London metropolitan area
The London metropolitan area is the metropolitan area of London, England. It has several definitions, including the London Travel to Work Area, and usually consists of the London urban area, settlements that share London's infrastructure, and places from which it is practicable to commute to work in London. It is also known as the London commuter belt,[3] or Southeast metropolitan area.[4]
For historical definitions of the metropolitan area, see Metropolitan Police District and Metropolitan Board of Works.
London metropolitan area
8,917 km2 (3,443 sq mi)
14,800,000[1]
1,660/km2 (7,430/sq mi)
US$978.402 billion (nominal)
int$1.064 trillion (PPP)
Scope[edit]
The boundaries are not fixed; they expand as transport options improve and affordable housing moves further away from the city centre.[5] The belt currently covers much of the South East region and part of the East of England region, including the home counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Kent and Essex, and, by several definitions, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire.
The resident population of Greater London and those counties (partly) within the Metropolitan Green Belt was 18,868,800 in 2011. Much of the undeveloped part of this area lies within the designated belt, which, save as to existing buildings, yards and gardens, covers nearly all of Surrey, eastern Berkshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern and mid Hertfordshire, southern Bedfordshire, south-west Essex, and western Kent. Largely in these counties, three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the Chiltern Hills, Surrey Hills and North Downs AONBs) surrounding the Thames basin are within the commuter belt.