View source for London metropolitan area

{{Short description|Region of England}}
{{For|historical definitions of the metropolitan area|Metropolitan Police District|Metropolitan Board of Works}}
{{Distinguish|Greater London|Greater London Built-up Area | City of London }}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = London metropolitan area
| native_name        = 
| settlement_type    = [[Metropolis]] and [[metropolitan area]]
| blank_emblem_type  = 
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| image_skyline      = London Skyline (125508655).jpeg
| image_caption      = Skyline of [[Central London]]
| image_map          = London Commuter Belt map.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Map of the London area, with the metropolitan area as defined by the London Travel to Work Area highlighted in red
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| image_map1         = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Countries_of_the_United_Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|England}}
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_metro   = 15,100,000<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://citypopulation.de/en/world/agglomerations/ |title=Major Agglomerations |access-date=23 June 2025 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| area_metro_km2     = 8917
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 3443
| population_total   = 
| population_note    = 
| population_as_of   = 2025
| population_density_metro_km2 = 1660
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 7430
| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|title=Global Wealth GDP Nominal Distribution: Who Are The Leaders Of The Global Economy? - Full Size|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Global-Wealth-Distribution.html|access-date=2022-03-27|website=www.visualcapitalist.com}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Metro
| demographics2_info1 = US$978 billion (nominal)<br/>US$1.064 trillion (PPP)
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The '''London metropolitan area''' is the [[metropolitan area]] of [[London]], England. It has several definitions, including the London [[Travel to work area|Travel to Work Area]], and usually consists of the London [[urban area]], settlements that share London's infrastructure, and places from which it is practicable to commute to work in London. It is also known as the '''London commuter belt''',<ref name=lda_invest>{{cite web|url=http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1947|title=Greater South East needs strategic investment to secure future|publisher=London Development Agency|date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525190133/http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1947|archive-date=25 May 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> or '''Southeast metropolitan area'''.<ref>[http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/plansd/london_regional_200104.pdf London Assembly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527193714/http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/plansd/london_regional_200104.pdf |date=27 May 2008 }} – London in its Regional Setting (PDF)</ref>

==Scope==
The boundaries are not fixed; they expand as transport options improve and affordable housing moves further away from the city centre.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5187096.stm BBC News] – The new commuter belt. 18 July 2006.</ref> The belt currently covers much of the [[South East England|South East]] region and part of the [[East of England]] region, including the [[home counties]] of [[Hertfordshire]], [[Buckinghamshire]], [[Berkshire]], [[Surrey]], [[Kent]] and [[Essex]], and, by several definitions, [[Hampshire]], [[West Sussex]], [[East Sussex]], [[Bedfordshire]].

The resident population of [[Greater London]] and those counties (partly) within the [[Metropolitan Green Belt]] was 18,868,800 [[List of English counties|in 2011]]. Much of the undeveloped part of this area lies within the designated belt, which, save as to existing buildings, yards and gardens, covers nearly all of [[Surrey]], eastern [[Berkshire]], southern [[Buckinghamshire]], southern and mid [[Hertfordshire]], southern [[Bedfordshire]], south-west [[Essex]], and north-western [[Kent]]. Largely in these counties, three [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty|Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] (the Chiltern Hills, Surrey Hills and North Downs AONBs) surrounding the Thames basin are within the commuter belt.

==Definitions==
===Travel to work area===
[[File:London TTWA 2001.png|thumb|upright=1.2|The London [[travel to work area]] in 2001 (dark blue), with the administrative boundary of Greater London shown]]
The London [[travel to work area]], defined by the [[Office for National Statistics]] as the area for which "of the resident economically active population, at least 75% actually work in the area, and also, that of everyone working in the area, at least 75% actually live in the area."<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/ttwa.asp Travel to Work Areas (TTWAs)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001231202/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/ttwa.asp |date=1 October 2008 }} Beginners' guide to UK geography, Office for National Statistics</ref> has a population of 9,294,800 (2005 estimate).<ref>[http://www.socd.communities.gov.uk/socd/RptViewer.aspx?Place=8638 State of the Cities Database Report on the Urban Competitiveness Theme for: – London TTWA (LA)]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} State of the Cities Database – Department for Communities and Local Government (Mid year population estimates on page 4 of the report)</ref>

This TTWA excludes some parts of Greater London such as Uxbridge, Hounslow and Kingston which form part of the [[Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]] TTWA. Conversely it includes areas beyond Greater London such as Rickmansworth, Broxbourne, Grays, Dartford, Gravesend and Epsom.

