Glasgow

Glasgow
Glaschu (Scottish Gaelic)
Glesga (Scots)
Nicknames: 
"The Dear Green Place", "Baile Mòr nan Gàidheal"[1]
Motto(s): 
Let Glasgow Flourish
Lord, let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word
Glasgow is located in Scotland
Glasgow
Glasgow
Location within Scotland
Glasgow is located in the United Kingdom
Glasgow
Glasgow
Location within the United Kingdom
Glasgow is located in Europe
Glasgow
Glasgow
Location within Europe
Coordinates: 55°51′40″N 04°15′00″W / 55.86111°N 4.25000°W / 55.86111; -4.25000
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Council AreaGlasgow City
Lieutenancy AreaGlasgow
Subdivisions23 Wards
FoundedLate-6th century
Burgh Charter1170s[3]
Government
 • BodyGlasgow City Council
 • Lord ProvostJacqueline McLaren (SNP)
 • Council LeaderSusan Aitken (SNP)
 • MSPs
Area
 • Council area68 sq mi (175 km2)
 • Urban
142.3 sq mi (368.5 km2)
 • Metro
190 sq mi (492 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Council area635,130[2]
 • Rank1st in Scotland, 3rd in UK
 • Density9,210/sq mi (3,555/km2)
 • Urban
632,350 (Locality)[4]
1,028,220 (Settlement)[4]
 • Metro
1,861,315[5]
 • Language(s)
English
Scots
Gaelic
DemonymGlaswegian
GVA
 • Glasgow City£23.141 billion (2021)
Time zoneUTC±0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode areas
Area code0141
ISO 3166 codeGB-GLG
OS grid referenceNS590655
International AirportsGlasgow Airport (GLA)
Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK)
Main Railway StationsGlasgow Central
Glasgow Queen Street
Rapid transit Glasgow subway
Websitewww.glasgow.gov.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Glasgow (UK: /ˈɡlɑːzɡ, ˈɡlæz-, ˈɡlɑːs-, ˈɡlæs-/ GLA(H)Z-goh, GLA(H)SS-; Scots: Glesca [ˈɡleskə] or Glesga [ˈɡlezɡə];[7] Scottish Gaelic: Glaschu [ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu]) is the most populous city in Scotland, the third-most populous city in the United Kingdom, and the 27th-most populous city in Europe.[8] In 2022, it had an estimated population as a defined locality of 632,350 and anchored an urban settlement of 1,028,220. Glasgow became a county in 1893, the city having previously been in the historic county of Lanarkshire, and later growing to also include settlements that were once part of Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire. It now forms the Glasgow City Council area, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and is administered by Glasgow City Council.

Glasgow has the largest economy in Scotland and the third-highest GDP per capita of any city in the UK.[9][10] Glasgow's major cultural institutions enjoy international reputations including The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera. The city was the European Capital of Culture in 1990 and is notable for its architecture, culture, media, music scene, sports clubs and transport connections. It is the fifth-most visited city in the United Kingdom.[11] The city hosted the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at its main events venue, the SEC Centre. Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the first European Championships in 2018, was one of the host cities for UEFA Euro 2020, and will be a host city of the UEFA Euro 2028. The city is also well known in the sporting world for football, particularly for the Old Firm rivalry.

Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement close to Glasgow Cathedral and descending to the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland, and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and episcopal burgh (subsequently royal burgh), and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century onwards, the city also grew as one of Britain's main hubs of oceanic trade with North America and the West Indies; soon followed by the Orient, India, and China. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world's pre-eminent centres of chemicals, textiles and engineering; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry, which produced many innovative and famous vessels. Glasgow was the "Second City of the British Empire" for much of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.[12][13][14][15]

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's population grew rapidly, reaching a peak of 1,127,825 people in 1938 (with a higher density and within a smaller territory than in subsequent decades).[16] The population was greatly reduced following comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s which resulted in large-scale relocation of people to designated new towns, such as Cumbernauld, Livingston, East Kilbride and peripheral suburbs, followed by successive boundary changes. Over 1,000,000 people live in the Greater Glasgow contiguous urban area, while the wider Glasgow City Region is home to over 1,800,000 people, equating to around 33% of Scotland's population.[4] The city has one of the highest densities of any locality in Scotland at 4,023/km2.

  1. ^ Cameron, Lucinda (6 April 2010). "Plan launched to increase Gaelic use in Glasgow". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2021". Office for National Statistics. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  3. ^ (Between 1175–78, exact date unknown) Lambert, Tim. "A brief history of Glasgow". localhistories.org. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Population on 1 January by age groups and sex – functional urban areas". Eurostat. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Regional gross value added (balanced) per head and income component", ons.gov.uk
  7. ^ "Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: glesca".
  8. ^ "Largest European cities 2020". Statista. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Glasgow remains biggest city economy". BBC News. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  10. ^ MacDonnell, Hamish (3 March 2005). "Edinburgh UK's second most prosperous city". The Scotsman. UK. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Top 20 Most Popular Cities in the UK for International Visitors". Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Victorian Glasgow". BBC History. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  13. ^ "About Glasgow: The Second City of the Empire – the 19th century". Glasgow City Council. Archived from the original on 2 April 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
  14. ^ Fraser, W H. "Second City of The Empire: 1830s to 1914". University of Glasgow. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  15. ^ McIlvanney, W. "Glasgow – city of reality". Scotland – the official online gateway. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  16. ^ "Factsheet 4: Population" (PDF). Glasgow City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2007.