London: a city of wealth
or deprivation?
London is unarguably one of the great cities
of the world. It has an unrivalled cultural and artistic
heritage, helping to confirm its place as a vibrant
and dynamic city.
It is home to over 7 million
people and has a resident workforce of some 3.4 million,
which is supplemented further by a large number of
commuters.
Over 300 languages are spoken
and the 2001 Census shows that 29 per cent of London's
population belonged to a minority ethnic group. One
in five small businesses are owned or managed by members
of minority ethnic communities.
London is one of the few global
centres for international business and it is comparable
in size to many national economies.
The service sector dominates
London’s economy. Key services among the sector
are finance and business services, the public sector,
tourism and hospitality and the creative and cultural
industries. Finance and business services alone accounted
for 35 per cent of London’s Gross Value Added
(GVA) in 1998. However, manufacturing is still an
important part of London’s economy, accounting
for over 11 per cent of London’s GVA in 1998
and the third highest region in cash terms, with GVA
of £13 billion
While London stands out as one
of the most successful regions in the UK, it is also
a city divided between the extremes of wealth creation
and success, and deprivation and social exclusion.
For example, the average gross
weekly earnings of male full-time, non-manual London
employees is a third higher than in the UK as a whole,
and yet 20 per cent of wards in London are in the
10 per cent of the most deprived wards in England.
"Focus on London 2003"
is a statistical digest of the affairs, problems and
successes of London. It is the product of a unique
collaboration between the Greater London Authority,
the Government Office for London, the London Development
Agency and the Office for National Statistics; bringing
together in one place a wide range of demographic,
social, industrial and economic statistics to provide
a comprehensive picture of London.
