North West

The North West of England is a region of contrasts, combining vibrant cities, historic towns, and some of the UK’s most famous natural landscapes. It is home to the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as urban and cultural powerhouses like Manchester and Liverpool. The region’s economy is diverse, with strengths in manufacturing, media, finance, tourism, and education.

The region features metropolitan counties such as Greater Manchester and Merseyside, alongside rural counties like Cumbria, Cheshire, and Lancashire. Governance is a mix of metropolitan borough councils, unitary authorities, and county councils, with devolved mayoral authorities in major urban areas.

Ceremonial Counties in North West region

The North West comprises five ceremonial counties: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside. From the industrial cities of Manchester and Liverpool to the rolling hills of the Pennines and the beaches of Morecambe Bay, each county has its own character and economy.

There are 48 Ceremonial Counties in England. The above lists 5 Ceremonial Counties in North West region.

Districts in North West

The UK is divided into Local Authority Districts (LADs) as the main building blocks of local government and statistical geography. The following lists all the LADs in this region.

Local Authority District (LAD) is a statistical geography used by the ONS to describe areas governed by local authorities. LADs include: Non-metropolitan districts (often called district councils); Metropolitan districts; London boroughs; Unitary authorities; Council areas in Scotland; Local government districts in Northern Ireland. In total, there are around 360+ LADs across the UK.

International Territorial Levels in North West Region

The International Territorial Levels (ITLs) are a hierarchical system of geographic boundaries used for statistical purposes in the UK, specifically for regional data analysis and international comparisons. It has three levels: ITL1, ITL2, and ITL3, with ITL1 being the broadest level and ITL3 the most detailed.

North West Region is one of ITL 1 areas in the UK. It is then divided ino the following ITL 2 areas (names in bold letters) and ITL 3 areas.

  • Cumbria — Cumberland ⁞ Westmorland and Furness
  • Greater Manchester — Manchester ⁞ Greater Manchester South West ⁞ Greater Manchester South East ⁞ Greater Manchester North West ⁞ Greater Manchester North East
  • Lancashire — Blackburn with Darwen ⁞ Blackpool ⁞ Lancaster and Wyre ⁞ Mid Lancashire ⁞ East Lancashire ⁞ Chorley and West Lancashire
  • Cheshire — Warrington ⁞ Cheshire East ⁞ Cheshire West and Chester
  • Merseyside — East Merseyside ⁞ Liverpool ⁞ Sefton ⁞ Wirral
In the UK in total there are: 12 ITLs 1, 46 ITLs 2, and 182 ITLs 3. Our information about ITLs hierarchy and names is based on this ONS website: International geographies - Office for National Statistics.

Constituencies in North West

The region contains 73 parliamentary constituencies, covering densely populated urban centres, suburban areas, and rural districts. Political priorities vary from urban regeneration in cities to tourism and farming in rural communities.

There are 650 constituencies in the United Kingdom. These constituencies are the areas each represented by one Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons.

Population of North West England

North West England is home to over 7.5 million people (mid-2022, ONS). Covering 14,107 square kilometres (5,447 square miles), the region has a population density of 533 people per square kilometre.

North West England Population Compared to UK Regions' Figures
North West England Population Compared to other UK Regions

How it compares to the rest of England

  • Population share: The region makes up 13.2% of England’s total 57.1 million residents, ranking 3rd out of 9 regions by population size.
  • Population density: With 533 people per km², the North West is more crowded than the national average of 438 people per km²—95 people per km² higher, making it the 2nd most densely populated region in England.

Region detail pages