Leeds

British Isles

History

The history of the Yorkshire region stretches back far beyond the rise of Leeds. For centuries, York stood as a bastion against Scotish marauders, only to be sacked and re-fortified anew. With the unification of Scotland and England in 1603, York's importance diminished. Over the next few centuries, it stagnated, its population disappearing to more prominent cities. With the rise of Leeds as an industrial power, York itself has become a town of 150,000, boasting culture and history, but no real importance.

Leeds is the product of unchecked industrial expansion and lasiez-faire economic policies, unchecked by any sense of social justice or moderation. The city rose from nowhere during the industrial revolution, replacing ancient York as the center of population on the Scottish frontier. As quickly as it rose, Leeds's industry faltered and fell to urban blight. In the early 21st century, it stands a smog-filled industrial wasteland, its declining population barely served by a crumbling infrastructure that was never truly able to support the population. Crumbling factories sit amid fields of toxic waste, and most residential blocks host two or three houses stripped of all valuables (particularly plumbing pipes and electrical wires), and occupied only by the homeless and desperate. Still, it remains England's second largest city with a total uncounted metropolitain population of around 1 million.

Population

Census: 2020.

• -- City: 400,000 (town borders)
• -- Urban: 650,000 (official), 1,000,000 (estimated, including uncounted homeless) (continuous urban area)
• -- Metro Area: 800,000 - (Provincial population).