Greater London ceremonial county (red) withinEngland. The small enclave in its centre is theCity of London (white). Together they form Greater London administrative area.
Greater London has a land area of 1,572 km2 (607 sq mi) and an estimated population of 8,866,180 in 2022.[3] The ceremonial county of Greater London is only slightly smaller, with an area of 1,569 km2 (606 sq mi) and a population of 8,855,333 in 2022.[6] The area is almost entirely urbanised and contains the majority of theGreater London Built-up Area, which extends into Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, and Berkshire and in 2011 had a population of 9,787,426. None of the administrative area, region, or ceremonial county holdcity status, but the City of London andCity of Westminster separately do. The area was historically part ofMiddlesex, Essex, Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire.
TheRiver Thames is the defining geographic feature of the area, entering it nearHampton in the west and flowing east before exiting downstream ofDagenham. Several tributaries of the Thames flow through the area, but are now mostlyculverted and form part ofLondon's sewerage system. The land immediately north and south of the river is flat, but rises to low hills further away, notablyHampstead Heath,Shooter's Hill, andSydenham Hill. The area's highest point isWesterham Heights (245 m (804 ft)), part of theNorth Downs. In the north-east the area contains part ofEpping Forest, an ancient woodland.
The City of London has had its own government since the Anglo-Saxon period. The first London-wide directly elected local government was theLondon County Council, established for theCounty of London in 1889, which covered the core of the urban area. In 1965 the county was abolished and replaced by Greater London, a two-tier administrative area governed by theGreater London Council, thirty-two London boroughs, and the City of London Corporation.[7] The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986, and its responsibilities largely taken over by the boroughs. The Greater London Authority was formed in 2000.
The term "Greater London" was used before it was established by statute in 1965. It referred to theMetropolitan Police District, the area served by theMetropolitan Water Board, theLondon Passenger Transport Area, and the area defined by theRegistrar General as the "Greater London Conurbation".[8][9][10] The term was also used for the Greater London Arterial Road Programme, devised between 1913 and 1916, and the Greater London Planning Region, devised in 1927, which occupied 1,856 square miles (4,810 km2) and included 9 million people.[11][9]
Although theLondon County Council (LCC) andCounty of London were created in 1889, the area did not cover all of London. London's built-up area,postal district, transport network and Metropolitan Police District, extended vastly beyond the boundaries of the new administrative county. Many of the LCC housing projects, including the vastBecontree Estates, were also outside its boundaries.[12] The LCC pressed for an alteration in its boundaries soon after the end of theFirst World War, noting that within the Metropolitan and City Police Districts there were 122 housing authorities. ARoyal Commission on London Government was set up to consider the issue.[13][14] The LCC proposed a vast new area for Greater London, with a boundary somewhere between the Metropolitan Police District and thehome counties.[15] Protests were made at the possibility of includingWindsor,Slough andEton in the authority.[16] The commission made its report in 1923, rejecting the LCC's scheme. Two minority reports favoured change beyond the amalgamation of smaller urban districts, including both smaller borough councils and a central authority for strategic functions. TheLondon Traffic Act 1924 was a result of the commission.[17] Reform of local government in the County of London and its environs was next considered by theRoyal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, chaired by SirEdwin Herbert, which issued the 'Herbert Report' after three years of work in 1960. The commission applied three tests to decide if a community should form part of Greater London: how strong is the area as an independent centre in its own right; how strong are its ties to London; and how strongly is it drawn outwards towards the country rather than inwards towards London.
Greater London was created by theLondon Government Act 1963, which came into force on 1 April 1965, replacing theadministrative counties ofMiddlesex andLondon, including theCity of London, where the London County Council had limited powers, and absorbing parts ofEssex,Hertfordshire,Kent andSurrey. Greater London originally had a two-tier system of local government, with theGreater London Council (GLC) sharing power with theCity of London Corporation (governing the small City of London) and the 32 London Borough councils. The GLC was abolished in 1986 by theLocal Government Act 1985. Its functions were devolved to the City Corporation and the London Boroughs, with some functions transferred to central government and joint boards.[18] Greater London formed the Londonregion in 1994.
Map of Greater London showing railway lines, primary roads, motorways, and suburban townsThe London postal district in red in contrast to Greater London
The current Mayor (not to be confused with theLord Mayor of London) isSadiq Khan. He is scrutinised by the electedLondon Assembly, which may amend his annual budget (by two-thirds majority) but otherwise lacks the power to block his directives. The headquarters of the GLA, previously atCity Hall inSouthwark, moved toThe Crystal inNewham in January 2022.[27] The Mayor is responsible for Greater London's strategic planning and is required to produce or amend theLondon Plan each electoral cycle.
TheMayor of London is a directly elected politician who, along with the London Assembly, is responsible for the strategic government of Greater London.
For elections to theLondon Assembly, London is divided into 14 constituencies, each formed from two or three boroughs. The City of London forms part of theCity and East constituency.
London is divided into 73 Parliamentaryborough constituencies, formed from the combined area of severalwards from one or more boroughs. Typically aborough is covered by two or three constituencies.
