Essex is a ceremonial county located in the East of England. It shares borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the south, Greater London to the south-west, and Hertfordshire to the west.
The largest settlement within the county is Southend-on-Sea. While some sources may refer to Essex in other contexts, it is primarily recognized as this specific administrative region of England.