As of 2021, the population density for the United Kingdom was 276 people per square kilometer, with London having by far the highest number of people per square km, at 5,596 people per square km. Of the countries which make up the United Kingdom, England the most densely populated at 434 people per square kilometer. Scotland, by contrast, is the most sparsely populated country in the United Kingdom, with only 70 people per square kilometer.
UK population over 67 million
According to the official mid-year population estimate, the population of the United Kingdom was just over 67 million in 2021. Most of the population lived in England, where an estimated 56.5 million people resided, followed by Scotland at 5.48 million, Wales at 3.1 million and finally Northern Ireland at just over 1.9 million. Within England, the South East was the region with the highest population at almost 9.3 million, followed by the London region at around 8.8 million. In terms of urban areas, Greater London is the largest city in the United Kingdom, followed by Greater Manchester and Birmingham in the North West and West Midlands regions of England.
London calling
London's huge size in relation to other UK cities is also reflected by its economic performance. In 2021, London's GDP was approximately 494 billion British pounds, almost a quarter of UK GDP overall. In terms of GDP per capita, Londoners had a GDP per head of 56,431 pounds, compared with an average of 33,224 for the country as a whole. Productivity, expressed as by output per hour worked, was also far higher in London than the rest of the country. In 2021, London was around 33.2 percent more productive than the rest of the country, with South East England the only other region where productivity was higher than the national average.
