Glasgow
Glasgow (UK: /ˈɡlɑːzɡoʊ, ˈɡlæz-, ˈɡlɑːs-, ˈɡlæs-/ GLA(H)Z-goh, GLA(H)SS-; Scots: Glesca [ˈɡleskə] or Glesga [ˈɡlezɡə];[8] Scottish Gaelic: Glaschu [ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu]) is the most populous city in Scotland,[9] the third-most populous city in the United Kingdom,[10] and the 27th-most populous city in Europe.[11] 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.
This article is about the city in Scotland. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation).
Glasgow
Glasgow City
Glasgow
Late-6th century
1170s[4]
Jacqueline McLaren (SNP)
- Bill Kidd (SNP)
- James Dornan (SNP)
- Kaukab Stewart (SNP)
- Bob Doris (SNP)
- Humza Yousaf (SNP)
- Ivan McKee (SNP)
- John Mason (SNP)
- Nicola Sturgeon (SNP)
- Clare Haughey (SNP)
- Pam Duncan-Glancy (Lab)
- Sandesh Gulhane (Con)
- Patrick Harvie (Green)
- Pauline McNeill (Lab)
- Anas Sarwar (Lab)
- Paul Sweeney (Lab)
- Annie Wells (Con)
68 sq mi (175 km2)
142.3 sq mi (368.5 km2)
190 sq mi (492 km2)
635,130[3]
1st in Scotland, 3rd in UK
9,210/sq mi (3,555/km2)
632,350 (Locality)[5]
1,028,220 (Settlement)[5]
1,861,315[6]
Glaswegian
£23.141 billion (2021)
0141
GB-GLG
The city is a member of the Core Cities Group, having the largest economy in Scotland and the third-highest GDP per capita of any city in the UK.[12][13] 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.[14] 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.[15][16][17][18]
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).[19] 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.[5] The city has one of the highest densities of any locality in Scotland at 4,023/km2.
Glasgow is a major centre of higher and academic research, with the following universities and colleges within 10 mi (16 km) of the city centre:
In 2011 Glasgow had 53,470 full-time students aged 18–74 resident in the city during term time, more than any other city in Scotland and the fifth-highest number in the United Kingdom outside London.[238] The majority of those who live away from home reside in Shawlands, Dennistoun and the West End of the city.[239]
The City Council operates 29 secondary schools, 149 primary schools and three specialist schools – the Dance School of Scotland, Glasgow School of Sport and the Glasgow Gaelic School (Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu), the only secondary school in Scotland to teach exclusively in Gaelic. Outdoor Education facilities are provided by the city council at the Blairvadach Centre, near Helensburgh. Jordanhill School is operated directly by the Scottish Government. Glasgow also has a number of Independent schools, including The High School of Glasgow, founded in 1124 and the oldest school in Scotland; Hutchesons' Grammar School, founded in 1639 and one of the oldest school institutions in Scotland; and others such as Craigholme School (closed 2020), Glasgow Academy, Kelvinside Academy and St. Aloysius' College. Glasgow is part of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.[240]