London's diverse population
Key points
- About half the population of Inner London belongs to an ethnic group other than White British, compared to about one in ten of the population outside London.
- In Outer London, about a third of the population is from a group other than White British.
- According to the 2001 census, Brent was the most ethnically diverse borough, with an 85% chance that two residents drawn at random would belong to different ethnic groups.
The ethnic makeup of Inner and Outer London compared to the rest of England
What does the graph show?
About one in ten of the population outside London belongs to an ethnic group other than White British; in Inner London the figure is close to 50%. In Outer London, about two fifths of the population is from a group other than White British.
As well as being the largest city, London is also the most diverse region in the country. Of the 28 English authorities classified as most diverse, 24 were in London.
According to the 2001 census, Brent was the most ethnically diverse borough, with an 85% chance that two residents drawn at random would belong to different ethnic groups.
Of the 850,000 people in London classified as "Other White", around 180,000 were classified as White Irish. This group is roughly equal in size to the Bangladeshi or Pakistani groups.
Data used
ONS 2008; ONS
GLA (2007) Focus on London, www.statistics.gov.uk/focuson/london/
More about official ethnic classifications.