Wakefield (pop. 353,370) is a district in West Yorkshire Metropolitan County, England. The city of Wakefield, which lies on the River Calder, is the administrative center of the district. Other towns in the district include Castleford, Ossett, and Pontefract.
Historically, coal mining has been the chief economic activity in Wakefield. England’s National Coal Mining Museum is in Wakefield city. The district also has a wide variety of engineering industries and is an important source for woolen textiles. Some farming takes place in the rural areas. Pontefract is famous for its licorice candies, which have been made in the town for hundreds of years.
See also Yorkshire.
