|Islam
|File:Judaism West Midlands 2011 census.png|Judaism
|File:Hinduism West Midlands 2011 census.png|Hinduism
|File:Sikhism West Midlands 2011 census.png|Sikhism
|File:Buddhism West Midlands 2011 census.png|Buddhism
|File:Other Religion West Midlands 2011 census.png|Other religion
|File:Noreligion West Midlands 2011 census.png|No religion
}}

==Economy==
{{more footnotes needed|date=December 2018}}
;In Central Birmingham
* The [[Insolvency Service]]'s Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate.<ref>Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate, The Insolvency Service, 18 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham</ref>
* [[Stamp duty in the United Kingdom|Stamp Duty Land Tax and stamp duty on shares]]<ref>HMRC Stamp Duty Taxes, [[City Centre House]], Birmingham</ref>
* National Debtline<ref>Tricorn House, 51–53 Hagley Rd, Birmingham – specifically near [[Five Ways, Birmingham|Five Ways]].</ref>
* The [[Solicitors Regulation Authority]]<ref>SRA, [[The Cube (building)|The Cube]], Birmingham part of the Mailbox.</ref>
* [[H. Samuel]], jewellers.<ref>H. Samuel, Hunters Road, [[Hockley, Birmingham|Hockley]] within the [[Jewellery Quarter]], Birmingham since 1912 {{cite web |url=http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/about_us |title=About Us |publisher=H.Samuel |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114183930/http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/about_us/ |archive-date=14 January 2018 }}</ref>
* [[J Hudson & Co]] the world's largest producer of [[whistle]]s make [[Acme Whistles]].<ref>J Hudson & Co 244 Barr Street, Boulton Middleway, Birmingham, namely in the Jewellery Quarter where the A41 and A4540 meet.</ref>
* [[Mobico Group]] and [[CrossCountry]] in transport.<ref>The latter at [[Cannon House, Birmingham|Cannon House]]</ref>

;Car manufacturers
[[File:Jaguar sign 19o06.jpg|thumb|right|The leaping jaguar mascot outside the car company's head office south of Coventry]]
* [[Land Rover]] [[Solihull plant|main factory]]<ref name=sh>[[Solihull]]</ref>
* [[Jaguar Cars]], [[Peugeot]] UK and Citroen UK & Ireland<ref>Head office, B4110 at [[Stoke Aldermoor]]</ref> have a large manufacturing plant at [[Castle Bromwich Assembly]] making the [[Jaguar XJ|XJ]], [[Jaguar XF|XF]] and [[Jaguar XK|XK]].<ref>Jaguar Land Rover, [[Whitley, Coventry]]</ref>

;Nearest Birmingham
[[File:Cadbury Factory, Bournville - geograph.org.uk - 1266844.jpg|thumb|right|Cadbury in Birmingham]]
* [[Cadbury]]'s main plant and [[Cadbury World]] remains in [[Bournville]], Birmingham; since 2012.
* B Mason & Sons produce rolled copper and [[cupronickel]] alloy precision strips; applications include [[submarine communication cable]]s.<ref>Wharf Street, Aston, Birmingham</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bmason.co.uk/internet/media/training/quality/data_sheets/C103_Datasheet.pdf |title=Wieland Metals Birmingham |access-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113035550/http://www.bmason.co.uk/internet/media/training/quality/data_sheets/C103_Datasheet.pdf |archive-date=13 January 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Kiepe Electric]] UK (former Vossloh-Kiepe)<ref>Kiepe Electric, Aston Science Park, Birmingham</ref>
* [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear Tyres]]<ref>Goodyear, 2920 Trident Court, Solihull Parkway, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham</ref>
* [[Dunlop Aircraft Tyres]] manufacture and retread<ref>40 Fort Pkwy, Birmingham</ref>
* [[Claire's]] (accessories) European head office is at Erdington.
* [[Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents]] in training, surveying and policy advice.<ref>RoSPA, 28 Calthorpe Rd, Birmingham – specifically in [[Calthorpe Fields]] in north Edgbaston, next to [[St George's School, Birmingham|St George's School]]</ref>

