Ethnicity Map of UK: London
The capital is not only the most ethnically diverse area in Britain by a long way, it could well be the most diverse place on earth. According to the 2001 census ethnic minority groups made up 40% of its population.
During the 1990s Greater London was the fastest growing area of the UK, even though its White population was getting smaller. And with the expansion of the EU in 2004, the findings of the 2001 census might be very inaccurate by now.
The population of Greater London is projected to increase by 10.5 per cent between 2006 and 2026, an extra 789 thousand people on top of London’s current population of 7.5 million. 99% of the increase is expected to come from ethnic minority groups.
The Sugarbabes are from London
As the capital, London is a natural place for migrant workers to head for, and London’s liking for foreign food means that there are thousands of jobs in the catering industry, and restaurants reinforce an ethnic minority community’s identity. In London there is a choice of food from at least 70 different countries. More than 50 different ethnic groups have populations of 10,000 or more in London.
Almost three quarters of the total Black African population of England live in London, and almost the same percentage of Black Caribbeans. The 2001 census recorded that for the first time there were more people in London from the Black African group than from the Black Caribbean one.
London in numbers
Out of every 1,000 people:
- 597 are White British
- 120 are Asian
- 114 are White non-British
- 109 are Black
- 32 are of mixed race
- 11 are Chinese
Focus on... Kensington and Chelsea
Some of the most exclusive addresses are in Kensington and Chelsea, but it is also the most densely populated local authority in Britain, with over 150,000 in 12 square kilometres. White non-British people make up the biggest ethnic minority group here, with 25% from places like Australia, South Africa and America, as well as the European countries. Kensington and Chelsea’s Black and Asian populations are low compared with the rest of London.
Sources: Office for National Statistics, Commission for Racial Equality
