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The Greater London Urban Area is the conurbation
Conurbation

A conurbation is an urban area or agglomeration comprising a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area....
 or continuous urban area based around London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, in south east England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 with an estimated population of 8,505,000 in 2005 The urban area measured 1,623.3 kmē as of the 2001 Census.

The Greater London Urban Area includes most, but not all of Greater London
Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
 (for example excluding Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill

Biggin Hill is a place and Wards of the United Kingdom in the London Borough of Bromley in London, England. It lies on the Bromley to Westerham road , some south of Bromley....
, which is surrounded by countryside), while taking in many surrounding areas such as Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom with a population of 81,143 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 . Developed after World War II as a new town, it has existed as a settlement since the 8th century....
, Woking
Woking

Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding Non-metropolitan district, located in the west of Surrey, England....
 and Dartford
Dartford

Dartford is the principal town in the Dartford . It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles east south-east of central London....
 that aren't generally considered parts of London itself and lie outside London's borders.






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Encyclopedia


The Greater London Urban Area is the conurbation
Conurbation

A conurbation is an urban area or agglomeration comprising a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area....
 or continuous urban area based around London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, in south east England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 with an estimated population of 8,505,000 in 2005 The urban area measured 1,623.3 kmē as of the 2001 Census.

The Greater London Urban Area includes most, but not all of Greater London
Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
 (for example excluding Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill

Biggin Hill is a place and Wards of the United Kingdom in the London Borough of Bromley in London, England. It lies on the Bromley to Westerham road , some south of Bromley....
, which is surrounded by countryside), while taking in many surrounding areas such as Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom with a population of 81,143 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 . Developed after World War II as a new town, it has existed as a settlement since the 8th century....
, Woking
Woking

Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding Non-metropolitan district, located in the west of Surrey, England....
 and Dartford
Dartford

Dartford is the principal town in the Dartford . It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles east south-east of central London....
 that aren't generally considered parts of London itself and lie outside London's borders. It is a wholly urban area, so it is not as large as the metropolitan area
London commuter belt

The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding Greater London, England from which it is possible to commuting to work in the capital....
. The urban area does not include places such as Slough
Slough

Slough is a Borough status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area within the Ceremonial counties of England of Berkshire, England, situated west of London....
, Luton
Luton

Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority....
 and Potters Bar
Potters Bar

Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located 18 miles north of central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
, that have gaps of countryside in between the towns themselves and the main urban area of London. The Metropolitan area has a population of 12-14 million, depending on which borders are used. The figure used by Government agencies as the area to which people commute in to London from for work is also slightly different and is known as the Travel to Work Area
Travel to Work Area

A Travel to Work Area or TTWA is a statistical tool used by UK Government agencies and local authorities, especially by the Department for Work and Pensions and Job Centres, to indicate an area where the population would generally commute to a larger town, city or conurbation for the purposes of employment....
.

The growth of the urban area's physical extent has largely been curtailed since the development of the Metropolitan Green Belt
Green Belt (UK)

In United Kingdom urban planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail....
 in 1938, which limited development within a ring of countryside around London. As London's economy has grown and house prices have risen this has led to the growth of the London commuter belt
London commuter belt

The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding Greater London, England from which it is possible to commuting to work in the capital....
 - the London urban area, plus a ring of towns that are physically separate from the urban area but still functionally operate largely as suburbs, with large proportions of their populations dependent on the urban area for employment. Most of the population growth of the Greater London Urban Area is the result of brownfield development and increasing population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
.

Constituent parts


At the time of the 2001 Census, the Office for National Statistics defined the Greater London Urban Area as being made up of the following localities.

Within Greater London

  • Barking and Dagenham
    London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

    The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London....
  • Barnet
    London Borough of Barnet

    The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: London Borough of Harrow and London Borough of Brent to the west, London Borough of Camden and London Borough of Haringey to the south-east and London Borough of Enfield to the...
  • Bexley
    London Borough of Bexley

    The London Borough of Bexley lies to the south east of Greater London, one of those boroughs referred to as Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west and the River Thames is the northern boundary with the London Borough of Havering and the London Borough...
  • Brent
    London Borough of Brent

    The London Borough of Brent is a London borough in North-West London, UK and forms part of Outer London.It borders London Borough of Harrow to the northwest, London Borough of Barnet to the northeast, London Borough of Camden to the east and London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington and...
  • Bromley
    London Borough of Bromley

    The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley....
  • Camden
    London Borough of Camden