;Outskirts of County
* [[HiQ (tyres)|HiQ]], tyre merchants.
* [[UK Mail]]<ref>Office/depot at the A47/A4040 junction next to the River Tame at [[Ward End]] near M6, and next to the former [[LDV Group|LDV]] factory.</ref>
* [[Genting Group]] UK casinos<ref>Genting Group, [[Star City, Birmingham|Star City]] near Washwood Heath.</ref>
* [[Dana Holding Corporation|Dana Traction Technologies]] make axles (including that of the [[Ford Transit]] and [[Range Rover]]).
* [[Titanium Metals|TIMET]] UK.
* [[Goodrich Corporation|Goodrich Engine Controls]] make [[Engine control unit|engine control systems]] for jet engines<ref>Goodrich Engine Controls, [[Hall Green]], Birmingham</ref>
* [[Pilkington]] Automotive make [[Triplex Safety Glass]]<ref>in [[Kings Norton]]</ref>
* [[Alcoa]] plant<ref>[[Kitts Green]] (towards Solihull), next to the [[River Cole, West Midlands|River Cole]].</ref>
* Small-scale production of [[MG (car)|MG]] by [[Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation|Nanjing Automobile Group]] on part of the former [[MG Rover Group]] site<ref>at [[Longbridge]].</ref>
* [[Schaeffler Group]] UK (inc. [[INA (company)|INA]]) make [[timing belt (camshaft)|timing belt]]s and [[Automobile wheel bearing|wheel bearing]]s) for wind turbines, passenger cars and aircraft<ref>Maypoint Business Park, next to the railway on the opposite side of the A38</ref>
* [[The Works (retailer)]] distribution centre, books, puzzles, toys and games<ref>Midpoint Park, south of A38</ref>
* The [[Defence Infrastructure Organisation]] (former Defence Estates)<ref name="Sutton Coldfield">[[Sutton Coldfield]]</ref>
* [[Eaton Corporation|Eaton Electric]] make [[residual-current device]]s<ref>Birmingham</ref>
* [[National Highways]] [[National Traffic Control Centre]]<ref>National Highways, [[Quinton, Birmingham|Quinton]], Birmingham.</ref>
* [[Ishida (company)|Ishida]] Europe makes industrial [[multihead weigher]]s and food processing equipment<ref>Ishida, [[Woodgate, Birmingham|Woodgate]] Business Park</ref>
* [[Aisin Seiki Co.|Aisin Europe Manufacturing]]
* [[Keiper]] UK automotive seating

;Near other main towns
* [[Severn Trent]] (water)<ref>Severn Trent, 2 St John Street, Coventry</ref>
* [[Saint-Gobain]] UK is based at Binley Business Park.
* [[Coventry Building Society]] nearby [[Jewson]], is in the east of the city at [[Binley, Coventry|Binley]].
* [[Chartered Institute of Housing]]
* [[Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors|RICS]] UK<ref>Westwood Business Park in [[Westwood Heath]]</ref>
* [[Bladon Jets]] develop micro [[gas turbine]]s and were the first to develop an [[Axial compressor|axial flow]] micro example in 1994.<ref>Bladon Jets, Pinley</ref>
* [[Halfords Autocentre]]<ref name=sh/>
* [[Axeon]] UK distributes [[lithium-ion battery|lithium-ion batteries]]<ref>Axeon UK, Coventry</ref>
* [[Morgan Advanced Materials Composites and Defence Systems]], make the [[British Army]]'s helmet – the [[Mk 7 helmet]] and electronics for the [[Cougar (MRAP)|Cougar MRAP]], as well as body armour for the police.<ref>[[Edgwick]] and [[Great Heath]]</ref>
* [[Bystronic]] UK makes [[laser cutting]] equipment<ref>Wayside Business Park, [[Longford, Coventry]]</ref>
* [[Stadco]] UK design division<ref name="wp">[[Whitmore Park]], Coventry</ref>
* The [[Education and Skills Funding Agency]], and [[National Apprenticeship Service]].
* [[AAH Pharmaceuticals]] and [[Lloyds Pharmacy]], owned by [[Celesio]].<ref name=wt>At [[Walsgrave]] Triangle</ref>
* [[Sainsbury's]]: ''TU'' clothing distribution.<ref name=wt/>
* [[British Chambers of Commerce]], a representative and awards-giving corporate membership organisation.
* [[Walkers (snack foods)]] within their corn and wheat products ranges<ref>Middlemarch Business Park, [[Baginton]] next to Coventry Airport</ref>
* [[Gefco]] UK (owned by Peugeot)
* Co-op National Distribution Centre for the bulk of England<ref name="pp">Prologis Park, Coventry</ref>

