Editing City of Westminster

{{Short description|City and borough in London, England}}
{{About|the London borough|the smaller district from which it takes its name|Westminster}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
 | name                     = City of Westminster
 | settlement_type          = [[London borough]] and [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]]
<!-- transliteration(s) -------->
<!-- images, nickname, motto --->
 | image_skyline            = Trafalgar Square on a Summer Evening.jpg
 | imagesize                = 270px
 | image_caption            = [[Trafalgar Square]], an open plaza in the city
 | image_shield             = Coat of Arms of the City of Westminster.svg
 | shield_size              = 75px
 | image_blank_emblem       = City_of_westminster_logo.svg
 | blank_emblem_type        = Council logo
 | blank_emblem_size        = 150px
 | motto                    = ''Custodi civitatem domine''<br />(O Lord, watch over the city)
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>
 | image_map                = City of Westminster in Greater London.svg
 | map_caption              = Westminster shown within [[Greater London]]
 | coor_pinpoint            = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
 | coordinates              = {{Coord|51|30|44|N|00|09|48|W|type:city(261,000)_region:GB-WSM|display=title,inline}}
 | coordinates_footnotes    = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location ------------------>
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
 | subdivision_name         = United Kingdom
 | subdivision_type2        = [[Country of the United Kingdom|Country]]
 | subdivision_name2        = England
 | subdivision_type3        = [[Regions of England|Region]]
 | subdivision_name3        = [[Greater London|London]]
 | subdivision_type4        = [[Ceremonial county]]
 | subdivision_name4        = [[Greater London]]
 | established_title        = Created
 | established_date         = 1 April 1965
 | named_for                = <!-- seat, smaller parts -->
 | seat_type                = Admin HQ
 | seat                     = [[Westminster City Hall|City Hall]], Victoria Street
<!-- government type, leaders -->
 | government_footnotes     = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
 | government_type          = [[London borough council]]
 | governing_body           = [[Westminster City Council]]
 | leader_title2            = London&nbsp;Assembly
 | leader_name2             = [[James Small-Edwards]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]) AM for [[West Central (London Assembly constituency)|West Central]]
 | leader_title3            = [[List of MPs elected in the 2019 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]
 | leader_name3             = {{ubl|[[Georgia Gould (politician)|Georgia Gould]] (Labour)|[[Rachel Blake]] (Labour)|[[Joe Powell (politician)|Joe Powell]] (Labour)}}
<!-- | leader_title4            = EU Parliament
 | leader_name4             = [[London (European Parliament constituency)|London]] -->

<!-- display settings  --------->
 | total_type               = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
 | unit_pref                = <!-- the template will determine automatically if the subdivision_name equals some variation of the US or the UK, except the [[Sui generis]] City of London -->
<!-- area ---------------------->
 | area_footnotes           = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
 | area_magnitude           = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
 | area_total_km2           = 21.48
 | area_total_sq_mi         = <!-- if unit_pref will go auto or has been defined, then enter only one of area_total_km2 or area_total_sq_mi, and template auto displays both -->
 | area_rank                = {{English district area rank|ONS=00BK|GSS=E09000033}} [[List of English districts by area|(of {{English district total}})]]
 | area_blank2_sq_mi        = 
<!-- population ---------------->
 | population_total         = {{English district population|ONS=00BK|GSS=E09000033}}
 | population_as_of         = {{United Kingdom statistics year}}
 | population_rank          = {{English district rank|ONS=00BK|GSS=E09000033}} [[List of English districts by population|(of {{English district total}})]]
 | population_density_km2   = auto
 | population_demonym       = 
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->
 | timezone                 = [[GMT]]
 | utc_offset               = ±00:00{{!}}UTC
 | timezone_DST             = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = +1
<!-- postal codes, area code --->
 | postal_code_type         = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcodes]]
 | postal_code              = {{postcode|EC}}, {{postcode|NW}}, {{postcode|SW}}, {{postcode|W}}, {{postcode|WC}}
 | area_code_type           = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
 | area_code                = 020
 | iso_code                 = GB-WSM
 | blank1_name              = [[ONS code]]
 | blank1_info              = 00BK
 | blank2_name              = [[ONS coding system|GSS code]]
 | blank2_info              = E09000033
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
 | blank_name_sec2          = [[List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories|Police]]
 | blank_info_sec2          = [[Metropolitan Police]]
<!-- website, footnotes -------->
 | website                  = {{URL|https://www.westminster.gov.uk/|westminster.gov.uk}}
}}

