ESPON metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom

Last updated August 03, 2024

The 20 largest ESPON metropolitan areas in the UK, ranked by population. Uk-metro-areas.svg — The 20 largest ESPON metropolitan areas in the UK, ranked by population.

A 2001 ESPIN metropolitan area was defined as consisting of an urban area, conurbation or agglomeration, together with the surrounding area to which it was closely economically and socially integrated through commuting.

The European Union's ESPON (European Spatial Planning Observation Network) project defined a harmonised series of metropolitan areas across Europe, made up of two components: Morphological Urban Areas (MUAs), which were similar to urban areas that form the densely populated urban cores of metropolitan areas, and Functional Urban Areas (FUAs), which form the labour basin surrounding Morphological Urban Areas.^[1]

Morphological Urban Areas were calculated by combining contiguous local administrative units with population densities greater than 650 inhabitants per square kilometre, with Functional Urban Areas then being calculated by combining surrounding local administrative units where 10% or more of the workforce works within the core Morphological Urban Area.^[2]

According to the harmonised European definition, there were eighteen metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom with populations of more than 500,000 at the time of the 2001 census.

This article lists the UK metropolitan areas defined by ESPON, which excluded combined conurbations such as the Liverpool-Manchester megalopolis, which (in 2001) had a combined population of 5.6 million.^[3] It also excluded city regions such as those formed in Greater Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield, which are typically areas now covered by combined authorities.

Summary

In 2001, there were 46 metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom with a populations in the range 150,000 to 25 million inhabitants, according to the ESPON project, with the following population distribution:

Category	Populations (2011)	Count
A	12.8 – 25 million	1
B	6.4 – 12.8 million	0
C	3.2 – 6.4 million	1
D	1.6 – 3.2 million	3
E	0.8 – 1.6 million	7
F	0.4 – 0.8 million	9
Gi	0.2 – 0.4 million	19
Gii	<0.2 million	~6
Total		46

Source^{[ citation needed ]}

By population (2001 data)

Source^[4]

#	Area (population)	Parts (population)
1	London (13,709,000)	London (8,265,000) • Southend (291,000) • Chatham (231,000) • Luton–Dunstable (216,000) • Reading (216,000) • Aldershot–Farnborough (174,000) • Woking (124,000) • Basildon (113,000) • Slough (112,000) • High Wycombe (100,000) • Crawley (99,000) • Bracknell–Ascot (96,000) • Harlow (87,000) • Chelmsford (76,000) • Hemel Hempstead (68,000) • Maidstone (65,000) • Maidenhead (59,000) • St. Albans (59,000) • Basingstoke (55,000) • Aylesbury (49,000) • Stevenage (49,000) • Sittingbourne (42,000) • Wokingham (42,000) • Tunbridge Wells (39,000) • Sandhurst–Yateley (37,000) • Guildford (34,000) • Windsor (33,000) • Bishop's Stortford (31,000) • Letchworth (28,000) • Horsham (27,000) • East Grinstead (26,000) • Burgess Hill (24,000) • Sevenoaks (24,000) • Haywards Heath (22,000) • Hitchin (21,000) • Tonbridge (20,000)
2	Birmingham (3,683,000)	Birmingham–Wolverhampton (2,363,000) • Coventry (308,000) • Nuneaton (87,000) • Warwick–Leamington (71,000) • Redditch (61,000) • Bromsgrove (25,000) • Tamworth (21,000)
3	Manchester (2,556,000)	Greater Manchester Urban Area (2,207,000) • Macclesfield (59,000)
4	Leeds–Bradford (2,302,000)	Leeds (534,000) • Bradford (341,000) • Huddersfield (219,000) • Halifax–Queensbury (155,000) • Wakefield (111,000) • Castleford–Pontefract (102,000) • Harrogate (60,000) • Dewsbury (36,000)
5	Liverpool–Birkenhead (2,241,000)	Liverpool–Birkenhead (1,170,000) • Wigan–Ashton (220,000) • Warrington (168,000) • Widnes–Runcorn (121,000) • Chester (58,000) • Southport (44,000) • Ellesmere Port (40,000) • Ormskirk (24,000) • Skelmersdale (20,000)
6	Newcastle–Sunderland (1,599,000)	Newcastle (814,000) • Sunderland (270,000) • Blyth–Cramlington (55,000) • Peterlee (42,000) • Ashington (27,000) • Seaham (24,000) • Chester-le-Street (23,000)
7	Sheffield (1,569,000)	Sheffield (693,000) • Rotherham (150,000) • Doncaster (80,000) • Darfield (73,000) • Chesterfield (73,000) • Barnsley (56,000)
8	Portsmouth–Southampton (1,547,000)	Portsmouth (500,000) • Southampton (376,000) • Bognor Regis (66,000) • Salisbury (29,000) • Winchester (27,000) • Andover (26,000)
9	Nottingham–Derby (1,534,000)	Nottingham (532,000) • Derby (217,000) • Mansfield (185,000) • Ilkeston (53,000) • Newark (25,000) • Alfreton (23,000)
10	Glasgow (1,395,000)	Greater Glasgow (1,228,000) • East Kilbride (59,000) • Cumbernauld (45,000) • Kilmarnock (39,000) • Dumbarton (23,000)
11	Cardiff and South Wales valleys (1,097,000)	Cardiff (353,000) • Newport (192,000) • Merthyr Tydfil (35,000) • Pontypridd (28,000) • Caerphilly (26,000) • Bridgend (24,000) • Ebbw Vale (22,000)
12	Bristol (1,041,000)	Bristol (568,000) • Weston-super-Mare (70,000) • Bath (65,000) • Clevedon (25,000)
13	Belfast (799,000)	Belfast (501,000) • Bangor (15,000)
14	Edinburgh (782,000)	Edinburgh (478,000) • Livingston (46,000)
15	Brighton–Worthing–Littlehampton (769,000)	Brighton–Worthing (410,000) • Eastbourne (74,000) • Littlehampton (40,000)
16	Leicester (745,000)	Leicester (442,000) • Loughborough (53,000) • Coalville (39,000) • Hinckley (20,000)
17	Middlesbrough (656,000)	Middlesbrough-Stockton (389,000) • Darlington (58,000) • Hartlepool (53,000)
18	Bournemouth–Poole (531,000)	Bournemouth–Poole (390,000)
19	Swansea (462,000)	Swansea (219,000) • Port Talbot–Neath (51,000)
20	Stoke (456,000)	Stoke-on-Trent (359,000)
21	Hull (419,000)	Hull (284,000)
22	Blackburn–Burnley (391,000)	Blackburn (182,000) • Burnley (125,000)
23	Norwich (364,000)	Norwich (193,000)
24	Preston (354,000)	Preston–Leyland (249,000)
25	Plymouth (343,000)	Plymouth (228,000)
26	Aberdeen (332,000)	Aberdeen (183,000)
27	Blackpool (304,000)	Blackpool (239,000)
28	Northampton (288,000)	Northampton (220,000)
29	Cambridge (283,000)	Cambridge (142,000)
30	Milton Keynes (271,000)	Milton Keynes (136,000)
31	Swindon (260,000)	Swindon (144,000)
32	Exeter (259,000)	Exeter (105,000) • Exmouth (25,000)
33	Oxford (244,000)	Oxford (122,000)
34	Ipswich (240,000)	Ipswich (120,000)
35	York (234,000)	York (135,000)
36	Torbay (231,000)	Torbay (178,000)
37	Peterborough (219,000)	Peterborough (127,000)
38	Dundee (211,000)	Dundee (150,000)
39	Telford (209,000)	Telford (105,000)
40	Bedford (202,000)	Bedford (108,000)
41	Colchester (191,000)	Colchester (95,000)
42	Lincoln (176,000)	Lincoln (99,000)
43	Grimsby (174,000)	Grimsby (123,000)
44	Gloucester (166,000)	Gloucester (134,000)
45	Hastings–Bexhill (164,000)	Hastings–Bexhill (103,000)
46	Cheltenham (164,000)	Cheltenham (82,000)

