The Sheffield Urban Area is a conurbation in the north of England with a population of 685,368 according to the 2011 census. This was a 7% increase on the 2001 population of 640,720 making it the 8th largest conurbation in the United Kingdom and England's 6th largest. Named the Sheffield Urban Area by the Office for National Statistics, it must not be confused with the Sheffield City Region, a non-government term, although often used, particularly by the business community.