The '''City of Westminster''' is a [[London borough]] with [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] in [[Greater London]], England. It is the site of the United Kingdom's [[Houses of Parliament]] and much of the [[British government]]. It contains a large part of [[central London]], including most of the [[West End of London|West End]], such as the major shopping areas around [[Oxford Street]], [[Regent Street]], [[Piccadilly]] and [[Bond Street]], and the entertainment district of [[Soho]]. Many [[London]] landmarks are within the borough, including [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Westminster Abbey]], [[Whitehall]], [[Westminster Cathedral]], [[10 Downing Street]], and [[Trafalgar Square]].

The borough also has a number of major [[Westminster parks and open spaces|parks and open spaces]], including [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]], and most of [[Regent's Park]]. Away from central London the borough also includes various inner suburbs, including [[St John's Wood]], [[Maida Vale]], [[Bayswater]], [[Belgravia]] and [[Pimlico]]. The borough had a population of 204,300 at the 2021 census.

The original settlement of [[Westminster]] was historically a separate urban area to the west of London, growing up around the [[minster church]] of Westminster Abbey. Westminster was an important centre of royal authority from Saxon times, and was declared a city in 1540. It was gradually absorbed into the urban area of London, but London's official city boundaries remained unchanged, covering just the area called the [[City of London]], broadly corresponding to the medieval walled city. From the 19th century some [[metropolis]]-wide administrative bodies were introduced. The [[County of London]] was created in 1889, replaced in 1965 by the larger administrative area of [[Greater London]], which since 2000 has been led by the [[Mayor of London]]. The cities of London and Westminster retain their separate city statuses despite having long been part of the same urban area.

The modern borough was created in 1965 as part of the same reforms which created Greater London, covering the area of the three former [[Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London|metropolitan boroughs]] of [[Metropolitan Borough of Westminster|Westminster]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Paddington|Paddington]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone|St Marylebone]]. The local authority is [[Westminster City Council]]. To the east, Westminster borders the [[City of London]], with the boundary marked by [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]]. Other neighbouring boroughs (anti-clockwise from north-east) are [[London Borough of Camden|Camden]], [[London Borough of Brent|Brent]], [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea|Kensington and Chelsea]], [[London Borough of Wandsworth|Wandsworth]] and [[London Borough of Lambeth|Lambeth]], the latter two being separated from Westminster by the [[River Thames]]. [[Charing Cross]] in Westminster is the notional centre of London, being [[Kilometre zero|the point]] from which distances from London are measured.

==History==
After the depopulation of [[Roman London]] in the 5th century, an [[Anglo Saxon]] agricultural and trade settlement likely developed to its west, associated with the [[Middle Saxons]], sometimes called [[Lundenwic]] ('London village' or London port'). Over time, [[Lundenburh]] ('London fort'), the former Roman city with its still-existing Roman walls, was repopulated and Lundenwic declined, becoming pastoral and partly known as [[Aldwych]] (Aldwic—'old village'), the name of which lives on for a section of Westminster.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cowie |first1=Robert |last2=Whitehead |first2=Robert |title=Lundenwic: The archaeological evidence for middle Saxon London |journal=Antiquity |year=1989 |publication-date=1989 |volume=63 |issue=241 |pages=706–18 |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00076845 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
[[File:Westminster Abbey - West Door.jpg|thumb|left|[[Westminster Abbey]], around which the original settlement grew.]]
The origins of the City of Westminster pre-date the [[Norman Conquest]] of England. In the mid-11th century, King [[Edward the Confessor]] began the construction of an abbey at Westminster, only the foundations of which survive today. Between the abbey and the river he built a palace, thereby guaranteeing that the seat of Government would be fixed at Westminster, and inevitably drawing power and wealth west out of the old City of London.<ref>Gray, p. 68</ref>

For centuries Westminster and the City of London were geographically quite distinct. It was not until the sixteenth century that houses began to be built over the adjoining fields, eventually absorbing nearby villages such as [[Marylebone]] and [[Kensington]], and gradually creating the vast [[Greater London]] that exists today.

