<P> Coordinates: 52 ° 32 ′ N 2 ° 2 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 52.533 ° N 2.033 ° W ﻿ / 52.533; - 2.033 </P> <P> The Black Country is a region of the West Midlands in England, west of Birmingham, and commonly refers to all or part of the four Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton . During the Industrial Revolution, it became one of the most industrialised parts of Britain with coal mines, coking, iron foundries, glass factories, brickworks and steel mills producing a high level of air pollution . </P> <P> The 14 - mile (23 km) road between Wolverhampton and Birmingham was described as "one continuous town" in 1785 . The first trace of "The Black Country" as an expression dates from the 1840s . The name is believed to come from the soot from the heavy industries that covered the area, although the 30 - foot - thick (10 metre) coal seam close to the surface is another possible origin . </P> <P> Although the heavy polluting industry that gave the region its name has long since disappeared, a sense of shared history and tradition in the area has kept the term in use . In addition, the regeneration of the area by local and national government has brought official recognition to the region and has, to some extent, defined its boundary . </P>

Where does the black country name come from