The [[Forensic Science Service]], [[Linpac]], [[Lafarge (company)|Lafarge Cement UK]] and [[IMI plc]] are on the Birmingham Business Park in [[Bickenhill]]. The [[National Exhibition Centre]] (NEC) is just north. [[ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF Lemförder UK]]'s site at Bickenhill makes axle modules for Land Rover. [[Newey and Eyre]], Britain's largest electrical wholesaler, is at Sheldon. Neopost UK is off the A452. [[Goodrich Corporation|Goodrich UK]] is in [[Shirley, West Midlands|Shirley]]. [[TRW Automotive|TRW Conekt]] have a main automotive engineering research centre at The Green Business Park in Shirley Heath. The Mormons (Latter Day Saints) have their European HQ in Solihull.

[[File:Former Staffordshire Building Society Offices.jpg|thumb|right|Carillion head office in Wolverhampton]]
The UK's [[VAT Registration Service]], for [[Value Added Tax (United Kingdom)|Value Added Tax]] is at HMRC in Wolverhampton. [[Flint Group|Flint Ink]] UK in the east of the town centre, was the largest ink supplier in the [[British Empire]], before being bought in 1998.

[[Turner Powertrain Systems]] is the world market leader for transmissions for [[backhoe loader]]s, mini [[excavator]]s [[telescopic handler]]s, and site dumpers is further south, near [[Dunstall Hill]]. Tata Steel (former site of British Steel Seamless Tubes until 1995) have their [[Wednesfield Steelpark]] (built in 1999) on the Walsall boundary.

[[Essar Group|Essar Steel]] UK in west Dudley, is the largest independent steel toll processor in the UK.

[[Hadley Group]] near the Soho Foundry is the largest [[Rolling (metalworking)|cold roll forming]] manufacturer in the UK. Caparo Precision Tubes in Oldbury, is the UK's largest producer of [[Electric resistance welding|electric resistance welded]] (ERW) steel tubes, and [[Wellman Group]] make boilers to the west. [[Metsec]], east of Oldbury, is one of the UK's largest [[Rolling (metalworking)|cold roll-forming]] companies. The AA have a main office in [[Rounds Green]], west of Oldbury. [[2 Sisters Food Group]], Britain's largest processor of chicken, is based in the West Midlands.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The national headquarters of [[One Stop]] is in [[Brownhills]], at [[Clayhanger, West Midlands|Clayhanger]]. [[Poundland]] is in [[Willenhall]]. [[Wedge Group]], based in Willenhall, is the largest [[Hot-dip galvanizing|hot dip galvanising]] company in the UK. [[Assa Abloy]] UK (and [[Yale (company)|Yale]] UK, former Yale & Towne), is also in Willenhall, as the town is known for manufacture of locks. [[A.F. Blakemore]], supplies most of the [[Spar (retailer)|SPAR]] shops in the UK. {{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
{{clear}}