Henry VIII's [[dissolution of the monasteries]] abolished the abbey at Westminster, although the former [[abbey church]] is still called [[Westminster Abbey]]. The church was briefly the [[cathedral]] of the [[Diocese of Westminster (Church of England)|Diocese of Westminster]] created from part of the [[Diocese of London]] in 1540, by [[letters patent]] which also granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] to Westminster, a status retained after the diocese was abolished in 1550.<ref name="CokeLittleton1853">{{cite book|last1=Coke|first1=Edward|author-link1=Edward Coke|last2=Hale|first2=Matthew|author-link2=Matthew Hale (jurist)|last3=Nottingham|first3=Heneage Finch, Earl of|author-link3=Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham|author4=Francis Hargrave, Charles Butler|title=A commentary upon Littleton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GOgKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA163|access-date=17 May 2010|edition=1st American, from 19th London|series=The Institutes of the laws of England|volume=1|year=1853|publisher=R. H. Small|location=Philadelphia|page=Vol. 1 p.164|no-pp=y|chapter=109b, Note (3) [124]|archive-date=20 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520173101/https://books.google.com/books?id=GOgKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA163|url-status=live}}; 
{{cite book |title=Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII |volume=16: 1540–1541 |chapter=December 1540; Grants, No.30 |pages=174–175 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol16/pp162-178#mt1-91 |via=British History Online |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |year=1898 |access-date=5 June 2018 |language=en |archive-date=24 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924190401/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol16/pp162-178#mt1-91 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Administrative history===
The area was historically part of the county of [[Middlesex]]. Whilst an important centre of royal authority from [[History of Anglo-Saxon England|Saxon]] times, Westminster was not formally incorporated as a [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] for local government purposes until 1900. However, it was declared a city in 1540 on the elevation of Westminster Abbey to being a [[cathedral]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857: Volume 7 |date=1992 |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |location=London |pages=65–67 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1541-1847/vol7/pp65-67 |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref> From at least 1545 there was also a [[Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Westminster parliamentary borough]] (constituency).<ref>{{cite web |title=Westminster |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/constituencies/westminster |website=The History of Parliament |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref> The [[Anglican Diocese of Westminster]] was short-lived, being absorbed back into the [[Diocese of London]] in 1550. Despite having no borough corporation and having ceased to be the seat of a diocese, Westminster continued to be described as a city. In 1585 the [[Westminster Court of Burgesses]] was established to administer certain judicial powers in an area known as the [[City and Liberty of Westminster]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leigh |first1=Samuel |title=Leigh's New Picture of London |date=1827 |pages=82–85 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ym0VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA82 |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Westminster Council House - geograph.org.uk - 6119890.jpg|thumb|Westminster Council House, also known as [[Marylebone Town Hall]]: Completed 1920 for the old St Marylebone Borough Council and now serves as main meeting place of Westminster City Council.]]
From 1856 the area was also governed by the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]], which was established to provide services across the [[metropolis]] of London. In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the [[County of London]]. From 1856 until 1900 the lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various [[List of London vestries and district boards|parish vestries and district boards]]. Within the City and Liberty of Westminster, the three parishes of [[St George Hanover Square]], [[St James Piccadilly]] and [[St Martin in the Fields (parish)|St Martin-in-the-Fields]] were governed by their [[vestries]], whilst the parishes covering the central part of Westminster formed the [[Westminster District (Metropolis)|Westminster District]] and the parishes and territories adjoining the border with the [[City of London]] formed the [[Strand District (Metropolis)|Strand District]]. Beyond the liberty to the north, the two parishes of [[Paddington]] and [[St Marylebone]] were also governed by their vestries.<ref>[[Metropolis Management Act 1855]] (18 & 19 Vict. c. 120)</ref> The Westminster District was renamed the St Margaret and St John Combined Vestry in 1887, and unsuccessfully petitioned to be incorporated as a borough in 1897.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26815|page=337|date=19 January 1897}}</ref>

