0161

0161 is the geographic telephone area code for Manchester and the surrounding area within Greater Manchester, England. It is used for landline numbers and is part of the United Kingdom’s national numbering plan. When dialing domestically within the UK, callers prefix the local number with 0, so a typical Manchester number appears as 0161 xxxx xxxx. From outside the UK, the international format is +44 161 xxxx xxxx, with the leading 0 dropped.

Coverage and context: The 0161 code serves Manchester and parts of the surrounding metropolitan area in Greater Manchester. It is one of several area codes assigned to the region as part of the UK’s system for geographic numbers. The code is widely associated with Manchester in telecommunications and local identity.

History and usage notes: The 0161 code is part of the broader geographic numbering scheme used by BT and other providers in the UK. It reflects a reorganization of area codes in the late 20th century that expanded and standardized geographic dialing codes for major urban centers, including Manchester.

Other uses: Beyond its primary telecommunication meaning, the sequence 0161 can appear in unrelated contexts such as product identifiers, catalog numbers, or internal coding. In most references, however, 0161 is recognized as the Manchester area code.

See also: List of United Kingdom area codes; Manchester area codes.