County Galway (Irish: Contae na Gaillimhe) is a county in Ireland. Lying in the middle of the West of Ireland, it is part of the province of Connacht (English spelling: Connaught) and is named after the city of Galway. There are several Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county. The traditional county includes, and is named for, Galway city, but the city and county have separate local authorities - a city council administers the urban area, while the rest of the county is administered by Galway County Council.

The population of the county is 258,552 according to the 2016 census.

The first inhabitants in the Galway area arrived over 7000 years ago. Shell middens indicate the existence of people as early as 5000 BC.

The county originally comprised several kingdoms and territories which predate the formation of the county. These kingdoms included Aidhne, Uí Maine, Maigh Seóla, Conmhaícne Mara, Soghain and Máenmaige. County Galway became an official entity around 1569 AD. The region known as Connemara retains a distinct identity within the county, though its boundaries are unclear, and so it may account for as much as one third, or as little as 20%, of the county.

The county includes a number of inhabited islands, such as the Oileáin Árann (Aran Islands) and Inis Bó Fine (Inishbofin).

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