Britain's capital city of London outstrips all other U.K. cities with a population of over 7 million. Britain boasts only five cities, including London, with more than 500,000 residents.
Historically, the designation of city status in the U.K. has been conferred by royal charter. While most people consider the term "city" to refer to a densely populated urban area, there are several U.K. cities no larger than a village. In present times, city status is granted by Queen Elizabeth II. The top 10 largest cities in Britain are:
- London
- Birmingham
- Leeds
- Glasgow
- Sheffield
- Bradford
- Edinburgh
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Bristol
The city of St. David's in Pembrokeshire is Britain's smallest city, with a population of only 2,000.