    The London Borough of Camden is a London borough of London, England, which forms part of Inner London. The southern reaches of Camden form part of Central London....
  • Croydon
    London Borough of Croydon

    The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population....
  • Ealing
    London Borough of Ealing

    The London Borough of Ealing is an Outer London London borough in West London.The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London Borough of Hounslow to the south....
  • Enfield
    London Borough of Enfield

    The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London....
  • Greenwich
    London Borough of Greenwich

    The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London London borough in south-east London, England.Greenwich is one of five host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics with events due to be held at the Royal Artillery Barracks , Greenwich Park and The O2-former Millennium Dome ....
  • Hackney
    London Borough of Hackney

    The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough in East London, and forms part of inner London and North London....
  • Hammersmith and Fulham
    London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

    The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London and forms part of Inner London.It was formed in 1965 by merging the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith and the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham....
  • Haringey
    London Borough of Haringey

    See also: Harringay for the neighbourhood in the London Borough of HaringeyThe London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London....
  • Harrow
    London Borough of Harrow

    The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of outer north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, London Borough of Ealing to the south, London Borough of Brent to...
  • Havering
    London Borough of Havering

    The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in East London, England London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main settlements are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham, London....
  • Hillingdon
    London Borough of Hillingdon

    The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. It is home to Brunel University, London Heathrow Airport and Disablement Association of Hillingdon....
  • Hounslow
    London Borough of Hounslow

    The London Borough of Hounslow is a London borough in West London, England....
  • Islington
    London Borough of Islington

    The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in North London and Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former Metropolitan Borough of Metropolitan Borough of Islington and Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury....
  • Kensington and Chelsea
    Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

    The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a London borough in the west side of central London.It is an urban area and was named in the United Kingdom Census 2001 as the most densely populated local authority in the United Kingdom, with a population of 158,919 at 13,244 per square kilometre ....
  • Kingston upon Thames
    Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

    The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a London borough in south-west London, England. The main town in the borough is Kingston upon Thames, but it covers a wider area also including places such as Surbiton, Chessington, New Malden and Tolworth....
  • Lambeth
    London Borough of Lambeth

    The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Inner London....
  • Lewisham
    London Borough of Lewisham

    The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham and its council is based at Catford....
  • City of London
    City of London

    The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew....
  • Merton
    London Borough of Merton

    The London Borough of Merton is a London borough in south west London.The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the former area of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey....
  • Newham
    London Borough of Newham

    The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London, England, within Greater London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames....
  • Redbridge
    London Borough of Redbridge

    The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in north east London, England and forms part of Outer London....
  • Richmond upon Thames
    London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

    The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South London London, England, which forms part of Outer London....
  • Southwark
    London Borough of Southwark

    The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London....
  • Sutton
    London Borough of Sutton

    The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population....
  • Tower Hamlets
    London Borough of Tower Hamlets

    The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East London, England, taking in much of the East End of London....
  • Waltham Forest
    London Borough of Waltham Forest

    The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London. It is a mix of built-up residential development and a fifth of the borough is made up of forestland, reservoirs, open space, parks and playing fields....
  • Wandsworth
    London Borough of Wandsworth

    The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in south west London, England and forms part of Inner London....
  • Westminster
    City of Westminster

    The City of Westminster is a London borough of London with City status in the United Kingdom. It is located west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, and forms part of Inner London and the bulk of London's central area....


Note: these localities are not identical to the London Boroughs of the same name. While they often have similar boundaries, they include only those areas that fall within the Urban Area definition.

Outside Greater London


  • Addlestone
    Addlestone

    Addlestone is a town in the Runnymede Borough of Surrey, England.Immediate surrounding towns and villages include Weybridge, Ottershaw, Chertsey, and New Haw....
  • Amersham
    Amersham

    Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
  • Ashtead
    Ashtead

    Ashtead is a large village situated within the Green belt of Surrey, England, and is part of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25 motorway, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common....
  • Banstead
    Banstead

    Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in the county of Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London. It lies south of London, west of Croydon and of the county town of Kingston-Upon-Thames....
    /Tadworth
    Tadworth

    Tadworth is a village in Surrey, on the south-east slope of Epsom Downs. It forms part of the Reigate and Banstead. The census area Tadworth and Walton has a population of 7,016....
  • Bushey
    Bushey

    Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow....
  • Caterham and Warlingham
    Caterham and Warlingham