==Places of interest==
{{See also|Category:Tourist attractions in Birmingham, West Midlands}}
{{travel guide|section|date=May 2024}}
{{EngPlacesKey|align=right}}
* Ackers Adventure, Birmingham, [[File:Themepark uk icon.png|15px]]
* [[Aston Hall]], Birmingham [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Bantock House Museum and Park]], Wolverhampton [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Bescot Stadium]] ([[Walsall F.C.]])
* [[Bilston Craft Gallery]], Wolverhampton [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Birmingham Botanical Gardens (United Kingdom)|Birmingham Botanical Gardens]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Birmingham Bullring]]
* [[Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery]] [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Birmingham Hippodrome]] [[File:Drama-icon.svg|18px]]
* [[Black Country Living Museum]], Dudley [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum]]
* [[Blakesley Hall]], Birmingham [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Cadbury World]], [[Bournville]], Birmingham [[File:Themepark uk icon.png|15px]]
* [[Castle Bromwich Hall]], Solihull [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Coventry Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg]]
* Coventry [[SkyDome Arena]]
* [[Coventry Transport Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Dudley Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg]]
* [[Dudley Zoo]] [[File:Zoo icon.jpg|20px]]
* [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground]], Birmingham
* [[International Convention Centre, Birmingham|International Convention Centre]] (including [[Symphony Hall, Birmingham|Symphony Hall]]), Birmingham [[File:Drama-icon.svg|18px]]
* [[Merry Hill Shopping Centre]], Dudley
* [[Molineux Stadium]] ([[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.]])
* [[Moseley Old Hall]], Wolverhampton [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[National Exhibition Centre]]
* [[National Indoor Arena]] (NIA), Birmingham
* [[National Sea Life Centre (Birmingham)|Sea Life Centre, Birmingham]] [[File:Zoo icon.jpg|20px]]
* [[Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal|Netherton Tunnel]], Dudley
* [[The New Art Gallery Walsall]], Walsall [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Perrott's Folly]], Birmingham
* [[Red House Cone|Red House Glass Cone]], Stourbridge [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Ricoh Arena]] ([[Coventry City Football Club]])
* [[Sandwell Valley Country Park]], West Bromwich [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]]
* [[Sarehole Mill]], Birmingham [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum]]
* [[St Andrew's (stadium)|St Andrew's]] ([[Birmingham City Football Club]])
* [[St Peter's Collegiate Church]], Wolverhampton [[File:AP Icon.svg]]
* [[Star City, Birmingham|Star City]]
* [[The Hawthorns]] ([[West Bromwich Albion Football Club]])
* [[Thinktank, Birmingham|Thinktank]] [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]], Birmingham [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum]]
* [[Tyseley Locomotive Works]], Birmingham [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[University of Birmingham]]
* [[Villa Park]] ([[Aston Villa Football Club]])
* [[Walsall Art Gallery]] [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[West Park, Wolverhampton|West Park]], Wolverhampton [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Wightwick Manor]], Wolverhampton [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Winterbourne Botanic Garden]], Birmingham [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Wolverhampton Art Gallery]], Wolverhampton [[File:Museum icon.svg|Museum (free)]]
* [[Wolverhampton Civic Hall]], Wolverhampton
* [[Wolverhampton Grand Theatre]], Wolverhampton [[File:Drama-icon.svg|18px]]
* [[Wolverhampton Racecourse]], Wolverhampton

==Education==
The West Midlands contains ten universities, seven of which are in Birmingham:
* [[Aston University]]
* [[University of Birmingham]]
* [[Birmingham City University]]
* [[University College Birmingham]]
* [[BPP University]]
* [[University of Law]]
* [[Birmingham Newman University]]

Both [[Coventry University]] and the [[University of Warwick]] are in Coventry whilst [[University of Wolverhampton]] is located in Wolverhampton with campuses in [[Telford]] and [[Walsall]].

Each of the local authorities has at least one further education college for students aged over 16, and since September 1992 all of the local authorities have operated traditional 5–7 infant, 7–11 junior, and 11-16/18 secondary schools for students in compulsory education. This followed the demise of 5–8 first, 8–12 middle and 12-16/18 secondary schools in the [[Sutton Coldfield area]].<ref name="Sutton Coldfield"/>

For 18 years before September 1990, Dudley had operated 5–8 first, 8–12 middle, and 12-16/18 secondary schools before then, while Halesowen (September 1972 until July 1982) and Aldridge-Brownhills (September 1972 until July 1986) had both operated 5–9 first, 9–13 middle and 13-16/18 secondary schools.

Many local authorities still have sixth form facilities in secondary schools, though sixth form facilities had been axed by most secondary schools in Dudley since the early 1990s (and in Halesowen in 1982) as the local authorities changed direction towards further education colleges.

All secondary state education in Dudley and Sandwell is mixed comprehensive, although there are a small number of single sex and grammar schools existing in parts of Birmingham, Solihull, Wolverhampton and Walsall.

In August 2009, Matthew Boulton College and Sutton Coldfield College merged to become [[Birmingham Metropolitan College]], one of the largest further and higher education institutions in the country. Plans are afoot for the construction of a new campus in the [[Perry Barr]] area of Birmingham.

