South Yorkshire, metropolitan county in north-central England. It comprises four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and the city of Sheffield. South Yorkshire lies within the historic county of Yorkshire, except for three areas. In the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, the parish of Finningley and the area west of Bawtry are part of the historic county of Nottinghamshire. And in the city of Sheffield, the area around Beighton and Mosborough belongs to the historic county of Derbyshire. From 1974 to 1986 South Yorkshire was an administrative unit. In 1986 the metropolitan county lost its administrative powers, and its constituent boroughs became autonomous administrative units, or unitary authorities. South Yorkshire is now a geographic and ceremonial county without administrative authority.

South Yorkshire’s physical geography is diverse. In the west the high Pennine moorlands, composed of limestone and millstone grit, descend to the valleys of the Rivers Don and Dearne, which flow into a lowland around Doncaster in the east. Much of the lowland, including the marshes of Hatfield, Thorne, and Humberhead, has been drained. The Don rises in the Pennines and flows eastward through the Rivers Aire and Ouse to the River Humber.

In the 19th century the proximity to coal supplies and the arrival of railways stimulated the region’s industrial growth. The Don valley became the focus of a belt of ironworks and steelworks extending eastward from Sheffield. Today South Yorkshire includes most of England’s main coalfield, but mining declined dramatically in the late 20th century. A few highly mechanized mines still operate around Doncaster, the headquarters of Britain’s remaining coal industry. The iron and steel industry, based in Sheffield and Rotherham, also declined during the late 20th century, but Sheffield, located in the Pennine foothills, is still known for its production of special steels and cutlery. Light manufactures, research and development, food processing, and service activities have compensated somewhat for the loss of employment in mining and heavy industry. Sheffield is South Yorkshire’s largest city and main service centre and the site of the University of Sheffield. The metropolitan county encompasses areas of open countryside and part of Peak District National Park. Area 599 square miles (1,552 square km). Pop. (2001) 1,266,338; (2011) 1,343,601.