Epping Forest is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named after, and contains a large part of, Epping Forest. The district is contigious with Greater London to the south and southwest, and the area around Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Waltham Abbey and Loughton is considered to be part of the London urban area in all respects except governance and politics. Epping Forest District also borders Hertfordshire both to the northeast and southwest of the neighbouring district of Harlow.