The London Region does not havecity status granted by the Crown. The Cities ofLondon andWestminster within it have received formal city status.[28][a] Despite this, Greater London is commonly regarded as a city in the general senses of a conurbation and a municipality. ALord Lieutenant of Greater London is appointed for its area, excluding the City of London. For the purposes of theLieutenancies Act 1997, this area is defined as acounty.[29]
The term "London" usually refers to region or to the conurbation, but not often to the ancient, tiny City of London.[30][31] That small area is often referred to as "the City" or "the Square Mile" and it forms the main financial district. Archaically, the urbanised area of London was known as theMetropolis. In common usage, the terms "London" and "Greater London" are usually used interchangeably.[30] Greater London is officially divided for some purposes, with varying definitions, intoInner London andOuter London. For some strategic planning purposes, it is divided into fivesub-regions.
Greater London is divided into 32 London Boroughs, each governed by a London Borough council. TheCity of London has a unique government dating back to the 12th century and is separate from the county of Greater London, although is still part of the region served by the Greater London Authority.[30]
High resolution view from the top of Tolworth Tower in South West London over the sprawling suburban housing that is typical in some areas of Greater London
With increasing industrialisation, London's population grew rapidly throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, and it was the most populated city in the world until overtaken by New York in 1925. Its population peaked at 8,615,245 in 1939. There were an estimated 7,753,600 official residents[clarification needed] in mid-2009.[33][failed verification]
London's wider metropolitan area has a population of between 12 and 13 million depending on the definition of that area. According to Eurostat, London has been the most populous city andmetropolitan area of theEuropean Union.
The region covers an area of 1,579 square kilometres. The population density is 4,761 people per square kilometre, more than ten times that of any other British region. In terms of population, London is the 25th largest city and the 17th largest metropolitan region in the world.[when?] It is ranked 4th in the world in the number of US dollar billionaires residing in the city. It ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world, alongsideTokyo andMoscow.
In the 2001 UK Census, 71.15% of the population classed their ethnic group as White, including White British (59.79%), White Irish (3.07%) or "Other White" (8.29%, mostly Greek-Cypriot, Italian, Polish and Portuguese). 12.09% classed themselves as British Asian, including Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and "Other Asian" (mostly Sri Lankan, Arab and other Southern Asian ethnicities). 10.91% classed themselves as Black British (around 6% as Black African, 4% as Black Caribbean, 0.84% as "Other Black"). 3.15% were of mixed race; 1.12% as Chinese; and 1.58% as other (mostly Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other "British Orientals"). 21.8% of inhabitants were born outside theEuropean Union. Irish people, from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, number about 200,000, as do the Scots and Welsh combined.
In January 2005, a survey of London's ethnic and religious diversity claimed that there were more than 300 languages spoken and more than 50 non-indigenous communities with a population of more than 10,000. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in 2006 London's foreign-born population was 2,288,000 (31%), up from 1,630,000 in 1997. The 2001 UK Census showed that 27.1% of the population were born outside the UK, and a slightly higher proportion were classed as Non-White.
In the 2011 UK Census, 59.79% of the population classed their ethnic group as White, including White British (44.89%), White Irish (2.15%) or "Other White" (12.65%, mostly Greek-Cypriot, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Colombians and Portuguese). 18.49% classed themselves as British Asian, including Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and "Other Asian" (mostly Sri Lankan, Arab and other Southern Asian ethnicities). 13.32% classed themselves as Black British (7% as Black African, 4.22% as Black Caribbean, 2.08% as "Other Black"). 4.96% were of mixed race; and 3.44% as other (mostly Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other "British Orientals").
The table shows the top 21 countries of birth of residents in 2011.[34] These figures do not give a fair indication of the total population of the specific ethnic groups associated with each country. For example, Londoners of Greek origin (from both Greece and Cyprus) number 300,000, since an organised Greek community has been established for nearly two centuries. The same can be said for Italian and French Londoners whose communities have been here for centuries (the French Embassy estimates there are between 300,000 and 400,000 French citizens living in the UK, with "a huge majority of them living in London").[35] Though a Polish community has existed in London since the late-Middle Ages, it was not significant in the 2001 Census but has grown significantly since 2004, when Poland joined the European Union and by June 2010; London had 122,000 Polish residents.[36] The German-born population figure may be misleading, however, because it includes British nationals born to parents serving in the British armed forces in Germany.
London has been a focus for immigration for centuries, whether as a place of safety or for economic reasons.Huguenots, Eastern European Jews, Cypriots and East African Asians are examples of the former; Irish, Bangladeshis and West Indians of the latter. TheEast End district aroundSpitalfields has been first home for several ethnic groups, which have subsequently moved elsewhere in London as they gained prosperity.
Greater London population from 1880 to 2016[40][41]
The population of the current area of Greater London rose from about 1.1 million in 1801 (when only about 850,000 people were in the urban area, while 250,000 were living in villages and towns not yet part of London) to an estimated 8.6 million in 1939, but declined to 6.7 million in 1988, before starting to rebound in the 1990s.
By 2006, the population had recovered to the level of 1970 (and the level of population in the 1920s). It has now surpassed the previous 1939 peak, and is over 9 million.