===Environs of Greater London===
There are 17 local government districts that share a boundary with Greater London, in the East and South East regions. Most districts are entirely, or have sections, within the [[M25 motorway]] or are within {{convert|15|-|20|mi|km}} of [[Charing Cross]].

Adjacent districts often share characteristics of [[Outer London]], such as forming part of the continuous [[urban sprawl]], being served by the [[London Underground]], being covered by the [[020 (UK dial code)|London telephone area code]], (until 2000) forming part of the [[Metropolitan Police District]] and having a relatively high employed population working in London.

===London's Larger Urban Zone===
[[Larger Urban Zone]] is a definition created in 2004 by [[Eurostat]] that measures the population and expanse of metropolitan areas across European countries. Based on the [[2001 United Kingdom census|2001 census]], the population of London's Larger Urban Zone was 11.9&nbsp;million,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.urbanaudit.org/compare.aspx |title=Urban Audit - Compare |access-date=30 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211150639/http://www.urbanaudit.org/compare.aspx |archive-date=11 December 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> ranking it as the most populous metropolitan area in the [[European Union]] until Brexit. The districts that are considered parts of this Larger Urban Zone are listed here:<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-analysis/urban-audit/urban-audit-ii/urban-audit---social-cohesion--london.xls| title = [ARCHIVED CONTENT] UK Government Web Archive - The National Archives}} </ref> (no district in [[Bedfordshire]], Hampshire, or [[Sussex]] is included).  Several large conurbations fall just outside the zone: Including the [[Reading built-up area]], the [[Luton/Dunstable urban area]], the [[High Wycombe]] built-up area and significant parts of the [[Aldershot Urban Area|Aldershot]] and [[Crawley]] Urban Areas.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Districts of the Home Counties in relation to London's Larger Urban Zone
|-
! Region || County || Districts within the Zone || Districts outside the Zone || Area (km<sup>2</sup>) || Population<ref>{{United Kingdom district population citation}}</ref> 
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[East of England|East]] || [[Hertfordshire]] || 
* [[Broxbourne (borough)|Broxbourne]]
* [[East Hertfordshire]] 
* [[Dacorum]]
* [[Hertsmere]]
* [[Three Rivers (district)|Three Rivers]]
* [[Stevenage]]
* [[City and District of St Albans|St Albans]]
* [[Watford]]
* [[Welwyn Hatfield]] 
|| [[North Hertfordshire]]
|| 1,267.6
|| 1,067,049
|-
| [[Essex]] || 
* [[Borough of Basildon|Basildon]]
* [[Brentwood (borough)|Brentwood]]
* [[Castle Point]]
* [[City of Chelmsford|Chelmsford]]
* [[Epping Forest (district)|Epping Forest]]
* [[Harlow]]
* [[Maldon (district)|Maldon]]
* [[Rochford (district)|Rochford]]
* [[Southend-on-Sea]]
* [[Thurrock]]
* [[Uttlesford]]
|| 
* [[Braintree (district)|Braintree]]
* [[Colchester (borough)|Colchester]]
* [[Tendring District|Tendring]]
|| 2,387.5
|| 1,335,684
|-
| rowspan="4" | [[South East England|South East]] || [[Kent]] || 
* [[Dartford (borough)|Dartford]]
* [[Gravesham]]
* [[Borough of Maidstone|Maidstone]]
* [[Medway]]
* [[Tonbridge and Malling]]
* [[Borough of Tunbridge Wells|Tunbridge Wells]]
* [[Sevenoaks (district)|Sevenoaks]] 
||
* [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]]
* [[City of Canterbury|Canterbury]]
* [[Dover (district)|Dover]]
* [[Folkestone and Hythe (District)|Folkestone and Hythe]]
* [[Borough of Swale|Swale]]
* [[Thanet District|Thanet]]
|| 1,698.4
|| 1,055,194
|-
| [[Surrey]] || 
* [[Borough of Elmbridge|Elmbridge]]
* [[Epsom and Ewell]]
* [[Guildford (borough)|Guildford]]
* [[Mole Valley]]
* [[Reigate and Banstead]]
* [[Borough of Runnymede|Runnymede]]
* [[Borough of Spelthorne|Spelthorne]]
* [[Surrey Heath]]
* [[Tandridge (district)|Tandridge]]
* [[Borough of Woking|Woking]]
|| 
*[[Waverley (district)|Waverley]]
|| 1,317.8
|| 1,061,056
|-
| [[Berkshire]] || 
* [[Bracknell Forest]]
* [[Borough of Slough|Slough]]
* [[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead|Windsor and Maidenhead]]
||
* [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]]
* [[West Berkshire]]
* [[Borough of Wokingham|Wokingham]]
|| 339.4
|| 512,535
|-
| [[Buckinghamshire]] || 
* [[Chiltern District|Chiltern]]
* [[South Bucks]] 
|| 
* [[Aylesbury Vale|Aylesbury]]
* [[Wycombe District|Wycombe]]
* [[City of Milton Keynes|Milton Keynes]]
|| 337.6
|| 165,970
|}