In 1900 the lower tier of local government within the County of London was reorganised into [[Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London|metropolitan boroughs]]. The parish of Paddington became the [[Metropolitan Borough of Paddington]], and the parish of the St Marylebone became the [[Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone]]. The various territories within the old City and Liberty of Westminster became the [[Metropolitan Borough of Westminster]].<ref>[[London Government Act 1899]] (62 & 63 Vict. c. 14)</ref> The new boroughs came into being on 1 November 1900; a few days ahead of that a [[royal charter]] was issued conferring city status on the new borough of Westminster from its creation.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27242|page=6613|date=30 October 1900}}</ref> The Court of Burgesses, which had ceded most practical powers to the newer authorities, was finally abolished in 1901.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Webb |first1=Beatrice |title=The Manor and the Borough |date=1963 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-62048-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tgCaDwAAQBAJ&dq=westminster%20%22court%20of%20burgesses%22%201901&pg=PT264 |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

The modern borough was created in 1965 under the [[London Government Act 1963]]. It was a merger of the old Paddington, St Marylebone and Westminster metropolitan boroughs, and Westminster's city status was transferred to the enlarged borough.<ref>{{cite book | first=Frederic |last=Youngs | title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England | volume=I: Southern England | year=1979 | publisher=[[Royal Historical Society]] | location=London | isbn=0-901050-67-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Grant of title of city: London Borough of Westminster, 1964 |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3514376 |website=The National Archives |access-date=1 May 2024 |ref=LCO 6/2762}}</ref> In 1966 the city was granted the right to appoint a [[lord mayor]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=43921|page=2704|date=11 March 1966}}</ref>

==Governance==
{{main|Westminster City Council}}
[[File:Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street SW1 - geograph.org.uk - 1284668.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Westminster City Hall]], completed in 1965, serves as council's main offices.]]
The local authority is Westminster City Council, which meets at Westminster Council House (also known as [[Marylebone Town Hall]]) and has its main offices at [[Westminster City Hall]] on Victoria Street.

===Greater London representation===
Since 2000, for elections to the [[London Assembly]], the borough forms part of the [[West Central (London Assembly constituency)|West Central]] constituency.

===UK Parliament===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Evolution of Parliamentary representation
|-
! 1918
! 1950
! 1974
! 1983
! 1997
! 2010
|-
|rowspan=1 colspan=3 | [[St Marylebone (UK Parliament constituency)|St Marylebone]]
|rowspan=3 | [[Westminster North]]
|rowspan=2 | [[Regent's Park and Kensington North]]
|rowspan=3 | [[Westminster North]]
|-
|colspan=2 | [[Paddington North]]
|rowspan=2 | [[Paddington (UK Parliament constituency)|Paddington]]
|-
|colspan=2 | [[Paddington South]]
|rowspan=4 | [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Cities of London and Westminster]]
|-
| [[Westminster St George's]]
| rowspan=3 colspan=3 | [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Cities of London and Westminster]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Cities of London and Westminster]]
|-
| [[Westminster Abbey (UK Parliament constituency)|Westminster Abbey]]
|-
| [[City of London (UK Parliament constituency)|City of London]]
|}

==Demographics==
[[File:Westminster population pyramid.svg|thumb|Population pyramid of the City of Westminster in 2021]]
{{Historical populations
|type = UK
| title= Population
|footnote = Source:
[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10064028&c_id=10001043&add=N ''A Vision of Britain through time, citing Census population'']
| 1801 |220188
| 1811 |245254
| 1821 |288851
| 1831 |344200
| 1841 |368910
| 1851 |422850
| 1861 |446263
| 1871 |469677
| 1881 |493090
| 1891 |462837
| 1901 |441857
| 1911 |421865
| 1921 |396406
| 1931 |372566
| 1941 |334448
| 1951 |300461
| 1961 |267126
| 1971 |237614
| 1981 |163893
| 1991 |187526
| 2001 |181279
| 2011 |219396
}}

