Midlands

Midlands, term applied to the central part of England. This term is commonly used to describe the city of and its surroundings, which became the metropolitan county of West Midlands in 1974. The boundaries of the Midlands are not precisely defined. The term refers to a large area of lowlands with elevations of up to 150 m (500 ft) in a region bordered to the southeast by a belt of hills that runs from Bristol to Lincoln, to the west by the Severn River, and to the north by the Pennine Chain of hills. Similar lowlands that run north along either flank of the Pennine Chain are not usually included in the Midlands. The lowlands lie upon sandstone that dates back to the Permian Period and the Triassic Period. Iron impurities in the sandstone color the soil a distinct red color. There are coal deposits scattered throughout the Midlands.

William Shakespeare was born in the Midlands region, at Stratford-upon-Avon. The area also has many castles, including the famous Warwick Castle.