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Leicester (/ˈlɛstər/ LES-tər)[7] is a city, unitary authority area, unparished area and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a population of 373,399 in 2022.[4] The greater Leicester urban area had a population of 559,017 in 2021, making it the 11th most populous in England,[8] and the 13th most populous in the United Kingdom. A 2023 report ranked Leicester 16th out of the 50 largest UK cities on a range of economic measures, and the first of seven East Midlands cities.[9][10]
The city lies on the River Soar and is approximately 90 miles (140 km) north-northwest of London, 33 miles (53 km) east-northeast of Birmingham and 21 miles (34 km) northeast of Coventry. Nottingham and Derby lie around 21 miles (34 km) to the north and northwest respectively, whilst Peterborough is located 37 miles (60 km) to the east. Leicester is close to the eastern end of the National Forest.[11]
Leicester has a long history extending into ancient times, it was the site of the Roman town of Ratae Corieltauvorum, which was later captured by the Anglo-Saxons, and then by the Vikings who made it one of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw. Leicester became an important town during the Middle Ages, and then an important industrial and commercial centre in the Victorian age, eventually gaining city status in 1919. Since the mid-20th century, immigration from countries of the British Commonwealth has seen Leicester become an ethnically diverse city, and one of the largest urban centres of the Midlands.
Leicester is at the intersection of two railway lines: the Midland Main Line and the Birmingham to London Stansted Airport line. It is also at the confluence of the M1/M69 motorways and the A6/A46 trunk routes. Leicester Cathedral is home to the tomb of King Richard III who was reburied in the cathedral in 2015 after being discovered nearby in the foundations of the lost Greyfriars chapel, more than 500 years after his death. In sporting terms, Leicester is the home to football club Leicester City and rugby club Leicester Tigers.
- ^ a b "Leicester, City of Leicester". Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Your council". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Leicester Local Authority (E06000016)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ a b Fenton, Trevor (25 April 2023). "Regional gross domestic product: local authorities". Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Leicester. Archived 19 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
- ^ "UNITED KINGDOM: Urban Areas in England". City Population. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Cities across the East Midlands ranked above UK average for transport and income distribution according to PwC's Good Growth for Cities Index". PwC. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "City rated best in the region to live and work". Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "The National forest". The National forest. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2017.