 In northeast Kentucky, the greater Ashland area is an important transportation, manufacturing, and medical center.Iron and petroleum production, as well as the transport of coal by rail and barge, have been historical pillars of the region's economy.Due to a decline in the area's industrial base, Ashland has seen a sizable reduction in its population since 1990; however, the population of the area has since stabilized with the medical service industry taking a greater role in the local economy.