Editing Greater Manchester (section)

==Economy==
{{See also|List of companies based in Greater Manchester|Economy of Manchester}}
[[File:Oldham From Glodwick.png|thumb|right|[[Oldham]], painted during the [[Industrial Revolution]] by [[James Howe Carse|J. H. Carse]]. Many towns in Greater Manchester were built around the mills.]]

[[File:Trafford-arial.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Trafford Centre]] in [[Trafford]] is one of the [[List of shopping centres in the United Kingdom by size|largest shopping centres in the United Kingdom]].]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+ GVA and GDP by local authority district in 2021<ref name="ONS GVA and GDP">{{cite web |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/datasets/regionalgrossdomesticproductcityregions |title=Regional gross domestic product: city regions |last=Fenton |first=Trevor |date=25 April 2023 |website=Office for National Statistics |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref>
|- style="text-align:left;"
! District
! GVA (£ billions)
! GVA per capita (£)
! GDP (£ billions)
! GDP per capita (£)
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Bolton
| £6.3
| £21,406
| £7.3
| £24,657
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Bury
| £3.6
| £18,403
| £4.2
| £21,472
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Manchester
| £26.5
| £48,107
| £28.2
| £51,330
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Oldham
| £4.0
| £16,652
| £4.7
| £19,578
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Rochdale
| £3.9
| £17,181
| £4.5
| £20,247
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Salford
| £8.7
| £32,246
| £9.6
| £35,529
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Stockport
| £7.2
| £24,370
| £8.1
| £27,425
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Tameside
| £3.5
| £14,991
| £4.1
| £17,890
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Trafford
| £9.6
| £40,769
| £10.4
| £44,192
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Wigan
| £5.5
| £16,712
| £6.5
| £19,649
|-
! style="text-align:left;" | Greater Manchester
! style="text-align:right;" | £78.7
! style="text-align:right;" | £27,452
! style="text-align:right;" | £87.7
! style="text-align:right;" | £30,576
|}

Much of Greater Manchester's wealth was generated during the Industrial Revolution, particularly textile manufacture.<ref name=cottonrevival/> The world's first [[cotton mill]] was built in the town of [[Royton]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oldham.gov.uk/working/economic_profile/innovation_technology.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113030818/http://www.oldham.gov.uk/working/economic_profile/innovation_technology.htm |archive-date=13 January 2007 |title=Oldham's Economic Profile&nbsp;– Innovation and Technology |publisher=Oldham Council |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spinningtheweb.org.uk/journey.php?Title=NW+Cotton+towns+learning+journey&step=2&theme=places |title=NW Cotton Towns Learning Journey |work=Spinning the web |publisher=Manchester City Council |access-date=27 October 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070910164358/http://www.spinningtheweb.org.uk/journey.php?Title=NW+Cotton+towns+learning+journey&step=2&theme=places |archive-date=10 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the county encompasses several former [[mill town]]s. An [[Association for Industrial Archaeology]] publication describes Greater Manchester as "one of the classic areas of industrial and urban growth in Britain, the result of a combination of forces that came together in the 18th and 19th centuries: a phenomenal rise in population, the appearance of the specialist industrial town, a transport revolution, and weak local lordship".{{sfn|McNeil|Nevell|2000|pp=1–3}} Much of the county was at the forefront of [[textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution]] and into the early-20th century;<ref name=cottonrevival>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-to-revive-britains-textile-trade-696292 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |title=Manchester to revive Britain's textile trade with reborn Cottonopolis |date=3 November 2012 |access-date=4 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107003733/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1592859_manchester-to-revive-britains-textile-trade-with-reborn-cottonopolis |archive-date=7 November 2012}}</ref> [[Peter Smith, Baron Smith of Leigh]], chair of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority said "clearly, all of the Greater Manchester area was once at the heart of a very vibrant [textiles] industry",<ref name=cottonrevival/> represented by former textile mills found throughout the county.{{sfn|McNeil|Nevell|2000|pp=1–3}} The territory that makes up Greater Manchester experienced a rapid decline of these traditional sectors, partly during the [[Lancashire Cotton famine]] brought on by the [[American Civil War]], but mainly as part of the [[Great Depression in the United Kingdom|post-war economic depression]] and [[deindustrialization]] of Britain that occurred during the 20th century.<ref name="Shrinking">{{cite web |title=Shrinking Cities: Manchester/Liverpool II |url=http://shrinkingcities.com/fileadmin/shrink/downloads/pdfs/WP-II_Manchester_Liverpool.pdf |date=March 2004 |page=36 |publisher=shrinkingcities.com |access-date=4 March 2008 |archive-date=14 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914054108/http://www.shrinkingcities.com/fileadmin/shrink/downloads/pdfs/WP-II_Manchester_Liverpool.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1592862_the-rise-of-the-greatest-village-in-england |publisher=menmedia.co.uk |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |date=3 November 2012 |access-date=3 November 2012 |title=The rise of the 'greatest village in England' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106080042/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1592862_the-rise-of-the-greatest-village-in-england |archive-date=6 November 2012}}</ref>

