Located in northwestern England, Lancashire touches on the densley populated areas of Merseyside and Greater Manchester in the South and the more rural area of Cumbria to the north.
The area first prospered through the textile industry which developed with the advent of the industrial revolution allowing for greater mechanisation through inventions such as the Spinning Jenny. This industry was later bolstered through the use of coal power which came from local mines.
More recently canal, road and rail links with Liverpool and Manchester have assisted with this development but diversification from the traditional industries has been required to prevent the decline of the area. Farms continue to feed the industrial areas and the seaside resorts such as Blackpool are fighting back against the more popular foreign holiday destinations with some success.