List of urban areas in the United Kingdom
List of urban areas in the United Kingdom is a list of the most populous urban areas as at the 2011 census, as defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), although the basis for the sourced list (used for its ready availability of the data) is Citypopulation.de.
The detailed methodology of the process used by ONS in 2011 is set out in 2011 Built-up Areas - Methodology and Guidance, published in June 2013. In reporting the results of the 2011 UK census, ONS use the term "built-up area" rather than the term "urban area" used for previous censuses. However, it states that the criteria used to define "built-up area" are the same as those used previously, as follows:[1]
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the definition follows a ‘bricks and mortar’ approach, with areas defined as built-up land with a minimum area of 20 hectares (200,000 m2), while settlements within 200 metres of each other are linked. Built-up area sub-divisions are also identified to provide greater detail in the data, especially in the larger conurbations.
In reporting the 2001 census, ONS gave a clearer definition of the term "built-up" as follows:
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This comprises permanent structures and the land on which they are situated, including land enclosed by or closely associated with such structures; transportation corridors such as roads, railways and canals which have built up land on one or both sides, or which link built-up sites which are less than 200 metres apart; transportation features such as airports and operational airfields, railway yards, motorway service areas and car parks; mine buildings, excluding mineral workings and quarries; and any area completely surrounded by builtup sites. Areas such as playing fields and golf courses are excluded unless completely surrounded by builtup sites...[2]
Contents
List of most populous urban areas
The list below shows the most populous urban areas in the United Kingdom as defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), but as readily referenced at Citypopulation.de. The list includes all urban areas with a population in excess of 100,000 at the 2011 census.[3]
List of urban areas by Metropolitan area and Region
Source[9]
City Rank | Built-up area | Population
(2011 Census) |
Area (km²) | Density (People/km²) | Major subdivisions | Metropolitan Area | Metro population (2001) | Region |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Greater London Built-up area | 9,787,426 | 1,737.9 | 5,630 | London Boroughs, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Woking, Harlow, St Albans, Bracknell | London | 13,709,000 | London region |
23 | Reading Built-up area | 318,014 | 83.7 | 3,800 | Reading, Wokingham, Woodley, Crowthorne | |||
28 | Southend-on-Sea Built-up area | 295,310 | 71.8 | 4,111 | Southend-on-Sea, Hullbridge, Rayleigh, Rochford | |||
31 | Luton Built-up area | 258,018 | 50.7 | 5,088 | Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis | |||
32 | Farnborough/Aldershot Built-up area | 252,397 | 78.5 | 3,217 | Farnborough, Aldershot, Camberley, Farnham, Frimley, Sandhurst, Yateley | |||
33 | Medway Towns Built-up area | 243,931 | 52.2 | 4,677 | Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester | |||
41 | Crawley Built-up area | 180,508 | 58.1 | 3,107 | Crawley, Horley, East Grinstead, Copthorne, Crawley Down | |||
47 | Slough Built-up area | 163,777 | 34.1 | 4,797 | Slough, Stoke Poges, Poyle | |||
57 | Basildon Built-up area | 144,859 | 37.1 | 3,902 | Basildon, Wickford, Ramsden Heath, North Benfleet | |||
60 | High Wycombe Built-up area | 133,204 | 39.2 | 3,398 | High Wycombe, Cookham, Hughenden Valley | |||
71 | Chelmsford Built-up area | 111,511 | 26.2 | 4,259 | Chelmsford, Little Waltham | |||
72 | Basingstoke Built-up area | 107,642 | 29.4 | 3,662 | Basingstoke | |||
73 | Maidstone Built-up area | 107,627 | 25.4 | 4,229 | Maidstone | |||
3 | West Midlands Built-up area | 2,440,986 | 598.9 | 4,076 | Birmingham, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull | Birmingham | 3,683,000 | West Midlands |
20 | Coventry Built-up area | 359,262 | 81.3 | 4,420 | Coventry, Bedworth | |||
19 | Stoke-on-Trent Built-up area | 372,775 | 103.9 | 3,588 | Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove | Stoke-on-Trent | 456,000 | |
