West Yorkshire, metropolitan county of northern England, comprising five metropolitan boroughs: Calderdale, Kirklees, and the city of Bradford in the west and the cities of Leeds and Wakefield in the east.

From 1974 to 1986 West Yorkshire was an administrative unit. In 1986 the metropolitan county lost its administrative powers, and its constituent boroughs became autonomous administrative units, or unitary authorities. West Yorkshire is now a geographic and ceremonial county without administrative authority. It encompasses the urban complex that has developed in the deeply etched valleys of the Rivers Aire and Calder as they descend from the Pennine uplands in the west to the Vale of York in the east. West Yorkshire extends north into the scenic valleys of Airedale and Wharfedale.

Leeds, the largest city in Yorkshire and a major commercial and cultural centre, also has substantial electronics, chemicals, furniture, and printing and publishing industries, an important financial services sector, and two universities. Area 783 square miles (2,029 square km). Pop. (2001) 2,079,211; (2011) 2,226,058.