Patterns of national and international migration and how this is changing the growth and character of the city.
Migration to London
The population of London is now 9.5 million and it’s growing. This growth is down to:
International migration – migrants coming from other countries, often foreign students , who account for 20% of students places in London’s top universities.
National migration – migrants from other parts of the UK, often young adults looking for jobs
Internal population growth – a young population means higher birth rates
The impact of migration on the character of the city
Population growth has led to high population densities in parts of the city, over 5,000 people per km2.
Migration has taken place in London for centuries. A result of this is that the city has a very diverse ethnic character – less than 50% of the population are White British.
People with the same ethnicity often settle in the same place, creating distinct areas, with the shops, restaurants and places of worship in these areas reflecting the ethnic communities living there. The map below shows that there is a large Bangladeshi community in Tower Hamlets.
