Important cities AND POPULATION

The United Kingdom is one of the most urbanized nations in the world: 89% of the population resides in cities, in correspondence with the major industrial districts. About 40% are concentrated in the seven urban agglomerations of the cities of London, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham, Leeds and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Except London, these cities - as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh - all developed as manufacturing, mining and commercial centers during the first century of industrialization. During the twentieth century, southern England, and in particular the south-east area, reaffirmed its historical role as a cornerstone of the economic and demographic growth of the United Kingdom. London is the capital, the seat of government and the largest city in the United Kingdom. It is also the capital of England, while the capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, Cardiff is that of Wales and Belfast is that of Northern Ireland.

Other important centers are Glasgow, Scotland, and in England the cities of Birmingham, the heart of the industrial district of the Midlands, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, which developed as a manufacturing and mining center of northern England, and the ports of Liverpool and Bristol.