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Demography
Demography
With increasing industrialisation, London's population grew rapidly throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, and it was the most populous city in the world until overtaken by New York in 1925.
Its population peaked at 8,615,245 in 1939.
There were an estimated 7,512,400 official residents in Greater London as of mid-2006.
However, London's continuous urban area extends beyond the borders of Greater London and was home to 8,278,251 people in 2001, while its wider metropolitan area has a population of between 12 and 14 million depending on the definition used.[citation needed] According to Eurostat, London is the most populous city and metropolitan area of the European Union and the second most populous in Europe (or third if Istanbul is included).
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The region covers an area of 609 square miles (1,580 km2).
The population density is 12,331 square miles (31,940 km2), 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.
It is also ranked 4th in the world in number of billionaires (United States Dollars) residing in the city.
London ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world, alongside Tokyo and Moscow.
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Ethnic groups
According to 2005 estimates, 69.6% of these seven and a half million people are classed as white, of which the indigenous White British are 58.2%, White Irish (2.6%) and "Other White" 8.8%, the majority of whom are other Europeans.
12.9% of people are of South Asian descent, including Indian (mainly Punjabi, Hindi, Tamil & Gujarati), Pakistani, Bangladeshi (Bengali) and "Other South Asian" (mostly Sri Lankan and other Southern Asian ethnicities).
10.8% of people are Black (around 5.5% are Black African, 4.4% as Black Caribbean, 0.8% as "Other Black").
3.4% are of mixed race; 1.4% are Chinese; and 1.9% of people belong to another ethnic group (mostly Latin American - an estimated 60,000 Brazilians reside in London, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other East Asians).
21.8% of inhabitants were born outside the European Union.
The Irish born, from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, number approximately 250,000 and are the largest group born outside of Britain.
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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 which have a population of more than 10,000 in London.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that, as of 2006, London's foreign-born population is 2,288,000 (31%), up from 1,630,000 in 1997.
The 2001 census showed that 27.1% of Greater London's population were born outside the UK, and a slightly higher proportion were classed as non-white.
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The table to the right shows the 'Country of Birth' of London residents in 2001, the date of the last UK Census.
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Note that a portion of the German-born population are likely to be British nationals born to parents serving in the British armed forces in Germany.
As of 2008, 40% of London's total population is from an ethnic minority group.
Across London, Black and Asian children outnumber White British children by about three to two.
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Religion
Christianity is the most practiced religion in London with 58.2% of all residents currently adhering themselves to it.
This is followed by those of no religion (15.8%), Muslims (8.5%), Hindus (4.1%), Jews (2.1%), Sikhs (1.5%), Buddhists (0.8%) and other (0.5%), though 8.7% of people did not answer this question in the Census.
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Christianity
London has traditionally been dominated by Christianity, and has a large number of churches, particularly in the City.
The well-known St Paul's Cathedral in the City and Southwark Cathedral south of the river are Anglican administrative centres, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, principal bishop of the Church of England and worldwide Anglican Communion, has his main residence at Lambeth Palace in the London Borough of Lambeth.
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Important national and royal ceremonies are shared between St Paul's and Westminster Abbey.
The Abbey is not to be confused with nearby Westminster Cathedral, which is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in England and Wales.
Religious practice is lower in London than any other part of the UK or Western Europe and is around seven times lower than American averages.
Despite the prevalence of Anglican churches, observance is very low within the Anglican denomination, although church attendance, particularly at evangelical Anglican churches in London, has started to increase.
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Other religions
London is also home to sizeable Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish communities.
Many Muslims live in Tower Hamlets and Newham; the most important Muslim edifice is London Central Mosque on the edge of Regent's Park.
London's large Hindu community is found in the north-western boroughs of Harrow and Brent, the latter of which is home to one of Europe's largest Hindu temples, Neasden Temple.
Sikh communities are located in East and West London, which is also home to the largest Sikh temple in the world, outside India.
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The majority of British Jews live in London, with significant Jewish communities in Stamford Hill, Stanmore, Golders Green, Hendon, and Edgware in North London.
Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue has the largest membership of any single synagogue in the whole of Europe, overtaking Ilford synagogue (also in London) in 1998.
The community set up the London Jewish Forum in 2007 in response to the growing significance of devolved London Government.
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