The West Midlands is a landlocked county that borders the counties of Warwickshire to the east, Worcestershire to the south, and Staffordshire to the north.

The West Midlands is one of the most urbanised counties in the UK. Birmingham, Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Solihull together form the most populated conurbation in the UK outside London, with a combined population of around 2.27 million. However, the West Midlands is not entirely urban; Coventry is separated from the Birmingham urban area, by stretch of green belt land roughly 15 miles across known as the "Meriden Gap", which retains a strongly rural character. A smaller piece of green belt between Birmingham, Walsall and West Bromwich includes Barr Beacon and the Sandwell Valley.

There are numerous rivers that pass through the county, including the River Tame. The river basin. The River Tame is fed by the River Rea, River Anker, and the River Blythe, which in turn is fed by the River Cole. The River Sowe and River Sherbourne both flow through Coventry. The River Stour flows through the west of the West Midlands county.

Birmingham

Birmingham is the largest of England's core cities. The City of Birmingham has a population estimated at 1,006,500. It forms part of the larger West Midlands conurbation, which has a population of estimated at 2,284,093 and includes several neighbouring towns and cities, such as Solihull, Wolverhampton and the towns of the Black Country.

The city's reputation was forged as a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, a fact which led to Birmingham being known as "the workshop of the world" or the "city of a thousand trades". Although Birmingham's industrial importance has declined, it has developed into a national commercial centre, being named as the third best place in the United Kingdom to locate a business. It is also the fourth most visited city by foreign visitors in the UK. In 1998, Birmingham hosted the G8 summit at the International Convention Centre and remains a popular location for conventions.

People from Birmingham are known as 'Brummies', a term derived from the city's nickname of Brum. There is a distinctive Brummie dialect and accent, both of which differ from the adjacent Black Country.

Coventry

Coventry is the ninth largest city in England and the eleventh largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city after Birmingham in the English Midlands by population. Coventry is situated 95 miles northwest of London and 19 miles east of Birmingham, and is notable for being further from the coast than any other British city. Coventry boasts a population of almost a third-of-a-million inhabitants, but Coventry is not amongst the English Core Cities Group due to its proximity to Birmingham.

Coventry is famous for its modern Cathedral, which was built following the World War II bombing of the old cathedral by the Luftwaffe. Coventry has since developed an international reputation as one of Europe's major cities of peace and reconciliation, centred around its Cathedral, and holds an annual Peace Month. Coventry is also notable because Coventry motor companies have contributed significantly to the British motor industry, and also because it has two universities, the city centre-based Coventry University and the University of Warwick on the southern outskirts. Coventry is also famous for the legendary 11th century exploits of Lady Godiva.

Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton has an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of 251,462, which makes it the 13th largest city in England. Historically a part of Staffordshire.

The city's name is often abbreviated to "W'ton" or "Wolves". It is also known as "Wolvo" by many of the locals. The city council's motto is "Out of darkness, cometh light". People from Wolverhampton are known as Wulfrunians.

The city grew initially as a market town with specialism within the woollen trade. During and after the Industrial Revolution, the city became a major industrial centre, with mining (mostly coal, limestone and iron ore) as well as production of steel, japanning, locks, motorcycles and cars - including the first vehicle to hold the Land speed record at over 200mph. Today the major industries within the city are both engineering based (including a large aerospace industry) and within the service sector.

Dudley

Dudley is a town with a population of 194,919. Since 1974 it has been the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Dudley; the original County Borough had undergone a lesser expansion in 1966. It is the 19th largest settlement in England, measured by Urban Sub-Area, the second largest town in the United Kingdom, behind Reading and the largest settlement in the UK without its own university.

Sandwell

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of the Black Country towns of Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich.

Sandwell borders the City of Birmingham to the east, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley to the south and west, the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall to the north, and the City of Wolverhampton to the north-west.

Solihull

Solihull is a large town in the West Midlands, with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre. It is the largest town in, and administrative centre of, the larger Metropolitan Borough of Solihull which itself has a population of 200,400.

Solihull is one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands. Residents of Solihull and those born in the town are referred to as Silhillians.

Walsall

Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country.

In the 2001 census, the town had a population of 170,994 with the surrounding borough having a population of 253,500. Neighbouring towns in the borough include Willenhall, Bloxwich and Aldridge.