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Metropolitan Cork is an unofficial term which refers to the city of Cork, Ireland, its suburbs, rural hinterland that surround it and many towns and villages in that hinterland. The term was used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city. The plan declares that it is envisaged as an area with "an integrated transport system, and the social, cultural and educational facilities of a modern European city.". Metropolitan Cork is the core employment hub of the Greater Cork area.
According to the CATS(Cork Area Transit System) Study Final Report (Feb 2010) the metropolitan area covers 820km2 and 300,000 people. According to the 2011 Irish Census:
The term is loosely defined but has been taken by authorities to include the city of Cork, its suburbs and the towns of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Crosshaven, Glanmire, Glounthaune, Midleton, Passage West and Ringaskiddy. Also included are many rural areas and small villages.
Greater Cork
This area consists of the Cork metropolitan area plus the ring towns and their hinterlands within a 45 minutes drive of Cork city. This enlarged area has a population of about 400,000 covering some 4,102 km2. It includes ring towns such as Bandon, Bantry, Charleville, Clonakilty, Fermoy, Kinsale, Macroom, Mallow, Mitchelstown, Skibereen and Youghal.