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Ethnic makeup of the City of London and Westminster in 2021.svg|thumb|Ethnic makeup of the Westminster including the [[City of London]] in 2021]]
The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 1991 to 2021 censuses in Westminster.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic group
! colspan="12" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref>{{Cite web |title=Migration and London's growth |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/74375221.pdf#page=94 |publisher=LSE}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web |title=Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |access-date=2021-09-07 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref name=":36">{{Cite web |title=2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!–
!93.1%
!163,612
!85.6%
!148,461
!79.1%
!132,715
!73.12%
!135,330
!61.68%
!112,732
!55.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 87,938 || 48.51% || 77,334 || 35.25%
|57,162
|28.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 6,574 || 3.63% || 4,960|| 2.26%
|3,742
|1.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| –
|–|| 76||0.03%
|49
|0.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: Roma
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,503
|0.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 38,203 || 21.07% || 52,960|| 24.14%
|50,276
|24.6%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | [[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total 
!–
!–
!10,624
!5.5%
!17,198
!9.2%!! 20,184 !! 11.13% !! 31,862 !! 14.52%
!34,242
!16.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|–
|–
|2,604
|
|3,710
| || 5,665 || 3.12% || 7,213|| 3.29%
|7,965
|3.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|841
|
|1,240
| || 1,828 || 1.01% || 2,328 || 1.06%
|2,461
|1.2%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|1,768
|
|3,991
| || 5,000 || 2.76% || 6,299|| 2.87%
|7,533
|3.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|–
|–
|2,270
|
|2,910
| || 4,077 || 2.25% || 5,917|| 2.70%
|6,625
|3.2%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: Other Asian 
|–
|–
|3,141
|
|5,347
| || 3,614 || 1.99% || 10,105 || 4.61%
|9,658
|4.7%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | [[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total  
!–
!–
!11,503
!6%
!13,862
!7.4%!! 13,481 !! 7.44% !! 16,472 !! 7.51%
!16,456
!8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|African]]
|–
|–
|3,295
|
|4,535
| || 5,613 || 3.10% || 9,141 || 4.17%
|10,451
|5.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|6,519
|
|7,163
| || 6,678 || 3.68% || 4,449 || 2.03%
|4,307
|2.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[Other Black]]
|–
|–
|1,689
|
|2,164
| || 1,190 || 0.66% || 2,882 || 1.31%
|1,698
|0.8%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed or British Mixed]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–!! 7,480 !! 4.13% !! 11,395 !! 5.19%
!13,335
!6.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black Caribbean 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,382 || 0.76% || 1,869 || 0.85%
|2,061
|1.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black African 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,204 || 0.66% || 1,927 || 0.89%
|2,089
|1.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Asian 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 2,436 || 1.34% || 3,584|| 1.63%
|3,718
|1.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: Other Mixed 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 2,458 || 1.36% || 4,015 || 1.83%
|5,467
|2.7%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | Other: Total 
!–
!–
!5,284
!
!8,239
! !! 7,426 !! 4.10% !! 24,337 !! 11.09%
!27,471
!13.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Arab 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| –
|–|| 15,724 ||7.17%
|15439
|7.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Any other ethnic group 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||7,426
|4.1%|| 8,613 ||3.93%
|12032
|5.9%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | Ethnic minority: Total 
!–
!6.9%
!27,411 
!14.4%
!39,299
!20.9%!! 48,571 !! 26.79% !! 84,066 !! 38.32%
!91,504
!44.9%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! style="text-align:left" | Total 
!–
!100%
!191,024
!100%
!187,700
!100%!! 181,286 !! 100.00% !! 219,396 !! 100.00%
!204,236
!100%
|}

