Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton ( WUUL-vər-HAMP-tən) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) northwest of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of Willenhall and Walsall to the east and the towns of Sedgley and Dudley to the south. The population in 2021 was 263,700, making it the third largest city in the West Midlands after Birmingham and Coventry. Historically in Staffordshire, Wolverhampton grew as a market town specialising in the wool trade. During the Industrial Revolution, it became a major centre for coal mining, steel production, lock making, and automotive manufacturing; the economy of the city is still based on engineering, including a large aerospace industry, as well as the service sector. The city is home to the University of Wolverhampton. A town for most of its history, it gained city status in 2001. The M6 motorway runs just outside Wolverhampton's east and northeast borders, while the M54 motorway starts to the north and links the city with Telford. For railway travel, the city is served by Wolverhampton station, while the western terminus of the West Midlands Metro network is also located in the city. Wolverhampton has produced many notable musicians and artists and is known in the sports world as the home of Premier League football team Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, which plays at Molineux Stadium. As a result of experiencing a heavy influx of Indian immigrants from the 1950s onwards, the city is home to the largest percentage of Sikhs in England, who have been influential in shaping its identity; it also hosts a higher percentage of Hindus than the national average.