A former large county of north-east England; originally divided into three ridings, since 1974 divided into four administrative counties
an area and former county in northeast England, now divided into North, East, South and West Yorkshire. Yorkshire is partly very industrial, with large cities such as Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford, and, in the past, many coal mines. It also has large areas of beautiful, wild countryside, including the North York Moors and the Dales. Historic county, northern England. Yorkshire was divided into three administrative counties North Riding, East Riding, and West Riding and the city of York. For most purposes the ridings were separate administrative units for a thousand years; Yorkshire and the ridings, comprising the country's largest county, ceased to exist with the administrative reorganization of 1974. Yorkshire was an agricultural, fishing, and manufacturing centre. Its main cities and towns include Leeds, Sheffield, Kingston upon Hull, Bradford, and Wakefield. North Yorkshire South Yorkshire West Yorkshire Yorkshire terrier