===Religion===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Religion
!colspan="2"|2001<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary.asp?mode=construct&version=0&dataset=1607 |title=KS007 - Religion  |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
!colspan="2"|2011<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/QS208EW/view/1946157259?cols=measures |title=2011 census – theme tables |access-date=8 January 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062523/https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/QS208EW/view/1946157259?cols=measures |url-status=live }}</ref>
!colspan="2"|2021<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS030/editions/2021/versions/1 | title=Religion - Office for National Statistics }}</ref>
|-
!Number
!Of total
!Number
!Of total
!Number
!Of total
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Christian || 99,797 || 55.05% || 97,877|| 44.61% || 76,245 || 37.3%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | No religion || 29,300 || 16.16% || 44,542 || 20.30% || 52,936 || 25.9%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Muslim || 21,346 || 11.77% || 40,073 || 18.27% || 40,873 || 20.0%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Religion not stated || 15,877 || 8.76% || 20,519 || 9.35% || 19,179 || 9.4%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Jewish || 7,732 || 4.27% || 7,237 || 3.30% || 5,628 || 2.8%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Hindu || 3,497 || 1.93% || 4,178 || 1.90% || 4,457|| 2.2%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Buddhist || 2,392 || 1.32% || 3,194 || 1.46% || 2,603 || 1.3%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Other religion || 945 || 0.52% || 1,280 || 0.58% || 1,741 || 0.9%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | Sikh || 400 || 0.22% || 496 || 0.23% || 573 || 0.3%
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
|style="text-align:left" | Total || 181,286 || 100.00% || 219,396 ||100.00% || 204,300 || 100.0%
|}

===Housing===
The borough ranks highest on one standard criteria in analysing [[housing]] supply and demand, the proportion of private rented accommodation relative to other types of housing in England.<ref name=ons>[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk Office for National Statistics 2011 Census Key Statistics: Tenure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211201309/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |date=11 February 2003 }}.</ref>

===Income inequality===
A study in 2017 by Trust for London and The New Policy Institute found that Westminster has the third-highest pay inequality of the 32 London boroughs. It also has the second-least affordable private rent for low earners in London, behind only [[Kensington]] and [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]].

===Education===
In education, 82% of adults and 69% of 19-year-olds having Level 3 qualifications.<ref>{{cite web |title=London's Poverty Profile |url=https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/data/boroughs/westminster-poverty-and-inequality-indicators/ |website=Trust for London |access-date=19 June 2018 |archive-date=19 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619140517/https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/data/boroughs/westminster-poverty-and-inequality-indicators/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Districts==
The City of Westminster covers all or part of the following [[areas of London]]:
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* "[[Albertopolis]]" ''(shared with the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]])''
* [[Bayswater]]
* [[Belgravia]] ''(shared with the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]])''
* [[Covent Garden]] ''(shared with the [[London Borough of Camden]])''
* [[Fitzrovia]] ''(shared with the [[London Borough of Camden]])''
* [[Harrow Road]]
* [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]]
* [[Knightsbridge]] ''(shared with the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]])''
* [[Lisson Grove]]
* [[Maida Vale]]
* [[Mayfair]]
* [[Marylebone]]
* [[Millbank]]
* [[Paddington]]
* [[Pimlico]]
* [[Queen's Park, London|Queen's Park]] ''(shared with the [[London Borough of Brent]])''
* [[St James's]]
* [[St John's Wood]]
* [[Soho]], including [[Chinatown, London|Chinatown]]
* "[[Theatreland]]"
* [[Victoria, London|Victoria]]
* [[Westbourne Green]] ''(shared with the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]])''
* [[West End of London|West End]] ''(shared with the [[London Borough of Camden]])''
* [[Westminster|Westminster City Centre]]
{{Div col end}}

==Economy==
Many global corporations have their global or European headquarters in the City of Westminster. [[Mayfair]] and [[St James's]] within the City of Westminster also have a large concentration of hedge fund and private equity funds. The [[West End of London|West End]] is known as the [[West End theatre|Theatre District]] and is home to many of the leading performing arts businesses. [[Soho]] and its adjoining areas house a concentration of media and creative companies. [[Oxford Street]] is a busy shopping destination.

