Located centrally in the north of England this area was once dominated by heavy industry which has slipped into decline but which is still the major employer. The location of iron and coal deposits in the region caused it to become a major producer of steel, indeed Sheffield, the major City in the region is still synonymous with steel, in particular cutlery.
Despite the decline of coal mining throughout the UK, towns such as Rotherham and Barnsley still produce substantial quantities of coal although the human cost has been high as the pits are largely mechanised resulting in high unemployment throughout these regions.