===Urban areas within the commuter belt===
[[File:020 UK dial code area - 2007.png|thumb|upright=1.2|The urban area of London (grey) extends beyond the London boundary. The M25 is also shown. The [[020]] telephone dialling code is shown in red.]]
The following table lists urban areas (also known as built-up areas) considered part of the London Commuter Belt with populations over 20,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf#page=119|title=British urban pattern: population data|access-date=22 February 2010|date=March 2007|format=pdf|work=ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions|publisher=[[European Spatial Planning Observation Network]]|page=119|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002318/http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf#page=119|archive-date=24 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=worldgaz>{{cite web|url=http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-1048651&srt=pnan&col=adhoq&msz=1500|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209135150/http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-1048651&srt=pnan&col=adhoq&msz=1500|url-status=dead|title=World Gazetteer: London - largest cities (per geographical entity)|date=9 February 2013|archive-date=9 February 2013}}</ref> The commuter belt contains all urban areas within an approximate 40 mile (64&nbsp;km) radius of Charing Cross. Some of the outermost towns include [[Aylesbury]], [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], [[Aldershot]] and [[Maidstone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Aylesbury,+UK&toplace=London,+UK&dt1=ChIJvc2tLYhXdkgRs_t_WPoQG9g&dt2=ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI&sr=dc|title=Distance between Aylesbury, UK and London, UK (UK)|website=distancecalculator.globefeed.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Maidstone,+UK&toplace=London,+UK&dt1=ChIJZ3A0-ALW3kcRzQC0DFJi9aY&dt2=ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI&sr=dc|title=Distance between Maidstone, UK and London, UK (UK)|website=distancecalculator.globefeed.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Aldershot,+UK&toplace=London,+UK&dt1=ChIJzbecL00rdEgRPLqFQ2ABrhk&dt2=ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI&sr=dc|title=Distance between Aldershot, UK and London, UK (UK)|website=distancecalculator.globefeed.com}}</ref>

