Metropolitan West Midlands
Lying at the centre of the wider West Midlands region, the separate metropolitan county of the same name was created in 1974. Towns and cities around Birmingham were separated from their original historic counties to form seven boroughs under one combined authority area. It’s very like ‘Greater London’, however, the convenient term ‘Greater Birmingham’ was rejected and is not used.
Birmingham is England’s second city after London with an international airport, excellent transport system, attractions and major sporting, entertainment and conference venues located around the boroughs; Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre Birmingham are both in the borough of Solihull, for example.
The seven boroughs of the metropolitan West Midlands are: Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall.
For visitors, the Birmingham umbrella concept works well but, with time to drill down, you’ll find each borough has its own proud history and identity.