The South-West is a strategic planning area within the Southern Region in Ireland. It is a NUTS Level III statistical region of Ireland (coded IE053).[1][2] It includes the city of Cork and the counties of Cork and Kerry. The South-West region spans 12,120 km2 (4,680 sq mi), roughly 16% of the total area of the state and according to the 2022 census has a population of 736,489.[3]
From 1994 to 2014, the region was governed by the South-West Regional Authority.[4] That body was abolished in 2014 and from 2015, it was succeeded by the Southern Regional Assembly.[5]
The South-West Region benefits from a mild climate and has a very scenic environment,[3] which includes features such as MacGillycuddy's Reeks (the highest mountain range in Ireland), the Dingle Peninsula, Mizen Head and the Iveragh Peninsula, along with numerous small islands.