London Peaking in Population Again (For the First Time Since 1939)

The city of London has completed a long and remarkable comeback to the population level set as its standard back in 1939.

1 minute read

January 7, 2015, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"On 6 January, or thereabouts, London will hit an extraordinary milestone," reports Barney Stringer. "The population has finally caught up with its 1939 peak population: from now on, it will be an all-time high."

Then a good question: "Has any other city in history bounced back from losing two and a quarter million people?"

Stringer goes on to detail the history of London's population decline (with planning decisions playing a major role), ever since it hit its peak at 8.6 million in 1939. The article mostly consists of a demographic study of contemporary London, and its role as a global city, compared to the era of its previous peak in population.

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