Cheshire ( CHESH-ər, -⁠eer) is an ancient and ceremonial county in northwest England. It is bordered by the counties of Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south, while the western boundary consists mostly of the England–Wales border with smaller sections leading into the Irish Sea via Liverpool Bay. Cheshire's county town is the cathedral city of Chester and its most populated town is Warrington, while other towns include Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Nantwich, Runcorn, Widnes, Wilmslow, and Winsford. The county is split into four administrative districts: the Borough of Halton, the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire West and Chester, and Cheshire East.

Cheshire covers 905 square miles (2,344 km²) and is primarily rural with a population of around 1.1 million in 2021. Most places are involved in agriculture and chemistry, leading to Cheshire's reputation for the production of chemicals, Cheshire cheese, salt, and silk. The county's culture has impacted pop culture by producing actors (Daniel Craig, Tim Curry, Pete Postlethwaite), athletes (Shauna Coxsey, Tyson Fury, Paula Radcliffe), authors (Lewis Carroll), comedians (John Bishop, Ben Miller), and musicians (Gary Barlow, Ian Curtis, Matty Healy, Harry Styles).