55 | Telford Built-up area | 147,980 | 47.7 | 3,103 | Telford, Broseley | Telford | 209,000 | |
63 | Burton-upon-Trent Built-up area | 122,199 | 35.0 | 3,487 | Burton-upon-Trent, Swadlincote | Burton-upon-Trent | 117,000 | |
75 | Worcester Built-up area | 101,659 | 24.7 | 4,121 | Worcester, Norton | Worcester | 159,000 | |
2 | Greater Manchester Built-up area | 2,553,379 | 630.3 | 4,051 | Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Trafford, Tameside | Manchester | 2,556,000 | North West |
6 | Liverpool Built-up area | 864,122 | 199.6 | 4,329 | Liverpool, Bootle, Litherland, Crosby, Prescot, St. Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield | Liverpool / Birkenhead | 2,241,000 | |
22 | Birkenhead Built-up area | 325,264 | 88.2 | 3,687 | Birkenhead, Wallasey, Ellesmere Port, Bebington | |||
43 | Wigan Built-up area | 175,405 | 43.8 | 4,009 | Wigan, Skelmersdale, Standish, Ince-in-Makerfield | |||
46 | Warrington Built-up area | 165,456 | 44.9 | 3,686 | Warrington | |||
54 | Burnley Built-up area | 149,422 | 35.7 | 4,183 | Burnley, Padiham, Brierfield Colne, Barrowford Nelson | Blackburn-Burnley | 391,000 | |
56 | Blackburn Built-up area | 146,521 | 35.6 | 4,115 | Blackburn, Darwen | |||
62 | Accrington/Rossendale Built-up area | 125,059 | 30.0 | 4,168 | Accrington, Rawtenstall, Bacup, Great Harwood, Haslingden, Oswaldtwistle | |||
25 | Preston Built-up area | 313,322 | 82.4 | 3,802 | Preston, Bamber Bridge, Chorley, Fulwood, Leyland | Preston | 354,000 | |
34 | Blackpool Built-up area | 239,409 | 61.3 | 3,908 | Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton, Cleveleys | Blackpool | 304,000 | |
4 | West Yorkshire Built-up area | 1,777,934 | 487.8 | 3,645 | Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Keighley, Halifax | Leeds-Bradford | 2,302,000 | Yorkshire and Humber |
10 | Sheffield Built-up area | 685,368 | 167.5 | 4,092 | Sheffield, Rotherham, Rawmarsh | Sheffield | 1,569,000 | |
36 | Barnsley/Dearne Valley Built-up area | 223,281 | 59.7 | 3,739 | Barnsley, Wath upon Dearne, Wombwell, Hoyland | |||
50 | Doncaster Built-up area | 158,141 | 43.5 | 3,634 | Doncaster, Bentley, Armthorpe, Sprotbrough | |||
70 | Chesterfield Built-up area | 113,057 | 34.6 | 3,263 | Chesterfield, Staveley, Wingerworth, Holymoorside | |||
18 | Teesside Built-up area | 376,633 | 108.2 | 3,482 | Middlesbrough, Stockton-On-Tees, Billingham, Redcar | Middlesbrough | 656,000 | |
24 | Kingston upon Hull Built-up area | 314,018 | 82.6 | 3,802 | Kingston upon Hull, Cottingham, Hessle | Hull | 419,000 | |
52 | York Built-up area | 153,717 | 34.0 | 4,518 | York, Earswick | York | 234,000 | |
58 | Grimsby Built-up area | 134,160 | 35.3 | 3,804 | Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Waltham | Grimsby | 174,000 | |
8 | Tyneside Built-up area | 774,891 | 180.5 | 4,292 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Shields, Tynemouth, Wallsend, Whitley Bay, Jarrow | Newcastle-Sunderland | 1,599,000 | North East |
21 | Sunderland Built-up area | 335,415 | 83.5 | 4,018 | Sunderland, Washington, Chester-Le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring | |||
7 | South Hampshire Built-up area | 855,569 | 192.0 | 4,455 | Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastleigh, Gosport, Fareham, Havant, Horndean | Southampton-Portsmouth | 1,547,000 | South East |
15 | Brighton and Hove Built-up area | 474,485 | 89.4 | 5,304 | Brighton and Hove, Worthing, Littlehampton, Shoreham-by-Sea | Brighton | 769,000 | |
65 | Eastbourne Built-up area | 118,219 | 25.1 | 4,705 | Eastbourne, Polegate | |||
35 | Milton Keynes Built-up area | 229,941 | 62.5 | 3,678 | 'Milton Keynes',[10] Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Woburn Sands | Milton Keynes | 271,000 | |
45 | Oxford Built-up area | 171,380 | 37.4 | 4,585 | Oxford, Kennington, Wheatley | Oxford | 244,000 | |
59 | Hastings Built-up area | 133,422 | 33.2 | 4,019 | Hastings, Bexhill | Hastings | 164,000 | |
9 | Nottingham Built-up area | 729,977 | 176.4 | 4,139 | Nottingham, Beeston, Carlton, West Bridgford, Ilkeston, Hucknall | Nottingham-Derby | 1,543,000 | East Midlands |
29 | Derby Built-up area | 270,468 | 64.1 | 4,219 | Derby, Borrowash, Duffield | |||
44 | Mansfield Built-up area | 171,958 | 48.4 | 3,556 | Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield Woodhouse | |||
