  thumbnail|right|195px|kansas city metro area kansas city (also referred to as kc) is a fifteen-county metropolitan area located at the junction of the kansas and missouri rivers. its principal city is kansas city, missouri, and the greater kansas city metro area spans the border between the u.s. states of missouri and kansas. there is a second, distinct kansas city in kansas, just across the river, and there are various other smaller cities in the area, as well; two of the largest are overland park, kansas and independence, missouri. the metro area has a population of 2.34 million, ranking as the second largest metropolitan area in missouri (after greater st. louis) and is the largest with territory in kansas, ahead of wichita. the mid-america regional council (marc) serves as the council of governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the two-state area. ==geographic overview==  the kansas city metropolitan area can be visualized roughly by the following divisions: ===downtown===  downtown is the historic center of kansas city, located entirely within kansas city, missouri, and containing the original town site, business districts and residential neighborhoods of the city. downt
Kansas_City_metropolitan_area Metropolitan_areas_of_Kansas Metropolitan_areas_of_Missouri Regions_of_Kansas Regions_of_Missouri