By region (2001 data)

Region	Region population ^{[ citation needed ]}	Metro Rank	Metropolitan area	Metro Population (2001)
Greater London	8,173,941	1	London	13,709,000
West Midlands	5,601,847	2	Birmingham	3,683,000
		20	Stoke	456,000
		39	Telford	209,000
North West	7,052,177	3	Manchester	2,556,000
		5	Liverpool–Birkenhead	2,241,000
		22	Blackburn–Burnley	391,000
		24	Preston	354,000
		27	Blackpool	304,000
Yorkshire and the Humber	5,283,733	4	Leeds–Bradford	2,302,000
		7	Sheffield	1,569,000
		21	Hull	419,000
		35	York	234,000
		43	Grimsby	174,000
North East	2,596,886	6	Newcastle–Sunderland	1,599,000
North East	2,596,886	17	Middlesbrough	656,000
South East	8,634,750	8	Portsmouth–Southampton	1,547,000
		15	Brighton–Worthing–Littlehampton	769,000
		30	Milton Keynes	271,000
		33	Oxford	244,000
		45	Hastings–Bexhill	164,000
East Midlands	4,533,222	9	Nottingham–Derby	1,543,000
		16	Leicester	745,000
		28	Northampton	288,000
		42	Lincoln	176,000
Wales		11	Cardiff and South Wales valleys	1,097,000
Wales		19	Swansea	462,000
South West	5,288,935	12	Bristol	1,041,000
		18	Bournemouth–Poole	531,000
		25	Plymouth	343,000
		31	Swindon	260,000
		32	Exeter	259,000
		36	Torbay	231,000
		44	Gloucester	166,000
		46	Cheltenham	164,000
East of England	5,846,965	23	Norwich	364,000
		29	Cambridge	283,000
		34	Ipswich	240,000
		37	Peterborough	219,000
		40	Bedford	202,000
		41	Colchester	191,000
Scotland	5,404,700	10	Glasgow	1,395,000
		14	Edinburgh	782,000
		26	Aberdeen	332,000
		38	Dundee	211,000
Northern Ireland		13	Belfast	799,000

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References

↑ "MUAs and FUAs delineation" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 8. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ "The methodology" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 17. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ Schulze Bäing, Andreas. "Shrinking cities and growing regions – emerging trends of new rural-urban relationships in the UK and Germany". 13 July. AESOP University of Manchester. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
↑ "British urban pattern: population data" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 119. Retrieved 8 March 2019.

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[delineation-1] "MUAs and FUAs delineation" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 8. Retrieved 22 February 2010.

[2] "The methodology" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 17. Retrieved 22 February 2010.

[3] Schulze Bäing, Andreas. "Shrinking cities and growing regions – emerging trends of new rural-urban relationships in the UK and Germany". 13 July. AESOP University of Manchester. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

[j-4] "British urban pattern: population data" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. p. 119. Retrieved 8 March 2019.

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v t e Lists of settlements in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom	Urban areas Cities Nicknames GVA
England	Districts by population area ethnic composition population density Most populated per county Towns Combined authorities
Wales	Lists of places Built-up areas Principal areas by date / population / area / density percentage Welsh language Communities Cities Towns Economic regions Ports and harbours
Scotland	Localities / settlements Council areas by population / density / area Scottish Gaelic speakers Burghs Community council areas Ports and harbours
Northern Ireland	Localities Districts by population / density / area religion or religion brought up in national identity Pre-2015 districts Towns and villages