The Raleigh-Durham metro area encompasses Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill in central North Carolina, with a population of approximately 1.048 million. The region's economy is anchored by Research Triangle Park, a major technology and life sciences hub that attracts companies in pharmaceuticals, software development, and biotechnology. The area also benefits from the presence of three major universities—Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University—which contribute to its research and development sector and educated workforce.