Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England and is home to 2,852,650 people. It includes eight metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the cities of Salford and Manchester. It is one of the country’s largest metropolitan regions, and the second-most populous area in England, outside of London.

Due to its large population, Greater Manchester is one of the most economically diverse regions in the UK and is one of the main drivers of the northern economy. At present, there are approximately 1.5 million jobs that contribute towards Greater Manchester’s GVA of GBP74.9 billion (2021). The Greater Manchester area generates nearly 40% of total output (GVA) in the Northwest and 19% across the North of England. Manchester, Salford and Trafford have seen the largest growth over the last 21 years, contributing 56% of Greater Manchester’s GVA in 2021.