Worcestershire borders Birmingham to the south and is one of the most notably rural counties in England, with only a few large centres of population.  Although historically, the county possessed a number of industrial centres, including the city of Worcester and the town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire’s economy is now very mixed although primarily a mixture of services and agriculture with a declining proportion of industry.  Industry in Worcestershire declined, in much the same way as in neighbouring Birmingham, because of technological changes and international competition from the 1970s.