The counties of Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire The metropolitan districts of Bolton, Bury, Knowsley, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, St. Helens, Salford, Sefton, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan and Wirral The non-metropolitan districts of Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Halton and Warrington. The North West is the largest region outside London and the South East with a population of over seven million, 11.5% of the UK, and a workforce of 3.2 million, 11.1% of the UK total. It has a larger economy than several European countries producing £97.6bn Gross Value Added and has more than 350,000 companies, over 2,800 of which are overseas-owned. Three-quarters of the UK’s top 100 companies have operations in the region Key sectors represented in the North West include; life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemicals, R&D; aerospace, automotive, engineering, manufacturing, defence, energy, including renewables; ICT, software, digital industries; food processing; distribution; contact centres and shared service centres, financial and professional services.