Greater Manchester is a county in North West England which roughly encompasses the conurbation surrounding the City of Manchester, and has a population of 2.48 million. The Metropolitan county came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. The metropolitan county consists of ten metropolitan boroughs, including the City of Manchester and the City of Salford.

Greater Manchester (which is also a ceremonial county) is a landlocked county, and borders the counties of Cheshire, Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Merseyside.

As well as Manchester, the county includes major centres such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Stockport and Wigan. Greater Manchester is not entirely built-up. Although Manchester forms a conurbation along with Salford, Trafford, Oldham and Stockport, other towns, such as Bury, Rochdale and Wigan are clearly separate.

Greater Manchester County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts are now effectively unitary authorities. However, the county, which is some 500 square miles, continues to exist in law and as a geographic frame of reference, and is also a ceremonial county.

Prior to the creation of the Metropolitan County, the name Selnec was used for the area, from the initials 'South East Lancashire North East Cheshire' of which the region is historically formed.

Abram, Altrincham, Ashley, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ashton-under-Lyne, Atherton, Beswick, Billinge, Bolton, Bramhall, Brighouse, Bury, Castlefield, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Cheetham, Cheetham Hill, Denshaw, Denton, Didsbury, Disley, Dukinfield, Eccles, Failsworth, Flixton, Gatley, Haigh, Hale, Halebarns, Hazel Grove, Heywood, Hindley, Horwich, Hyde, Ince, Kearsley, Leigh, Littleborough, Manchester, Marple, Mellor, Middleton, Millbrook, Milnrow, Moston, Mottram, Oldham, Platt Bridge, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Rochdale, Romiley, Sale, Salford, Shevington, Stalybridge, Standish, Stockport, Swinton, Trafford Park, Tyldesley, Uppermill, Urmston, Walkden, West Didsbury, Westhoughton, Whitefield, Wigan, Worsley, Wythenshawe

• Buckton Castle
• Bramall Hall, Bramhall
• Salford Quays, Salford
• Smithills Hall
• Wythenshawe Hall
• Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, Ashton-under-Lyne
• Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Ashton-under-Lyne
• Park Bridge Heritage Centre
• Old Trafford, home of Manchester United FC