==Media==
===Television===
The area is served by [[BBC West Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] which both broadcast from Birmingham, the local based-television station [[TalkBirmingham]] also covers the area. Television signals are received from the [[Sutton Coldfield transmitting station]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sutton_Coldfield |title=Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitter |date=1 May 2004 |website=UK Free TV |access-date=15 March 2024 }}</ref>

===Radio===
In terms of [[BBC Local Radio]], the area is served by [[BBC Radio WM]] and [[BBC CWR]] covering Coventry.

Commercial radio stations include [[Hits Radio Birmingham]], [[Capital Midlands]], [[Capital Mid-Counties]], [[Heart West Midlands]], [[Hits Radio Coventry & Warwickshire]], [[Smooth West Midlands]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Birmingham & The West Midlands]], and [[Greatest Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire]].

[[Community radio]] stations include:
* The Bridge 102.5 (Stourbridge)
* [[Big City Radio]] (Birmingham)
* Radio Plus and Hillz FM in (Coventry)
* [[WCR FM]] and Gorgeous Radio (Wolverhampton)
* [[Black Country Radio]] (Black Country)

==Sport==

The West Midlands is home to numerous sports teams. In [[rugby union]], the West Midlands is home to various clubs including [[Wasps RFC]], Birmingham Barbarians, [[Sutton Coldfield RFC]], [[Moseley Rugby Football Club]], [[Birmingham & Solihull RFC]], and [[Coventry RFC]].

In [[rugby league]], the [[Midlands Hurricanes]] are the only team from the county playing in the professional ranks, currently in the third tier [[RFL League 1|League 1]].

In [[association football]], there are six [[Premier League]] and [[Football League]] teams in the county of which two, [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], and [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], play in the Premier League. The following clubs are often referred to as the West Midlands "Big Six":

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Club
! League
! City/town
! Stadium
! Capacity
|-
|[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
|Premier League
|Birmingham
|[[Villa Park]]
|42,788
|-
|[[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
|Premier League
|Wolverhampton
|[[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]]
|31,700
|-
|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|Championship
|West Bromwich
|[[The Hawthorns]]
|26,500
|-
|[[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
|Championship
|Coventry
|[[Coventry Building Society Arena]]
|32,609
|-
|[[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]]
|Championship
|Birmingham
|[[St Andrew's (stadium)|St Andrew's]]
|30,079
|-
|[[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]]
|League Two
|Walsall
|[[Bescot Stadium]]
|11,300
|-
|}

The West Midlands is also home to [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]], who are based at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground]], which also hosts [[Test cricket|Test matches]] and [[One Day International]]s. The [[Birmingham Panthers]] basketball team replaced the [[Birmingham Bullets]] and are currently based at a facility provided by the [[University of Wolverhampton]] in Walsall.

The West Midlands has its own [[Quidditch]] team, West Midlands Revolution (after its part in the [[Industrial Revolution]]), which won the Quidditch Premier League in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.quidditchpremierleague.com/west-midlands-revolution |title=West Midlands Revolution |website=The Quidditch Premier League |access-date=22 July 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192013/https://www.quidditchpremierleague.com/west-midlands-revolution |archive-date=22 July 2019 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|England}}
* [[List of ceremonial counties in England by GVA]]
* [[List of conservation areas in the West Midlands (county)]]
* [[Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries since 1844]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|West Midlands (county)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050114091041/http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/ Photographs of Birmingham and the West Midlands]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050225014010/http://www.newman.ac.uk/Subject_Areas/History/mwwm/page6.html Identity in the West Midlands]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060626195956/http://westmidlandsltp.gov.uk/default.php?id=295 West Midlands Joint Committee]
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=WEST%20MIDLANDS&district=&placeName= Images of West Midlands] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002095724/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0 |date=2 October 2012 }} at the [[English Heritage Archive]]

{{West Midlands County}}
{{City regions of the United Kingdom}}
{{West Midlands}}
{{England counties}}
{{Metropolitan counties}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Midlands (County)}}
[[Category:West Midlands (county)| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:West Midlands (region)|County]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in 1974]]