It also refers to the relatively flat, dry agricultural area, so named because it covers the region between the two cities.

The natural vegetation was predominantly grassland, but all of it is either grazed by cattle and sheep or cleared for growing better pasture species.

On the eastern side it rises into low, unglaciated dolerite hills and mountains, largely covered with dry sclerophyllous forests, but on the west lies the high doleritic Lake Country, which was extensively glaciated during Quaternary glacial periods and is covered with large numbers of lakes consequently carved into the very hard and erosion-resistant rock.

In summer, maximum temperatures average 24 °C (75 °F), whilst in winter most days have frosts, sometimes severe.

Most of them are quite close to the chernozems of Asia and North America, and consequently the Midlands is rich grazing land supporting intensive rearing of sheep.