# City of Westminster

> city and borough in London, England, UK

**Wikidata**: [Q179351](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179351)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Westminster)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/city-of-westminster

## Summary
The City of Westminster is a city and borough located within Greater London, England, United Kingdom. Created in 1965, it serves as a significant administrative and historic area, encompassing landmarks such as the UK Parliament. It operates under the authority of the Westminster City Council and holds city status.

## Key Facts
Here are the verifiable facts about the City of Westminster:

- **Classification**: It is a London borough, a district with city status, and a city. It was formerly an unparished area until March 31, 2014.
- **Location**: Situated in Greater London, England, United Kingdom. Its historic county is Middlesex.
- **Inception**: Established on April 1, 1965.
- **Geography**: Covers an area of approximately 21.487 square kilometers (as of 2016).
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 51.4975, Longitude -0.13722222222222.
- **Population**:
    - 2022 (est.): 211,365
    - 2018 (est.): 255,324
    - 2015 (est.): 242,300
    - 2014: 233,292
    - 2012 (est.): 223,900
    - 2011: 219,600
- **Government**:
    - **Authority**: Westminster City Council.
    - **Executive Body**: Cabinet of City of Westminster borough council.
    - **Legislative Body**: Council of Westminster City Council.
    - **Former Head of Government**: Nickie Aiken (Leader of Westminster City Council), served from 2017 to 2020.
    - **Capital**: Westminster.
- **Predecessors**: It replaced the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone, the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington, and the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster.
- **Timezone**: UTC±00:00 (standard time) and UTC+01:00 (daylight saving time).
- **Motto**: "Custodi Civitatem Domine".
- **Postal Codes**: NW, SW, WC, W.
- **Local Dialing Code**: 020.
- **Identifiers & Codes**:
    - **ISO 3166-2 Code**: GB-WSM.
    - **NUTS Code**: UKI32 (effective January 1, 1999).
    - **UN/LOCODE**: GBWCI.
    - **GSS Code (2011)**: E09000033.
    - **TOID**: 7000000000011164.
- **Borders**: Shares borders with the City of London, the London Borough of Camden, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the London Borough of Brent, the London Borough of Lambeth, and the London Borough of Wandsworth.
- **Official Website**: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/

## FAQs
**What is the City of Westminster?**
The City of Westminster is a borough and city located in Greater London, England. It was formed in 1965 and operates as a local government authority with its own city council.

**How large is the City of Westminster and what is its population?**
The city covers an area of approximately 21.487 square kilometers. Its population has fluctuated over time, with an estimated 211,365 residents in 2022, though it reached an estimated 255,324 in 2018.

**When was the City of Westminster created?**
The modern City of Westminster was officially established on April 1, 1965. It replaced three former metropolitan boroughs: St Marylebone, Paddington, and Westminster.

**Who governs the City of Westminster?**
The city is governed by the Westminster City Council. The council includes a legislative body and an executive cabinet. Nickie Aiken served as a notable leader of the council between 2017 and 2020.

**What are some key administrative codes for Westminster?**
Westminster is identified by several key codes, including the ISO 3166-2 code GB-WSM, the NUTS code UKI32, and the UN/LOCODE GBWCI. It is also covered by postal codes NW, SW, WC, and W.

**Which areas border the City of Westminster?**
The City of Westminster is bordered by the City of London and several London boroughs, including Camden, Kensington and Chelsea, Brent, Lambeth, and Wandsworth.

## Why It Matters
The City of Westminster holds immense significance as the administrative and political heart of the United Kingdom. As a borough with city status, it encompasses many of the nation's most critical institutions, serving as the capital of Westminster and hosting the official residence of the national government. Its creation in 1965 consolidated several historic metropolitan boroughs into a single, powerful local authority. Beyond governance, its large population and extensive area within Greater London make it a central hub for urban life, culture, and commerce, directly impacting hundreds of thousands of residents and millions of visitors annually. Its motto, "Custodi Civitatem Domine" (Lord, guard this city), reflects its enduring historical and civic importance.

## Notable For
- **City Status**: Unlike many other London boroughs, Westminster holds formal city status.
- **Political Center**: It is home to the UK Parliament and serves as the seat of national government.
- **Formation**: It replaced three distinct metropolitan boroughs (St Marylebone, Paddington, Westminster) in 1965.
- **Historic County**: It was historically part of Middlesex before becoming part of Greater London.
- **Extensive Borders**: It shares borders with six other significant London boroughs and the City of London.
- **Civic Motto**: Its Latin motto, "Custodi Civitatem Domine," is a distinct emblem of its identity.

## Body

### History and Formation
The City of Westminster, as it exists today, was officially created on April 1, 1965. This formation consolidated three predecessor entities: the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone, the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington, and the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster. Historically, the area belonged to the county of Middlesex. Since its inception, it has functioned as a London borough and a district with city status within the United Kingdom. It was designated an unparished area until March 31, 2014.

### Geography and Demographics
Located in Greater London, England, the City of Westminster covers a total area of 21.487 square kilometers as recorded in 2016. Its geographic coordinates are 51.4975° latitude and -0.13722222222222° longitude. The borough is situated within the UTC±00:00 timezone for standard time and observes UTC+01:00 for daylight saving time.

The population of Westminster has seen various estimates and censuses over recent years:
- **2022**: 211,365 (estimated)
- **2018**: 255,324 (estimated)
- **2015**: 242,300 (estimated)
- **2014**: 233,292
- **2012**: 223,900 (estimated)
- **2011**: 219,600

### Governance and Administration
The local authority for the City of Westminster is the Westminster City Council. The executive body is the cabinet of the City of Westminster borough council, while the legislative body is the council of the Westminster City Council. Nickie Aiken served as the head of government (Leader of Westminster City Council) from 2017 until 2020. The official motto of the city is "Custodi Civitatem Domine."

The borough is also the owner of the East Finchley Cemetery.

### Location and Connections
Westminster is a central part of Greater London and shares borders with several neighboring authorities. These include:
- City of London
- London Borough of Camden
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
- London Borough of Brent
- London Borough of Lambeth
- London Borough of Wandsworth

### Infrastructure and Services
The City of Westminster utilizes the following postal codes: NW, SW, WC, and W. The local dialing code for the area is 020. The official website for the city is https://www.westminster.gov.uk/.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. MusicBrainz
4. OpenStreetMap
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland)
7. [Source](http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland)
8. [Source](http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pop-estimate/population-estimates-for-england-and-wales/mid-2011--2011-census-based-/rft---mid-2011--census-based--population-estimates-for-england-and-wales.zip)
9. [Source](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationprojections/datasets/localauthoritiesinenglandtable2)
10. [Source](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/estimatesofthepopulationforenglandandwales)
11. GeoNames
12. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/gb.htm)
13. [Source](https://ons.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=a79de233ad254a6d9f76298e666abb2b)
14. Quora
15. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
16. [Source](https://fr.dentist/kb/city-of-westminster/)
17. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
18. Name Suggestion Index
19. [Source](https://digital.nhs.uk/services/organisation-data-service/file-downloads/non-nhs-organisations)
20. museum-digital