Southampton

This article is about the city in Hampshire, England. For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation).

Southampton
City and unitary authority area
Bargate
Guildhall
a harbour with tall buildings in the background
Town walls
South Western House
Clockwise from top left: Bargate; Guildhall; Ocean Village; South Western House; and Town walls
Flag of Southampton
Flag
Official logo of Southampton
Logo of the City Council
Motto: 
Gateway to the World
Shown within Hampshire
Shown within Hampshire
Coordinates: 50°54′09″N 01°24′15″W / 50.90250°N 1.40417°W / 50.90250; -1.40417
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Ceremonial countyHampshire
Settledc. AD 43
City status1964
Unitary authority1997
Government
 • TypeUnitary authority, city
 • Governing bodySouthampton City Council
 • LeadershipLeader & cabinet
 • Council controlLabour
 • Members of Parliament
Area
 • Urban
28.1 sq mi (72.8 km2)
Population
 (2018)[2][3]
 • City and unitary authority area269,781
 • Estimate 
(2017)
252,400 (Council area)
 • Density13,120/sq mi (5,066/km2)
 • Urban
855,569
 • Metro
1,547,000 (South Hampshire)[1]
DemonymSotonian
Ethnicity (2021)
[4]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[4]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode span
SO
Area code023 8
ISO 3166 codeGB-STH
GDPUS$ 51.6 billion[5]
GDP per capitaUS$ 37,832[5]
GVA2013
 • Total£9.7 bn ($15.7 bn) (12th)
 • GrowthIncrease 2.6%
 • Per capita£21,400 ($34,300) (15th)
 • GrowthIncrease 0.6%
Grid ref.SU 42 11
ONS code00MS (ONS)
E06000045 (GSS)
PoliceHampshire and Isle of Wight
AmbulanceSouth Central
FireHampshire and Isle of Wight
Websitesouthampton.gov.uk

Southampton (/saʊθˈ(h)æmptən/ ⓘ) is a port city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately 80 miles (130 km) southwest of London, 20 miles (32 km) west of Portsmouth, and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Salisbury.[6][7] Southampton had a population of 253,651 at the 2011 census, making it one of the most populous cities in southern England.[2]

Southampton forms part of the larger South Hampshire conurbation which includes the city of Portsmouth and the boroughs of Havant, Eastleigh, Fareham and Gosport. A major port,[8] and close to the New Forest, Southampton lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water, at the confluence of the River Test and Itchen,[9] with the River Hamble joining to the south. Southampton is classified as a Medium-Port City.[10]

Southampton was the departure point for the RMS Titanic[11] and home to 500 of the people who perished on board.[12] The Spitfire was built in the city[13] and Southampton has a strong association with the Mayflower, being the departure point before the vessel was forced to return to Plymouth. In the past century the city was one of Europe's main ports for ocean liners. More recently, Southampton is known as the home port of some of the largest cruise ships in the world.[14] The Cunard Line maintains a regular transatlantic service to New York from the city. Southampton is also one of the largest retail destinations in the South of England.[15]

Southampton was heavily bombed during the Second World War during what was known as the Southampton Blitz. It was one of the major embarkation points for D-Day. In the Middle Ages Southampton was where troops left England for the Battle of Agincourt. It was itself raided by French pirates, leading to the construction of the fortified town walls, many of which still stand today. Jane Austen also lived in Southampton for a number of years. In 1964, the town of Southampton acquired city status, becoming the City of Southampton.[16]

Some notable employers in the city include the University of Southampton, Ordnance Survey, BBC South, Associated British Ports, and Carnival UK.[17]

  1. ^ "British urban pattern: population data" (PDF). ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions. European Union – European Spatial Planning Observation Network. March 2007. pp. 120–121. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 2011 Census Data was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCC 2016 pop est was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Southampton Local Authority (E06000045)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Global city GDP 2014". Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Distance between London, UK and Southampton, UK (UK)". distancecalculator.globefeed.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Distance between Southampton, UK and Portsmouth, UK (UK)". distancecalculator.globefeed.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  8. ^ Department for Transport (22 August 2018), UK Port Statistics: 2017 (PDF), archived (PDF) from the original on 4 June 2019, retrieved 30 May 2019, puts Southampton third (by tonnage) after Grimsby and Immingham and the Port of London
  9. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica. "Southampton". Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  10. ^ Roberts, Toby; Williams, Ian; Preston, John (2021). "The Southampton system: A new universal standard approach for port-city classification". Maritime Policy & Management. 48 (4): 530–542. doi:10.1080/03088839.2020.1802785. S2CID 225502755.
  11. ^ Southampton City Council. "Southampton's Titanic Story". Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Titanic | Crew from Southampton". www.dailyecho.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  13. ^ Solent Sky Museum. "Solent Sky | Southampton | Spitfire Legend". Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  14. ^ BBC Online (8 June 2008). "Solent Ship Spotting". Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  15. ^ "Leading 20 retail centers in Great Britain". Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rance was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Lewis, Gareth (18 December 2008). "Carnival UK HQ completed ahead of schedule". Daily Echo. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.