Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
London - Statistics & Facts
London is by far the largest city in the United Kingdom, with a population of almost nine million in 2023. The UK capital is also the economic, political, and cultural center of gravity in the UK, with London's economy accounting for almost a quarter of the entire country's gross domestic product. Political power in the UK also flows from London to the rest of the country, with executive and legislative power centered around 10 Downing Street and Westminster, with Buckingham Palace being the official residence of the Royal Family.
Living in London
Due to these and several other factors, London is a very popular city to live and work in. Although densely populated by workers and tourists, the inner boroughs of London are not as heavily populated as it's outer ones, with boroughs such as Croydon, Barnet, and Ealing being the largest in terms of population in 2023. The existence of an extensive and well maintained transport system, enables many of London's workers to live even further afield, especially in the many commuter towns that orbit the capital. Driving in London is therefore less common than in the rest of the country, with low emission zones in the capital also a factor. The expansion of London's low emissions zones was a divisive issue in the 2024 Mayoral Election, which was won for a third time by incumbent Sadiq Khan, who supported their expansion.Housing and crime among main issues
Despite all of the undoubted strengths of London as a major global center, the city itself faces challenges. In recent years, there has been a steady rise in crime in London. Alongside this, the number of homeless people in London has increased dramatically in the last ten years. Households in general have been under economic pressure due to cost of living increases recently, with rising food and energy costs one of the central causes. One of the ways this can be seen is the increasing number of Londoners using food banks, which reached almost 455,000 in 2023/24, compared with around 11,800 in 2010/11.London's outsized influence
Despite having it's own internal problems with economic poverty, there is also the general feeling of London being cut-off and insulated from the concerns of the rest of the country. This was perhaps best expressed in the Brexit vote of 2016, which saw London being the only region of England to vote remain instead of leave. Although attempts at decentralizing power from Whitehall are in process, the economic imbalance of the UK may take far more time and political will. For now London remains and incredibly powerful and prosperous city, despite its modern-day challenges.
