South Yorkshire Metropolitan county in n central England. The county divides into four districts, with Barnsley its administrative centre. South Yorkshire's only city is Sheffield, but other major towns include Doncaster and Rotherham. The area includes the Peak District National Forest and the western Pennine moors. The River Don flows e across the county. Following the Industrial Revolution, the county's prosperity depended on its heavy industry, and its major industries still include iron, steel and coal mining. Area: 1561sq km (603sq mi). Pop. (1997) 1,302,400.

Yorkshire, South. Since there was no south riding to build on, the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, set up by the Local Government Act of 1972, was a new creation. It was based on the county boroughs of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster, augmented by parts of the West Riding around Penistone, Cudworth, and Hemsworth, and parishes taken from Nottinghamshire, including Finningley. It was abolished under the Local Government Act of 1985 and its major towns created unitary authorities.

J. A. Cannon

South Yorkshire. See Yorkshire, South.