London is capital of ethnic diversity

A fascinating insight into London's ethnic mix is revealed today.

New analysis of the 2001 census shows that London is now more diverse than ever.

Whites made up 71.2 per cent of all Londoners in 2001, compared with 79.8 per cent in the 1991 national census - a fall of 390,000 in the total white population.

The drop came despite a four per cent growth in the Greater London population to reach 7,172,091 in 2001.

The figures show that London is Britain's most ethnically diverse city, with a white population which has fallen both in real terms and by proportion in the last 10 years.

London now has three times more ethnic minority residents than the national average. The African population outnumbers the West Indian, while the South American population has trebled in 10 years.

The analysis, by the Greater London Authority, shows that new freedom-of-work rules mean the number of people born in other EU countries swelled by 43 per cent to reach 148,800 - a new high.

A study of birth rates found that the Bangladeshi and Pakistani populations have growth rates of 75 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, while the black Caribbean population grew by 14 per cent.

For the first time, the black African population of 378,686 is now greater than the black Caribbean, at 343,543. Almost 80 per cent of all Britain's African communities live in London, compared with 50 per cent of the Caribbean community. London's biggest single non-white group is Indian, with 436,780 members - 80,000 more than at the previous census.

If the trends continue, black Africans will soon be the biggest single ethnic group under the census classification system, while Indians will soon be outstripped by the combined Pakistani and Bangladeshi populations.

The Irish population is in decline and London appears to be following the American phenomenon of the white population leaving the centre to move to the suburbs.

The boroughs of Havering, Bexley and Bromley remain overwhelmingly white while Newham and Brent have a white minority.

The city remains predominantly Christian at 58 per cent, while the biggest other group is those with no religion - 1.15 million Londoners said they followed no faith. Despite accounting for 10 per cent of the British population, 40 per cent of all the UK's non-believers live in London.

Islam, with 607,000 followers, accounts for 8.5 per cent of the population, and 40 per cent of all Britain's Muslims live in London.

At four per cent of the population (292,000), Hinduism is the next biggest group, while there were 150,000 Jews, making up 2.1 per cent - 40,000 in the borough of Barnet - and 104,000 Sikhs.