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[[Image:Staffordshire arms.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The coat of arms of Staffordshire County Council]]

[[Image:Staffordshire arms.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The coat of arms of Staffordshire County Council]]

'''Staffordshire''' is a county of the north Midlands in the centre of [[England]]. Its [[population]] (2006 estimate) is 1.02m and the county town is [[Stafford]]. Until local government reorganisation in 1974 created the county of [[West Midlands]], much of the industrial [[Black Country]] lay in Staffordshire. Now, the main industrial area is that of [[Stoke on Trent]] (known as [[The Potteries]]), famous for its pottery and ceramics manufacture. The remainder of the county is largely rural, and the east, extending into the [[Pennine]] foothills, is hilly. Major towns include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Leek, Uttoxeter, and [[Burton upon Trent]]. The city of [[Lichfield]] is notable for its [[cathedral]], the only [[medieval]] English cathedral with three spires.

'''Staffordshire''' is a county of the north and west Midlands in the centre of [[England]]. Its [[population]], as of 2024 (Wikishire) is 2.16 million, and the county town is [[Stafford]]. Much of the industrial [[Black Country]], which includes the city of [[Wolverhampton]], lies in Staffordshire. Another major industrial area is that of [[The Potteries]], whose main settlements are [[Stoke-on-Trent]] (a city comprising 7 towns) and Newcastle-under-Lyme, famous for its pottery and ceramics manufacture. The remainder of the county is largely rural, and the east, extending into the [[Pennine]] foothills, is hilly. Major towns include Leek, Uttoxeter, and [[Burton upon Trent]]. The city of [[Lichfield]] is notable for its [[cathedral]], the only [[medieval]] English cathedral with three spires.

 

Much of the county is administered by [[Staffordshire County Council]]. However, some of the county proper is under other administrative divisions such as Birmingham City Council (though much of Birmingham itself is in traditional Warwickshire), Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, City of Wolverhampton Council, with a small part of the south west of the county (around the village of Upper Arley) being under Worcestershire County Council.

Its centralised location places it at the northern or southern extremes of the ranges of many [[species]], and is one of the reasons for its rich and diverse flora and fauna, with good examples of most wildlife habitats and even an area of inland [[saltmarsh]]. Of particular importance are the lowland heathlands, the Staffordshire moorlands and the [[limestone]] valleys. The extensive network of rivers, inland waterways and meres and mosses add a further important dimension.  

Its centralised location places it at the northern or southern extremes of the ranges of many [[species]], and is one of the reasons for its rich and diverse flora and fauna, with good examples of most wildlife habitats and even an area of inland [[saltmarsh]]. Of particular importance are the lowland heathlands, the Staffordshire moorlands and the [[limestone]] valleys. The extensive network of rivers, inland waterways and meres and mosses add a further important dimension.