Sheffield is a geographically varied English city. It is located in the eastern Pennine foothills, at the confluence of five rivers: the Don, Sheaf, Rivelin, Loxley, and Porter. As a result, much of the city is situated on slopes, offering views of the city centre or the countryside. One-third of the city is urban, one-third rural, and one-third in the Peak District. At its lowest point, Blackburn Meadows on the Rotherham border, the city is only 29 metres above sea level, increasing to almost 500 metres in other sections of the city to a peak of 548 metres at High Stones on the Derbyshire border; nevertheless, 89% of the city’s housing is between 100 and 200 metres above sea level. The main urban area is home to more than 95% of the population.
Sheffield boasts more trees per capita than any other city in Europe, outnumbering humans by a factor of four. It features more than 170 forests, 78 public parks, and ten public gardens.
Sheffield also boasts more habitat types than any other city in the UK. It includes urban, parkland, and woodland areas, as well as agricultural and arable land, moors, meadows, and freshwater habitats. A large portion of the city, including various urban districts, has been classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
When the former county borough of Sheffield combined with Stocksbridge Urban District and two parishes from the Wortley Rural District in 1974, the current city limits were established. This area encompasses a large portion of the countryside surrounding the main urban area. The Peak District National Park encompasses almost one-third of Sheffield. No other English city had elements of a national park within its borders until the South Downs National Park, which includes Brighton and Hove, was established in March 2010.