Figures here are for Greater London in its 2001 boundaries. Figures before 1971 have been reconstructed by the Office for National Statistics based on past censuses to fit the 2001 boundaries. Figures from 1981 onward are mid-year estimates (revised in August 2007), which are more accurate than the censuses, known to underestimate the population of London.
This is a chart of trend of regionalgross value added (GVA) of Inner London at current basic pricespublished (pp. 240–253) byOffice for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.
Eurostat data shows the GDP of Inner London to be 232 billion euros in 2009[53] and per capita GDP of 78,000 euros.
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Outer London at current basic pricespublished (pp. 240–253) byOffice for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.
Important national and royal ceremonies are shared between St Paul's andWestminster Abbey. The Abbey is not to be confused with nearbyWestminster Cathedral, the largestRoman Catholic cathedral in England and Wales. Religious practice in London is lower than in any other part of the UK or Western Europe and is around seven times lower than American averages. Despite the prevalence of Anglican churches, weekly observance is low within thatdenomination, although in recent yearschurch attendance, particularly atevangelical Anglican churches in London, has started to increase.
London is home to sizeable Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish communities. Many Muslims live inTower Hamlets andNewham; the most important Muslim buildings are theEast London Mosque in Whitechapel and theLondon Central Mosque on the edge ofRegent's Park. London's large Hindu community is in the north-western boroughs of Harrow and Brent, the latter containing one of Europe's largest Hindu temples,BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London.
Sikh communities are in East and West London, particularlySouthall in the western borough of Ealing, which is also home to the largest Sikh temple in the capital. The majority of British Jews live in London, with significant communities inStamford Hill (the mostOrthodox Jewish area outside New York City and Israel) andSt. John's Wood,Golders Green, andEdgware in North London.
Publicly funded education has been administered through 33LEAs, which correspond to the City of London and the 32 London boroughs, since the 1990 enactment of theEducation Reform Act 1988.[54] From 1965 to 1990, 12 Inner London boroughs and the City of London were served by theInner London Education Authority.[54]
The introduction ofcomprehensive schools, directed byCircular 10/65 in 1965, was mostly followed in Greater London; however, 19grammar schools have been retained in someOuter London boroughs,[55] with Sutton having the most with five, followed by Bexley with four and others in five other boroughs. In these boroughs the state schools outperform the (relatively few) independent schools. In inner London, private schools always get the best results and are larger in number. AtGCSE andA level, Outer London boroughs have broadly better results thanInner London boroughs.[56]
At GCSE, the best borough is Kingston upon Thames, closely followed by Sutton. Both boroughs have selective schools, and get the top two average GCSE results in England for LEAs. Next is Kensington and Chelsea, the third best in England, thenRedbridge, Hammersmith and Fulham, Bromley, Barnet and Harrow. Only ten boroughs have GCSE results under the England average, and some inner-London boroughs have surprisingly good results considering where they lie on the scale of deprivation, e.g. Lambeth. Overall at GCSE in 2009, Greater London had the best results for regions of England. Greater London is generally a prosperous region, and prosperous areas generally have good GCSE results. The City of London has no state schools, just two independent schools. Haringey and Kensington and Chelsea have the most people that pass no GCSEs.[citation needed]
At A-level, the average results for LEAs are disappointing compared to their good GCSE results. Although Kingston upon Thames gets the best GCSE results in England, at A-level it is not even above average. Sutton gets the best A-level results in London and in England. Three of the schools in the top four at A-level in London are in Sutton. It has only one independent school. The few other boroughs with above-average A-level results are Havering, Barnet, Bexley, Redbridge, and Ealing. The poor A-level results in many London boroughs is explained by the quantity of independent schools getting good A-level results. The state school system is often bypassed at age 16 by the more able pupils. Some London boroughs need more good sixth form colleges.[citation needed]
TheUniversity of London has 20 federated colleges and schools. The two main constituents of the University of London are (in order of total funding)University College London (UCL) andKing's College London (KCL).Imperial College was part of the University of London until 2007, and is now an independent university. UCL, KCL and Imperial have very large research grants – some of the largest in England afterCambridge andOxford, UCL and Imperial receive around £600 million each which is more than twice as much as any other in the region. The next largest institution by funding isQueen Mary University of London, followed byCity, University of London. London is also home to theLondon School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), one of the few solely social science institutions in the world. Together with UCL and Imperial, they make up the London vertex of the Golden Triangle universities, the other institutions being Oxford and Cambridge. The region has many medical schools although these are part of other institutions such as UCL, KCL and Imperial. TheRoyal Veterinary College is based inCamden (with another site inNorth Mymms in Hertfordshire).
50% of students come from the region, and around 30% from other regions. Most students from other regions come fromSouth East England, theEast of England, and, to a lesser degree,South West England; the vast majority are from thesouth of England. Over 50% students native to the region stay in the region, with 15% going to South East England, 30% to eitherScotland,Wales or theNorth East and around 5% go elsewhere. London is a draw for UK graduates from all over the UK.
Over 70% of UK students to graduate from the University of London remain in London; just under 15% go to the South-East, and just over 5% go to the East of England and 10% elsewhere.
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