Population in cities over 1 million — all countries

Population in cities over 1 million — United Kingdom

Population in cities over 1 million in the United Kingdom in 2025 — 19,053,359 people. Ranked 21 in the world out of 121. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 15.7%.

2025 19.05M people +0.84% vs 2024
World rank 21of 121
Period maximum 19.05M people2025
Period minimum 14.6M people1981

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population in cities over 1 million — United Kingdom, 1960–202514M16M18M20M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 16,461,920 people1962: 16,364,878 people1964: 16,202,821 people1966: 16,043,929 people1968: 15,887,710 people1970: 15,734,544 people1972: 15,538,073 people1974: 15,314,939 people1976: 15,096,510 people1978: 14,883,269 people1980: 14,674,511 people1982: 14,600,725 people1984: 14,605,605 people1986: 14,611,181 people1988: 14,617,474 people1990: 14,624,469 people1992: 14,717,111 people1994: 14,819,415 people1996: 14,923,455 people1998: 15,028,959 people2000: 15,136,239 people2002: 15,294,187 people2004: 15,487,531 people2006: 15,683,193 people2008: 16,035,203 people2010: 16,396,214 people2012: 16,752,463 people2014: 17,103,098 people2016: 17,462,813 people2018: 17,831,615 people2020: 18,203,956 people2022: 18,560,649 people2024: 18,895,213 people2025: 19,053,359 people
Change over the period: +2.59M (+15.74%) Average annual rate: 0.23 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom

United Kingdom 19.05M people
World computed 2.01B people
Europe & Central Asia computed 186M people
Northern Europe computed 25.96M people
High-income countries computed 499M people
Population in cities over 1 million — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 19.05M +158,146 +0.84%
2024 18.9M +164,249 +0.88%
2023 18.73M +170,315 +0.92%
2022 18.56M +175,917 +0.96%
2021 18.38M +180,776 +0.99%
2020 18.2M +185,759 +1.03%
2019 18.02M +186,582 +1.05%
2018 17.83M +185,521 +1.05%
2017 17.65M +183,281 +1.05%
2016 17.46M +181,070 +1.05%
2015 17.28M +178,645 +1.04%
2014 17.1M +176,496 +1.04%
2013 16.93M +174,139 +1.04%
2012 16.75M +172,524 +1.04%
2011 16.58M +183,725 +1.12%
2010 16.4M +181,831 +1.12%
2009 16.21M +179,180 +1.12%
2008 16.04M +177,298 +1.12%
2007 15.86M +174,712 +1.11%
2006 15.68M +98,223 +0.63%
2005 15.58M +97,439 +0.63%
2004 15.49M +97,060 +0.63%
2003 15.39M +96,284 +0.63%
2002 15.29M +95,651 +0.63%
2001 15.2M +62,297 +0.41%
2000 15.14M +53,881 +0.36%
1999 15.08M +53,399 +0.36%
1998 15.03M +52,990 +0.35%
1997 14.98M +52,514 +0.35%
1996 14.92M +52,256 +0.35%
1995 14.87M +51,784 +0.35%
1994 14.82M +51,385 +0.35%
1993 14.77M +50,919 +0.35%
1992 14.72M +50,666 +0.35%
1991 14.67M +41,976 +0.29%
1990 14.62M +3,589 +0.02%
1989 14.62M +3,406 +0.02%
1988 14.62M +3,238 +0.02%
1987 14.61M +3,055 +0.02%
1986 14.61M +2,878 +0.02%
1985 14.61M +2,698 +0.02%
1984 14.61M +2,530 +0.02%
1983 14.6M +2,350 +0.02%
1982 14.6M +2,176 +0.01%
1981 14.6M −75,962 −0.52%
1980 14.67M −103,861 −0.7%
1979 14.78M −104,897 −0.7%
1978 14.88M −106,092 −0.71%
1977 14.99M −107,149 −0.71%
1976 15.1M −108,670 −0.71%
1975 15.21M −109,759 −0.72%
1974 15.31M −111,011 −0.72%
1973 15.43M −112,123 −0.72%
1972 15.54M −113,720 −0.73%
1971 15.65M −82,751 −0.53%
1970 15.73M −76,285 −0.48%
1969 15.81M −76,881 −0.48%
1968 15.89M −77,805 −0.49%
1967 15.97M −78,414 −0.49%
1966 16.04M −79,137 −0.49%
1965 16.12M −79,755 −0.49%
1964 16.2M −80,713 −0.5%
1963 16.28M −81,344 −0.5%
1962 16.36M −82,094 −0.5%
1961 16.45M −14,948 −0.09%
1960 16.46M

Northern Europe, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The population of urban agglomerations with more than one million residents. The unit of count is the agglomeration, not the city within its administrative boundaries, and that is essential: along administrative lines many of the largest concentrations of people break up into dozens of municipalities. The indicator measures not urbanization as such but its concentration in large centers — a country can be highly urbanized without a single million-plus city.

Important: The table covers about 120 territories — the rest have no agglomerations of this size, and that is a zero, not a gap. Aggregates for groups of countries are therefore calculated at a lowered coverage threshold.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.