The district encompasses a wide variety of towns, including coastal ports and agricultural centres.

Its fleet, which once sailed the globe, by then carried coal, firewood, and lime to coastal ports in competition with railroads and steamships.

The coastal ports began to specialize in fishing, international trade and shipbuildingand after 1780 in whaling.

However, the steep mountainous terrain between the resource rich areas in the high velt and the coastal ports presented a transport challenge.

Coastal ports serving as initial points of contact often benefited from access to imported goods, reaping profits from their own subsequent distribution to regions inland.