Stuttgart Region (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) consists of the city of Stuttgart and the surrounding counties of Ludwigsburg, Esslingen, Böblingen, Waiblingen and Göppingen (each 10 - 20 km from Stuttgart city center). About 2.7 million inhabitants live in that area (3,700 km²). Stuttgart Region is governed by an directly elected parliament.

"Stuttgart Region" shouldn't be confused with the "Administrative District of Stuttgart".

The German state of Baden-Württemberg is sub-divided into four districts:

• Administrative District of Stuttgart
• Administrative District of Tübingen
• Administrative District of Karlsruhe
• Administrative District of Freiburg

Stuttgart Region is part of the "Administrative District of Stuttgart" (Regierungsbezirk Stuttgart, 4 million inhabitants, 11,000 km²).

The Stuttgart Metropolitan Area, according to the definition of the European Union, is neither identical with the "inner" Stuttgart Region nor with the Administrative District of Stuttgart.

The Stuttgart Metropolitan Area consists i.a. of the following larger cities (approx. 50 km from Stuttgart City Center):

• Stuttgart Region, 2.7 million inhabitants
• Heilbronn, 120,000 inhabitants, Administrative District of Stuttgart
• Schwäbisch Gmünd, 65,000 inhabitants, Administrative District of Stuttgart
• Tübingen, 85,000 inhabitants, Administrative District of Tübingen
• Reutlingen, 115,000 inhabitants, Administrative District of Tübingen
• Calw, 25,000 inhabitants, Administrative District of Karlsruhe

and their surrounding counties.