Named after the rivers Tyne and Wear this county is located in the north east of England with the North Sea to the east. Historically the economic prosperity of the region has been dictated by it's main recource which is coal. Coal mining began in the 13th century and grew with new mining techniques together with increased demand. economies of scale ensured that the area also attracted associated industries such as glass making and more recently shipbuilding.
Cheap foreign imports of coal together with serious recessions have caused massive problems of unemployment which still haunt the region although heavy investment from the Eurpoean Union has attempted to reverse this decline. There are also several Universities in the region and Newcastle has one of the best supported football teams in England.