Saturday, December 26, 2009

The Fascinating City Of Sheffield - South Yorkshire, England

By Frederick Hoymer

Taking a look at Sheffield - South Yorkshire reveals a dynamic city of more than 535,000 people living in what the English classify as a metropolitan borough. The Sheffield Urban Area itself boasts of over 650,000 people in its population base, and the town has grown nicely through the centuries, gradually making the change from primarily being industrialized in nature to a much more broadly-based economic entity.

Sheffield's name actually is derived from the name given to the river that runs through its center; the River Sheaf. It came to perhaps its greatest prominence in the past in the 19th century, when it was known for the production facilities and skill of its workforce in producing high-quality steel and the products made from that metal. It is also the city that gave birth to stainless steel, and it experienced much growth during the Industrial Revolution.

Over time, improvements in steel and iron production in other parts of the world would mean that Sheffield would lose its place as the center of such production in the 1970s and 1980s. This coincided with the collapse of the coal mining industry in the area (and throughout much of England) at the same time, though Sheffield -- never one to rest on its laurels -- began an overhaul of its economic base in the 21st century to great effect.

This success is made evident through the fact of the diversification of its economy, which has also helped to contribute to a 5 percent annual growth rate over the last several years. The city's rate of growth actually exceeds that of the wider Yorkshire and Humber region in which it is located, in fact. In terms of monetary valuation, Sheffield can boast of a gross added value of more than 7 million British pounds.

The city is also appreciated for its efforts to carve out as much green space as possible, with over 61 percent of Sheffield consisting of such spaces. A concerted effort by the local city council, and area residents, in directing and carrying out the planting of trees whenever possible helps to ensure that the town will continue to add to its green areas. This helps to contribute to the scenic beauty of the town, which is built on several hillsides.

Sheffield is truly ancient in terms of human activity in the area, which can be traced back nearly 13,000 years to the Upper Paleolithic era, though the town itself is the amalgamation of several Anglo-Saxon and Danish communities in the latter half of the first millennium. By 1296, Sheffield had become a market town and by the 1300's it had become a center of knife making, gaining a good name for the quality of its cutlery and other blades.

The city sits within the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire and has more than 1. 3 million residents that call the county home. It is also landlocked and has no access to the sea. It is the product of a 1974 reconfiguration of most local governing regions by the national government in an effort to streamline counties and the like. The county is made up of four different metropolitan areas, including Sheffield's.

About the Author:

No comments: