{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use Irish English|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Metropolitan Cork | native_name = | settlement_type = Metropolitan area | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_skyline = St.Patrick's Bridge.jpg | image_caption = Cork, the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland | image_map = | map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Ireland | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = County Cork | subdivision_type2 = Largest city | subdivision_name2 = Cork (222,526)<ref name="cityCensus2022"/> | population_footnotes = | population_metro = 305000 | area_metro_km2 = 820 | population_as_of = 2016<ref name="Cork 2050 Main Report"/> | area_metro_sq_mi = | population_total = | population_note = | population_density_metro_km2 = auto | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | demographics_type1 = GDP | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name=ec.europa.eu>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/met_10r_3gdp/default/table?lang=en|title=Gross domestic product (GDP) at current market prices by metropolitan regions|website=ec.europa.eu}}</ref> | demographics1_title1 = Metro | demographics1_info1 = €103.206 billion | demographics1_title2 = Per capita | demographics1_info2 = <!-- General information ---------------> | timezone = | utc_offset = | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | latd = | latm = | lats = | latNS = | longd = | longm = | longs = | longEW = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_max_m = | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_min_m = | elevation_min_ft = | blank_name_sec1 = | blank_info_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec1 = | blank1_info_sec1 = | website = }} '''Metropolitan Cork''', or the Cork Metropolitan Area (CMA), includes the city of Cork, Ireland, its suburbs, the rural hinterland that surrounds it, which includes several smaller towns and villages.<ref name="casp2001">{{cite report|url = http://www.corkcity.ie/casp/strategicplan/strategic_plan_A.pdf | title = Cork Area Strategic Plan | date = 2001 | publisher = Cork City Council | access-date = 22 September 2018 | page = 2 | quote = ''Metropolitan Cork [..] encompasses both the City proper, and the settlements of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Douglas, Glanmire, Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh''}}</ref> Some of the latter towns and villages are within the administrative area of County Cork.
The term Metropolitan Cork was used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city.<ref name="strategiccorkguide">{{cite web|url = http://www.corkcity.ie/strategiccorkguide/competitive_edge/local_economy_cork.shtml | title = CorkCity.ie/strategiccorkguide - Local Economy - Metropolitan Cork | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071119182215/http://www.corkcity.ie/strategiccorkguide/competitive_edge/local_economy_cork.shtml | archive-date = 19 November 2007 }}</ref> The plan declared that it was envisaged as an area with "an integrated transport system, and the social, cultural and educational facilities of a modern European city".<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/431500.pdf | title = Cork Area Strategic Plan - CSAP - Part A | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060710113249/http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/431500.pdf |archive-date = 10 July 2006 }}</ref> Metropolitan Cork is the core employment hub of the Southern Region.
According to the Cork Area Transit System (CATS) Study Final Report of February 2010, at that time, the metropolitan area covered 820{{nbsp}}km<sup>2</sup> and approximately 270,000 people.<ref name=corkcity>{{cite report|url = https://www.corkcity.ie/services/roadstransportation/transportationdivision/corkareatransitsystemstudy/CATS%20Study%20Final%20Report%20Feb%202010_opt1.pdf | publisher = Cork City Council |page =1.7 | title = Cork Area Transit System Study - Draft Final Report | date = April 2009 | access-date = 22 September 2018 | quote = ''The Metropolitan area, as defined in CASP, includes Cork City and the towns and areas in the immediate hinterland [..It..] covers 820 km2, and has a population of 272,541, as determined from Census 2006''}}</ref>
By mid-2018, legislation was drafted to expand the boundary of Cork city, to include a number of the metropolitan area towns (such as Blarney and Carrigtwohill).<ref name="boundslaw">{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/bill-set-to-give-effect-to-cork-boundary-extension-858843.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Bill set to give effect to Cork boundary extension | date = 31 July 2018 | access-date = 26 August 2018 }}</ref><ref name="boundary1">{{cite web | url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/boundary-increase-for-cork-city-council-approved-by-cabinet-1.3521614 | publisher = The Irish Times | title = Boundary increase for Cork City Council approved by Cabinet | date = 6 June 2018 }}</ref> This change proposed to bring much of "Metropolitan Cork" within the bounds of the Cork City Council area.<ref name="boundslaw"/><ref name="boundary1"/> On 31 May 2019, the boundary change came into force with the city bounds being extended to include Ballincollig, Blarney, Glanmire, Rochestown, Grange and Cork Airport, and thereby increasing the city population from 125,000 to approximately 210,000.<ref name="expansion2019">{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/cork-citys-population-to-grow-by-85000-and-expand-fivefold-at-midnight-927835.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Cork City's population to grow by 85,000 and expand fivefold ... at midnight | date = 30 May 2019 | access-date = 31 May 2019 }}</ref>
== Geography == The Cork Area Strategic Plan (CASP) and subsequent regional planning documents, such as the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, have used the term to describe a continuous urban core and a commuter belt stretching from Ovens to Midleton and Watergrasshill and Blarney to Carrigaline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1. Introduction {{!}} Cork City Council's Online Consultation Portal |url=https://consult.corkcity.ie/en/consultation/draft-cork-city-development-plan-2022-2028/chapter/1-introduction |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=consult.corkcity.ie}}</ref>
The metropolitan area includes Cork City and nearby commuter towns such as Ballincollig'','' Blarney, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Glanmire, Glounthaune, Midleton, Passage West, and Ringaskiddy.<ref name="caspUpdate">{{cite web | url = http://www.corkcity.ie/casp/strategicplan/Final_CASP_Strategy_Update_opt.pdf | title = Cork Area Strategic Plan – Strategy for Additional Economic and Population Growth - An Update - July 2008 | publisher = Cork City Council | date = July 2008 | access-date = 22 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055421/http://www.corkcity.ie/casp/strategicplan/Final_CASP_Strategy_Update_opt.pdf | archive-date = 4 March 2016 | url-status = dead | quote = Metropolitan Cork consists of [..] Cork City and Douglas [..] The Satellite towns of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Glanmire, Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh; and [..] The existing strategic employment areas of Little Island, Carrigtwohill, Cork Airport Business Park, Ringaskiddy and Whitegate/Aghada. }}</ref> The boundary is not fixed and varies across contexts (e.g. transport, planning, and statistical definitions).<ref name="casp2001" />
==Greater Cork== Greater Cork is an area that extends beyond Metropolitan Cork, and includes the Metropolitan Cork area itself (referred to in the regional planning guidelines as the "Cork Gateway"), plus Mallow and its hinterland, as well as the ring towns of Bandon, Fermoy, Kinsale, Macroom and Youghal.<ref name="swra2010">{{cite report|url = https://www.southernassembly.ie/uploads/general-files/http---www.southernassembly_.ie-images-uploads-SWRA_Planning_Guidelines_.pdf | title = Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022 | publisher = South West Regional Authority | pages = 16, 26 | access-date = 22 September 2018 | quote = ''Greater Cork, which comprises the Cork Gateway, and includes the Mallow Hub and a number of other towns known as the Ring towns (Fermoy, Youghal, Bandon, Kinsale, Macroom)''}}</ref> This Greater Cork area was recorded as having a population of 377,596 in 2006.<ref name="swra2010"/>
==Population== The Cork City administrative area (after the 2019 boundary extension) recorded a population of 224,004 in the 2022 census,<ref name="cityCensus2022">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-30 |title=Press Statement Census of Population 2022 - Summary Results Cork - CSO - Central Statistics Office |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/csolatestnews/pressreleases/2023pressreleases/pressstatementcensusofpopulation2022-summaryresultscork/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=www.cso.ie |language=en}}</ref> while the overall population of County Cork was 584,156.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-30 |title=Press Statement Census of Population 2022 - Summary Results Cork - CSO - Central Statistics Office |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/csolatestnews/pressreleases/2023pressreleases/pressstatementcensusofpopulation2022-summaryresultscork/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=www.cso.ie |language=en}}</ref> The population of the wider Metropolitan Cork area was estimated to be around 305,000 as of 2016.<ref name="Cork 2050 Main Report"/> {| class="wikitable" !Year !width=150|Cork city !width=150|Cork city and suburbs !width=150|Metropolitan Cork !width=150|Greater Cork |- |'''2000''' |123,810 <ref name="areaplan">{{cite report|url = http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/431500.pdf | title = Cork Area Strategic Plan, Cork City Council and Cork County Council, 22 October, 2001 (Table 2.1 Future Population) | page = 28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060710113249/http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/431500.pdf |archive-date=10 July 2006 | quote = ''2000 Population / City: 123,810 / Rest of Metropolitan Cork: 127,700 [..] Total: 345,100''}}</ref> |— |251,510 <ref name="areaplan"/> |345,100 <ref name="areaplan"/> |- |'''2001''' |123,600 <ref name="housing">{{cite web|url = http://www.corkcity.ie/ourservices/planning/developmentplan/housingstrategy/chapter3.pdf |title = Cork Joint Housing Strategy | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060526002056/http://www.corkcity.ie/ourservices/planning/developmentplan/housingstrategy/chapter3.pdf |archive-date = 26 May 2006 }}</ref> |— |253,000 <ref name="housing"/> |— |- |'''2002''' |123,062 <ref name="census2006"/> |186,239 |— |349,388 <ref name="swra2010"/> |- |'''2006''' |119,418 <ref name="census2006">{{cite web|url = https://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=C0112&PLanguage=0 | publisher = CSO.ie | title =Census 2006 - Population by Alphabetical List of Towns, CensusYear and Statistic | date = 2006 | access-date = 22 September 2018 | quote = ''Cork City, Cork / Population 2006 (Number): 119,418 [..] Cork Suburbs, Cork / Population 2006 (Number): 70,966''}}</ref> |190,384 <ref name="census2006"/> |274,000 <ref name="housing"/> |377,596 <ref name="swra2010"/> |- |'''2011''' |119,230 <ref name="census2011">{{cite web|url = https://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?MainTable=CD114&TabStrip=Select&PLanguage=0&FF=1 | publisher = CSO.ie | title = Census 2011 - Population and Percentage Change 2006 and 2011| date = 2011 | access-date = 22 September 2018 | quote = ''2011 / Both sexes / Cork City/ Population (Number): 119,230 [..] Cork Suburbs Total, Co. Cork / Population (Number): 79,352'' }}</ref> |198,582 <ref name="census2011"/> |289,739 <ref>{{cite report|url = http://www.corkcitydevelopmentplan.ie/images/Downloads/Metropolitan_Cork_Joint_Retail_Strategy_2015.pdf | publisher = Corkcitydevelopmentplan.ie| title = Metropolitan Cork Joint Retail Strategy (Table 4) | date = March 2015 | page = 8 | access-date = 23 September 2018 }}</ref> |''397,800'' †<ref name="CASP">{{cite web |url = http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/98281500.pdf | title = CASP Supporting Analysis| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070926124936/http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/98281500.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}</ref> |- |'''2016''' |125,622 <ref name="census">{{cite web|url = https://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=EP001&PLanguage=0 | publisher = CSO.ie | title = Census 2016 - Preliminary Actual and Percentage Change in Population 2011-2016 | date = 2016 | access-date = 22 September 2018 }}</ref> |208,669 <ref>{{cite report|url = https://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/population/2017/Chapter_2_Geographical_distribution.pdf | publisher = CSO.ie | title = Census 2016 - Geographical distribution - Population by constituency - Chapter 2 (Table 2.2 Population of urban areas, 2011 and 2016) | page = 15 | date = 2016 | access-date = 22 September 2018 }}</ref> |305,222<ref name="Cork 2050 Main Report">{{cite web |title=Cork 2050 Main Report |url=https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2017-08/Cork%202050%20Main%20Report.pdf |publisher=Cork County Council & Cork City Council | website = corkcoco.ie | date = March 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220408010116/https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2017-08/Cork%202050%20Main%20Report.pdf | archive-date = 8 April 2022 | page = 21 | quote = Cork Population Distribution [..] 2016 [..] Total Metropolitan Cork [..] 305,222 }}</ref> |— |- |'''2019''' |colspan = 2 style ="text-align:center" | 210,000 ‡<ref name="expansion2019"/> |— |— |- | colspan = 5 style="text-align:left;" | <small>'''Note:''' † indicates medium-migration scenario projection from 2007 CASP plan<br>'''Note:''' ‡ 2019 Cork boundary change brought many suburbs into Cork City Council bounds''<br>'''Note:''' — indicates no available data.''</small> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{coord|51|54|N|08|28|W|display=title|region:IE_type:city}} <!-- based on Cork city -->
Category:Metropolitan areas of Ireland Category:Long stubs with short prose
{{cork-geo-stub}}