Herefordshire (/ˈhɛrɪfərdʃɪər, -ʃər/ HERR-if-ərd-sheer, -shər)[3] is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Gloucestershire to the south-east, Worcestershire to the east, Shropshire to the north and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire and Powys to the west. The city of Hereford is the largest settlement and the county town.
The county is one of the most rural in England, with an area of 2,180 square kilometres (840 sq mi) and a population of 187,034, giving a density of 88/km2 (228/sq mi). After Hereford (53,112) the largest settlements are Leominster (10,938), Ross-on-Wye (10,582), and Ledbury (8,862). For local government purposes Herefordshire is a unitary authority area.
The centre of Herefordshire is comparatively flat and crossed by the River Wye and its tributary, the Lugg. To the east is the Malvern Hills AONB, which straddles the boundary with Worcestershire, and the south of the county contains the northern part of the Wye Valley AONB, which stretches into Wales. In the west the ground rises to the Black Mountains range; this contains the Black Mountain (Twyn Llech), which lies on the Powys border and is the highest point in the county at 703.6 metres (2,308 ft),
The county is situated in the historic Welsh Marches. The land use is mostly agricultural, and the county is known for its fruit and cider production, and for the Hereford cattle breed.