13 | Leicester Built-up area | 508,916 | 109.4 | 4,653 | Leicester, Syston, Whetstone, Birstall, Narborough, Enderby | Leicester | 745,000 | |
37 | Northampton Built-up area | 215,963 | 57.9 | 3,731 | Northampton, Collingtree | Northampton | 288,000 | |
69 | Lincoln Built-up area | 114,879 | 32.7 | 3,518 | Lincoln, North Hykeham | Lincoln | 176,000 | |
17 | Cardiff Built-up area | 447,287 | 102.3 | 4,370 | Cardiff, Caerphilly, Penarth, Pontypridd | Cardiff-Newport | 1,097,000 | Wales |
26 | Newport Built-up area | 306,844 | 84.2 | 3,643 | Newport, Pontypool, Cwmbran, Blackwood, Risca, Ystrad Mynach | |||
27 | Swansea Built-up area | 300,352 | 87.6 | 3,431 | Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Ystradgynlais, Pontardawe | Swansea | 462,000 | |
11 | Bristol Built-up area | 617,280 | 144.4 | 4,274 | Bristol, Filton, Pill, Frampton Cotterell, Kingswood, Warmley, Mangotsfield, Winterbourne | Bristol | 1,041,000 | South West |
16 | Bournemouth/Poole Built-up area | 466,266 | 131.0 | 3,559 | Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, New Milton, Wimborne Minster | Bournemouth/Poole | 531,000 | |
30 | Plymouth Built-up area | 260,203 | 59.7 | 4,356 | Plymouth, Plymstock | Plymouth | 343,000 | |
53 | Gloucester Built-up area | 150,053 | 40.4 | 3,718 | Gloucester, Innsworth | Gloucester-Cheltenham | 330,000** | |
67 | Cheltenham Built-up area | 116,447 | 28.9 | 4,034 | Cheltenham | |||
40 | Swindon Built-up area | 185,609 | 47.1 | 3,945 | Swindon, Haydon Wick, Stratton St. Margaret, Broad Blunsdon, Blunsdon St Andrew, Wroughton | Swindon | 260,000 | |
66 | Exeter Built-up area | 117,763 | 28.5 | 4,133 | Exeter, Topsham | Exeter | 259,000 | |
68 | Paignton/Torquay Built-up area | 115,410 | 31.5 | 3,667 | Paignton, Torquay, Marldon | Torbay | 231,000 | |
38 | Norwich Built-up area | 213,166 | 61.9 | 3,444 | Norwich, Taverham, Costessey, Cringleford, Hellesdon | Norwich | 364,000 | East England |
49 | Cambridge Built-up area | 158,434 | 42.1 | 3,760 | Cambridge, Fen Ditton, Girton, Histon | Cambridge | 283,000 | |
42 | Ipswich Built-up area | 178,835 | 49.1 | 3,639 | Ipswich, Kesgrave, Woodbridge | Ipswich | 240,000 | |
48 | Peterborough Built-up area | 163,379 | 44.2 | 3,693 | Peterborough, Farcet | Peterborough | 219,000 | |
74 | Bedford Built-up area | 106,940 | 24.8 | 4,309 | Bedford, Kempston | Bedford | 202,000 | |
64 | Colchester Built-up area | 121,859 | 32.7 | 3,732 | Colchester, Marks Tey | Colchester | 191,000 | |
61 | Thanet Built-up area | 125,370 | 27.9 | 4,495 | Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs | Thanet/Canterbury | 190,000* | |
5 | Glasgow | 1,209,143 | 368.5 | 3,390 | Glasgow, Paisley, Clydebank | Glasgow | 1,395,000 | Scotland |
14 | Edinburgh | 482,005 | Edinburgh | 782,000 | ||||
39 | Aberdeen | 207,932 | Aberdeen | 332,000 | ||||
51 | Dundee | 157,444 | Dundee | 211,000 | ||||
12 | Belfast | 579,127 | Belfast | 799,000 | Northern Ireland |
See also
References and Notes
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External links
- 2011 census - built-up areas Nomis
- Mid 2012 Population estimates for Scotland
- The population of Northern Ireland - at NISRA
- ↑ Office for National Statistics, 2011 Built-up Areas - Methodology and Guidance, p.3
- ↑ ONS definition of urban areas[dead link]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (needs a more direct cite)
- ↑ http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf#page=122
- ↑ Some of the names of subdivisions and the areas they represent have changed between the two censuses. So it may look as though an area has become part of a built-up area between the two censuses but it may have already been part of the 2001 urban area but was included under a different subdivision.
- ↑ The urban sub-area that the ONS has called 'Milton Keynes' is actually just the northern 80% (approx) of Milton Keynes proper. The ONS has separated out Bletchley (which is about 20% of MK) for reasons that are not explained.
- ↑ Stapenhill and Winshill were treated as a separate urban area in the 2001 census but in the 2011 census they were treated as part of the Burton-upon-Trent subdivision
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ The urban sub-area that the ONS has called 'Milton Keynes' is actually just the northern 80% (approx) of Milton Keynes proper. The ONS has separated out Bletchley (which is about 20% of MK) for reasons that are not explained.