Considerable industrial restructuring has helped the region to recover from deindustrialisation and the demise of the mass production of textiles.<ref name=BISER6>{{cite web |url=http://www.biser-eu.com/regions/Greater%20Manchester.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018154943/http://www.biser-eu.com/regions/Greater%20Manchester.pdf |archive-date=18 October 2006 |title=Regional Portrait of Greater Manchester – 6 Economic Factors |publisher=BISER Europe Regions Domain Reporting |year=2003 |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> Historically, the docks at [[Salford Quays]] were an industrial port, though are now (following a period of disuse) a commercial and residential area which includes the [[Imperial War Museum North]] and [[The Lowry]] theatre and exhibition centre. The BBC is now established in their new home at MediaCityUK, at Salford Quays. This is home to BBC North West, several BBC departments, including BBC Sport, Blue Peter and, since April 2012, BBC Breakfast. [[Rochdale]] and Manchester are connected to the [[history of the cooperative movement]]; the [[Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers]] (an early [[consumer co-operative]]) was founded in Rochdale in 1844,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/ |publisher=co-operative.coop |access-date=18 December 2014 |title=Our History |archive-date=8 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108182412/http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[The Co-operative Group]], the UK's largest mutual business and North West England's biggest company,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/200-staff-undergo-consultation-process-8183888 |title=200 staff to undergo consultation process at Co-operative's Manchester head office One Angel Square |publisher=manchestereveningnews.co.uk |date=27 November 2014 |access-date=18 December 2014 |last=Roue |first=Lucy |archive-date=19 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219050030/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/200-staff-undergo-consultation-process-8183888 |url-status=live}}</ref> is headquartered at [[One Angel Square]] in central Manchester.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/property/co-ops-headquarters-declared-greenest-building-6301000 |publisher=manchestereveningnews.co.uk |date=14 November 2013 |first=Shelina |last=Begum |title=Co-op's headquarters declared greenest building in the world |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320033729/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/property/co-ops-headquarters-declared-greenest-building-6301000 |archive-date=20 March 2015}}</ref> Despite this economic diversification, as of November 2012, government plans are under development to revive textile production in Greater Manchester, and restore it as the national home of British textile manufacture.<ref name=cottonrevival/>

