Merseyside is ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Welsh county of Flintshire across the Dee Estuary to the southwest, and the Irish Sea to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Liverpool. The county is highly urbanised, with an area of 249 square miles and a population of 1.42 million. After Liverpool, the largest settlements are Birkenhead, St Helens, and Southport.