Tyne and Wear (pop. 1,127,190) is a metropolitan county in northeastern England. It takes its name from two rivers that flow through the region and empty into the North Sea. The county covers the area between the unitary authorities (local government areas) of Northumberland and County Durham.
Tyne and Wear was formed in 1974 as a metropolitan county—that is, an urbanized area governed by a metropolitan county council. The council was abolished in 1986, and government administration in the county was distributed among five smaller metropolitan districts within the county’s borders. These districts are Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland.
The Tyne and Wear region was one of the earliest industrial centers of the United Kingdom. Traditional local industries have included chemicals manufacturing, heavy engineering, and shipbuilding. In the mid-1900’s, the area attracted new light industries and factories that manufacture home appliances.
The people who live in the Tyneside area are often called Geordies, and the dialect they speak is called Geordie. The term Geordie can also refer to a coal miner, a miner’s safety lamp, or a boat that carries coal. Coal mining was one of the region’s leading industries during the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