Today, Greater Manchester is the economic centre of the [[North West England|North West]] region of England and is the largest sub-regional economy in the UK outside London and [[South East England]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.investinmanchester.com/MarketIntelligence/EconomicOverview/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080321210833/http://www.investinmanchester.com/MarketIntelligence/EconomicOverview/ |archive-date=21 March 2008 |title=Manchester city region&nbsp;– Economic Overview |publisher=investinmanchester.com |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> Greater Manchester represents more than £82.7&nbsp;billion in [[GDP]], more than Wales, Northern Ireland or [[North East England]].<ref name="GVA">{{cite web |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1289267/gdp-of-manchester/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20the%20gross%20domestic,pounds%20in%20the%20previous%20year. |title=Gross Domestic Product of Greater Manchester |publisher=Statista |year=2023}}</ref> [[Manchester city centre]], the central business district of Greater Manchester, is a major centre of trade and commerce and provides Greater Manchester with a global identity, specialist activities and employment opportunities; similarly, the economy of the city centre is dependent upon the rest of the county for its population as an employment pool, skilled workforce and for its collective purchasing power.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/navigation/the-greater-manchester-strategy/ |publisher=gmep.org.uk |title=The Greater Manchester Strategy: Foreword |year=2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422142422/http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/navigation/the-greater-manchester-strategy/ |archive-date=22 April 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=9 July 2008}}</ref> Manchester today is a centre of the arts, the media, higher education and commerce. In a poll of British business leaders published in 2006, Manchester was regarded as the best place in the UK to locate a business.<ref name="Best for business">{{cite web |url=http://www.omis.co.uk/Downloads/BBC06.pdf |title=Britain's Best Cities 2005–2006 Executive Summary |publisher=OMIS Research |year=2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517041837/http://www.omis.co.uk/Downloads/BBC06.pdf |archive-date=17 May 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=17 July 2008}}</ref> It is the third most visited city in the United Kingdom by foreign visitors<ref>{{cite press release |title=International Visitors To Friendly Manchester Up 10% |publisher=Marketing Manchester |date=17 September 2007 |url=http://www.marketingmanchester.com/news/newsdetails.xsql?id=258 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027113657/http://www.marketingmanchester.com/news/newsdetails.xsql?id=258 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2007 |access-date=17 July 2008}}</ref> and is now often considered to be the [[Second city of the United Kingdom|second city of the UK]].<ref name="Second city">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2253035.stm |title=Manchester 'England's second city' |work=BBC |date=12 September 2002 |access-date=5 January 2010 |archive-date=1 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201131528/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2253035.stm |url-status=live}}
<br />• {{cite news |url=http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article541043.ece |title=Can Birmingham halt its decline? |work=The Times |author=Riley, Catherine |date=8 July 2005 |access-date=31 March 2010 |archive-date=11 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811091707/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article541043.ece |url-status=dead}}
<br />• {{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4293814.stm |title=Manchester 'close to second city' |work=BBC |date=29 September 2005 |access-date=5 January 2010 |archive-date=23 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123041958/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4293814.stm |url-status=live}}
<br />• {{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6349501.stm |title=Manchester tops second city poll |work=BBC |date=10 February 2007 |access-date=5 January 2010 |archive-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914064952/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6349501.stm |url-status=live}}
<br />• {{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/02_february/09/birmingham.shtml |title=Birmingham loses out to Manchester in second city face off |work=BBC |year=2007 |access-date=18 June 2007 |archive-date=8 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708193751/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/2_february/09/birmingham.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the 2001 UK census, there were 1,805,315 residents of Greater Manchester aged 16 to 74. The economic activity of these people was 40.3% in full-time employment, 11.3% in part-time employment, 6.7% self-employed, 3.5% unemployed, 5.1% students without jobs, 2.6% students with jobs, 13.0% retired, 6.1% looking after home or family, 7.8% permanently sick or disabled and 3.5% economically inactive for other reasons. The figures follow the national trend, although the percentage of self-employed people is below the national average of 8.3%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greater Manchester (health authority) economic activity |publisher=statistics.gov.uk |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=789833&c=Greater+Manchester&d=81&e=16&g=352906&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202045463826&enc=1&dsFamilyId=107 |access-date=3 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111034507/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=789833&c=Greater+Manchester&d=81&e=16&g=352906&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202045463826&enc=1&dsFamilyId=107 |archive-date=11 January 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The proportion of unemployment in the county varies, with the [[Metropolitan Borough of Stockport]] having the lowest at 2.0% and [[Manchester]] the highest at 7.9%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Promoting a Dynamic Economy |publisher=Greater Manchester e-Government Partnership |url=http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/content/agma/promoting-a-dynamic-economy.en;jsessionid=64C7688F205BEE012F17A5E3001818D5 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080112085728/http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/content/agma/promoting-a-dynamic-economy.en;jsessionid=64C7688F205BEE012F17A5E3001818D5 |archive-date=12 January 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=12 December 2007}}</ref> In 2001, of the 1,093,385&nbsp;residents of Greater Manchester in employment, the industry of employment was: 18.4% retail and wholesale; 16.7% manufacturing; 11.8% property and business services; 11.6% health and social work; 8.0% education; 7.3% transport and communications; 6.7% construction; 4.9% public administration and defence; 4.7% hotels and restaurants; 4.1% finance; 0.8% electricity, gas, and water supply; 0.5% agriculture; and 4.5% other. This was roughly in line with national figures, except for the proportion of jobs in agriculture which is only about a third of the national average of 1.5%, due to the overwhelmingly urban, built-up land use of Greater Manchester.<ref name=BISER6/><ref>{{cite web |title=Greater Manchester (health authority) industry of employment |publisher=statistics.gov.uk |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=789833&c=Greater+Manchester&d=81&e=16&g=352906&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202046400846&enc=1&dsFamilyId=119 |access-date=3 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111013944/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=789833&c=Greater+Manchester&d=81&e=16&g=352906&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202046400846&enc=1&dsFamilyId=119 |archive-date=11 January 2009}}</ref>