West Yorkshire is one of the most liked counties, according to a new poll.

The county, which was formed in 1974 and comprises most of the old West Riding of Yorkshire, came 12th out of the 47 counties in England.

Three-quarters (75%) of the 42,000 people polled by YouGov said they liked the county.

The only Yorkshire county which performed better was North Yorkshire – the county which comprises most of the old North Riding – which finished fourth with an approval rating of 87%.

Less popular were the East Riding of Yorkshire (18th with 71%) and South Yorkshire (27th with 66%).

The most popular county was Dorset with a 92% approval rating, followed by Devon (92%) and Cornwall (91%).

The least popular county was Bedfordshire polling 40% followed by Northamptonshire (47%) and Leicestershire (48%).

Five reasons why West Yorkshire is great

The countryside

Marsden Moor
Marsden Moor

West Yorkshire may be a built up metropolitan county with 2.3m people but it still has space for some fabulous rural scenery.

From the Peak District in the southwest corner to the moors in the north, which gave Emily Bronte the inspiration for Wuthering Heights, it is a spectacular county.

The history

Salts Mill, Saltaire
Salts Mill, Saltaire

West Yorkshire was the heartland of Britain's textile industry exporting its wares all around the world. Many of its mills such as Salt's Mill are still landmarks.

The buildings

Bretton Hall, West Bretton
Bretton Hall, West Bretton

From stately former family seats like Bretton Hall to modern wonders like Millenium Square in Leeds, West Yorkshire has the gamut of eye-catching architecture.

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Who is the Bard of Barnsley?

The culture

Leeds Pride is one of the reasons why West Yorkshire is great
Leeds Pride is one of the reasons why West Yorkshire is great

West Yorkshire has always produced a vast array of artists, actors, musicians and other cultural luminaries. It is also home to some of the biggest celebrations of life such as Leeds Pride and Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival.

The sport

Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner celebrates Premier League promotion last May.
Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner celebrates Premier League promotion last May.

West Yorkshire is the only part of Yorkshire to have a football club in the Premier League, namely Huddersfield Town. And while Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the whole Yorkshire county they are based at Headingley, in Leeds.