    Caterham and Warlingham was an Urban District of Surrey in England until 1974. It was formed in 1929 as a merger of the Caterham Urban District with the parish of Warlingham from Godstone Rural District....
  • Chertsey
    Chertsey

    Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne, Chertsey. It can be accessed by road from junction / 11 / of the M25 motorway London orbital motorway....
  • Cheshunt
    Cheshunt

    Cheshunt is a town in Hertfordshire, England with a population of around 52,000 according to the United Kingdom's United Kingdom Census 2001 . It is a dormitory town and part of the Greater London Urban Area and London commuter belt served by Cheshunt railway station....
  • Chigwell
    Chigwell

    Chigwell is a civil parish and town in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located 11.6 miles north east of Charing Cross. It is served by two London Underground stations and has a London area code....
  • Chorleywood
    Chorleywood

    Chorleywood is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. It had a population of 6,814 people at the United Kingdom Census 2001....
  • Dartford
    Dartford

    Dartford is the principal town in the Dartford . It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles east south-east of central London....
  • Egham
    Egham

    Egham is a small town in the Runnymede of Surrey, in the South East England of England. It is part of the London commuter belt, and about southwest of central London on the River Thames and near junction 13 of the M25 motorway....
  • Epsom and Ewell
    Epsom and Ewell

    Epsom and Ewell is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Surrey, England, covering Epsom and Ewell. The borough was in the Metropolitan Police Service despite being outside modern Greater London....
  • Esher
    Esher

    Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole, Surrey. It is a suburban development situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
    /Molesey
  • Hemel Hempstead
    Hemel Hempstead

    Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom with a population of 81,143 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 . Developed after World War II as a new town, it has existed as a settlement since the 8th century....
  • High Wycombe
    High Wycombe

    High Wycombe , is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of central London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town....
  • Hoddesdon
    Hoddesdon

    Hoddesdon is a town in the England county of Hertfordshire, situated in the River Lee . The town grew up as a Coach stop on the route between Cambridge and London....
  • Kings Langley
    Kings Langley

    Kings Langley is a historic England village 21 miles north west of central London on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills and now part of the London commuter belt....
  • Leatherhead
    Leatherhead

    Leatherhead is a small town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, Surrey. It is thought to be of Anglo-Saxons origin.Located in the centre of the county of Surrey and at a junction of ancient north?south and east?west communications, the town has been a focus for transport throughout its history....
  • Loughton
    Loughton

    Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 motorway and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey, Essex, and Chigwell....
  • Ottershaw
    Ottershaw

    Ottershaw is a village in the Runnymede district of Surrey, England about 20 miles to the south-west of London. It is part of the Foxhills ward in the census....
  • Rickmansworth
    Rickmansworth

    Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers, England district of Hertfordshire, England, 4? miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley Park....
  • Shepperton
    Shepperton

    Shepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the South it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway....
  • South Oxhey
    South Oxhey

    South Oxhey is a suburb of Watford in the Watford Rural parish of the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire and close to the boundary with Greater London....
  • Staines
    Staines

    Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and part of the London Commuter Belt of South East England, but remains within the postal county of Middlesex....
  • Sunbury
    Sunbury-on-Thames

    Sunbury-on-Thames is a small town in south west London and part of the London commuter belt. in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne in England. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, London, flanked on the south by the River Thames....
  • Sunningdale
    Sunningdale

    Sunningdale is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the England county of Berkshire.It is very close to the present border with Surrey, and is not far from Ascot, Berkshire, Sunninghill and Virginia Water....
    /Ascot
    Ascot, Berkshire

    Ascot is a small town within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting....
  • Virginia Water
    Virginia Water

    Virginia Water is a large village, a lake and, originally, a stream, the village being in the borough of Runnymede in Surrey and the bodies of water stretching over the borders of Runnymede, Old Windsor and Sunninghill and Ascot, all in England....
  • Waltham Abbey
    Waltham Abbey, Essex

    Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east....
  • Walton and Weybridge
  • Watford
    Watford

    Watford is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway....
  • West End
  • Windlesham
    Windlesham

    Windlesham is a large village in the Surrey Heath district of Surrey in South East England. It is also the name of the parish that covers Bagshot, Surrey and Lightwater, in addition to Windlesham....
  • Woking
    Woking

    Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding Non-metropolitan district, located in the west of Surrey, England....
    /Byfleet
    Byfleet

    Byfleet is a village forming a suburb of Woking in Surrey, England. It is in the east of the borough between the River Wey and the River Mole, and is on the inside of the M25 motorway....


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