<!--Please refer to the source references at the foot of the page before changing the table below-->
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|-
!Rank
!Urban Area<ref name = BUA>{{cite web | url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/747.aspx|title=2011 Census – Built-up areas| publisher=[[Office for National Statistics|ONS]] | access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref>
!Population
(2011 Census)<ref name=BUA/>
![[Counties of England|County]]
|-
!1
|[[Greater London Urban Area]]
|9,787,426
|[[Greater London]]
|-
!2
|[[Reading/Wokingham Urban Area]]
|318,014
|[[Berkshire]]
|-
!3
|[[Southend Urban Area]]
|295,310
|[[Essex]]
|-
!4
|[[Medway|Medway Towns Urban Area]]
|277,855
|[[Kent]]
|-
!5
|[[Luton/Dunstable Urban Area]]
|258,018
|[[Bedfordshire]]
|-
!6
|[[Aldershot Urban Area]]
|252,397
|[[Hampshire]]
|-
!7
|[[Crawley|Crawley Urban Area]]
|180,508
|[[West Sussex]]
|-
!8
|[[Slough|Slough Urban Area]]
|163,777
|[[Berkshire]]
|-
!9
|[[Basildon]]/[[Wickford]]
|144,859
|[[Essex]]
|-
!10
|[[High Wycombe Urban Area]]
|133,204
|[[Buckinghamshire]]
|-
!11
|[[Chelmsford]]
|111,511
|[[Essex]]
|-
!12
|[[Basingstoke]]
|107,642
|[[Hampshire]]
|-
!13
|[[Maidstone]]
|107,627
|[[Kent]]
|-
!14
|[[Stevenage]]
|90,232
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!15
|[[Grays, Essex|Grays]]/[[Tilbury]]
|89,755
|[[Essex]]
|-
!16
|[[Aylesbury]]
|74,748
|[[Buckinghamshire]]
|-
!17
|[[Royal Tunbridge Wells]]
|68,910
|[[Kent]]
|-
!18
|[[Maidenhead]]
|64,831
|[[Berkshire]]
|-
!19
|[[Welwyn Garden City|Welwyn Urban Area]]
|59,910
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!20
|[[Reigate]]/[[Redhill, Surrey|Redhill]]
|56,621
|[[Surrey]]
|-
!21
|[[Brentwood, Essex|Brentwood]]
|52,586
|[[Essex]]
|-
!22
|[[Horsham]]
|51,472
|[[West Sussex]]
|-
!23
|[[Sittingbourne]]
|48,948
|[[Kent]]
|-
!24
|[[Amersham]]/[[Chesham]]
|46,122
|[[Buckinghamshire]]
|-
!25
|[[Hertford]]/[[Ware, Hertfordshire|Ware]]
|45,457
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!26
|[[Letchworth]]/[[Baldock]]
|43,529
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!27
|[[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]]
|41,677
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!28
|[[Fleet, Hampshire|Fleet]]
|38,726
|[[Hampshire]]
|-
!29
|[[Tonbridge]]
|38,657
|[[Kent]]
|-
!30
|[[Canvey Island]]
|38,170
|[[Essex]]
|-
!31
|[[Bishop's Stortford]]
|37,838
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!32
|[[Leighton Buzzard]]
|37,469
|[[Bedfordshire]]
|-
!33
|[[Billericay]]
|36,338
|[[Essex]]
|-
!34
|[[Hitchin]]
|36,099
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!35
|[[Haywards Heath]]
|33,845
|[[West Sussex]]
|-
!36
|[[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]]/[[Eton, Berkshire|Eton]]
|33,348
|[[Berkshire]]
|-
!37
|[[Burgess Hill]]
|30,635
|[[West Sussex]]
|-
!38
|[[Harpenden]]
|30,240
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!39
|[[Sevenoaks]]
|29,506
|[[Kent]]
|-
!40
|[[Stanford Le Hope]]/[[Corringham, Essex|Corringham]]
|28,725
|[[Essex]]
|-
!41
|[[Ditton, Kent|Ditton]]
|25,982
|[[Kent]]
|-
!42
|[[Godalming]]
|22,689
|[[Surrey]]
|-
!43
|[[Potters Bar]]
|22,639
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!44
|[[New Addington]]
|22,280
|[[Greater London]]
|-
!45
|[[Berkhamsted]]
|21,997
|[[Hertfordshire]]
|-
!46
|[[Swanley]]
|21,839
|[[Kent]]
|-
!47
|[[Gerrards Cross]]/[[Chalfont St Peter]]
|20,633
|[[Buckinghamshire]]
|-
!48
|[[Crowborough]]
|20,607
|[[East Sussex]]
|-
|}

===Outer commuter belt===
Some estate agents, including James Pendleton<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.loveproperty.com/news/72595/the-secrets-out-londons-new-commuter-belt-revealed| title = The secret's out: London's new commuter belt revealed}} </ref> and Savills,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/house-prices/revealed-the-31-hotspots-where-house-prices-will-surge-now/|title=Revealed: the 31 hotspots where house prices will surge now|first=Anna|last=White|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=20 May 2016|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> have defined a 'second commuter belt' further away from London. The definition includes places up to approximately 55 miles (89&nbsp;km) from central London, including [[Bedford]], [[Brighton]], [[Cambridge]], [[Hastings]], [[Margate]], [[Milton Keynes]] and [[Oxford]].

==See also==
* [[Greater London Built-up Area]]
* [[Stockbroker Belt]]
* [[Home counties]]
* [[List of metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thefastlondoncommute.co.uk/ Calculator for commuter travel times to London from the Home Counties]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070321115546/http://www.socd.communities.gov.uk/socd/Images/SOCD_OverMap.gif London Travel to Work Area mapped with others]
*{{webarchive |date=9 February 2013 |url=https://archive.today/20130209135150/http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-1048651&srt=pnan&col=adhoq&msz=1500 |title=A list of towns considered part of the commuter belt according to World Gazetteer}}

{{London commuter belt}}

{{coord|51.5|N|0.1|W|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Geography of London]]
[[Category:Greater London]]
[[Category:Belt regions]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of England]]
[[Category:Regions of England]]
[[Category:South East England]]