==Landmarks==
{{Main|List of tourist attractions in the City of Westminster}}
[[File:Open Happiness Piccadilly Circus Blue-Pink Hour 120917-1126-jikatu.jpg|thumb|[[Piccadilly Circus]] (September 2012)]]
[[File:Clock Tower - Palace of Westminster, London - May 2007.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Big Ben]] is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the [[Palace of Westminster]] and usually refers to both the clock and the [[clock tower]] ([[Elizabeth Tower]]).]]
The City of Westminster contains some of the most famous sites in London, including [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Westminster Abbey]], the [[Palace of Westminster]] (Houses of Parliament) and [[Big Ben]].

===Centre of London===
[[Charing Cross]] is the notional centre of [[London]] and the location where distances from London are measured. This custom appears to have begun with the set distances of the 12 [[Eleanor crosses]] to [[Lincoln, England]] in the north, and expanded even after destruction of most of the crosses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=BBC |date=2005-08-15 |title=Where Is The Centre Of London? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/08/15/charingcross_feature.shtml |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref>

===Parks and open spaces===
{{Main|Westminster parks and open spaces}}
These include [[Green Park]], [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]], [[Kensington Gardens]], [[Regent's Park]] and [[St James's Park]]. In addition to parks and open spaces within the borough, the City owns and maintains [[East Finchley Cemetery]] and crematorium in the [[London Borough of Barnet]].

==Transport==
[[File:Marylebone station 01.jpg|thumb|[[Marylebone station]]]]

===National Rail stations===
Four National Rail stations serve the City of Westminster:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Railway stations in the City of Westminster<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf|title=London's Rail and Tube Services|website=[[Transport for London]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410113009/http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf|archive-date=10 April 2019}}</ref>
! Station
! Image
! Line
! Destinations
|-
| '''[[London Charing Cross]]'''
{{Rint|GB|rail}} {{Rail-interchange|london|Bakerloo}} {{Rail-interchange|London|Northern}}
| [[File:Charing Cross station MMB 15 375808 465043 465008.jpg|alt=An image of Charing Cross Station with Southeastern trains at the platform.|frameless|158x158px]]
| [[South Eastern Main Line]]
| South East London and [[Kent]] including [[London Bridge station|London Bridge]], [[Lewisham station|Lewisham]], [[Dartford railway station|Dartford]], [[Orpington railway station|Orpington]], [[Sevenoaks railway station|Sevenoaks]] and [[Tunbridge Wells railway station|Tunbridge Wells]]. Services operated by [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/more-travel-help/explore-our-network|title=Explore our Network|website=[[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418085522/https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/more-travel-help/explore-our-network|archive-date=18 April 2019}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[London Marylebone]]'''
{{Rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} {{Rail-interchange|london|bakerloo}}
| [[File:MaryleboneStationAtNight.jpg|alt=Marylebone station at night, with red benches and glowing departure boards.|frameless|158x158px]]
| [[Chiltern Main Line]]
| North West London, [[Buckinghamshire]], [[Oxfordshire]] and [[Midlands]] including [[Wembley Stadium railway station|Wembley Stadium]], [[Harrow-on-the-Hill station|Harrow]], [[Aylesbury railway station|Aylesbury]], [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]] and [[Birmingham Moor Street]]. Services operated by [[Chiltern Railways]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/themes/chiltern_atomic/assets/images/route_map.png|title=Route Map|website=[[Chiltern Railways]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427100757/https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/themes/chiltern_atomic/assets/images/route_map.png|archive-date=27 April 2019}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[London Paddington]]'''
{{Rail-interchange|gb|rail}} {{Rint|london|bakerloo}} {{Rint|london|circle}} {{Rail-interchange|london|district}} {{Rail-interchange|london|h&c}}  {{nowrap|{{Rint|london|elizabeth}}}} 
| [[File:Trains at London Paddington station.jpg|alt=Paddington railway station with sun shining through the arches built by Brunel|frameless|158x158px]]
| [[Great Western Main Line]]
| [[West London]], [[South West England]] and [[South Wales]] including [[Ealing Broadway station|Ealing Broadway]], [[Reading railway station|Reading]], [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol]], [[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff]], [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter]], [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]], [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]] and [[Worcester Shrub Hill railway station|Worcester]]. Services operated by [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] and [[Elizabeth line]] {{nowrap|({{Rail-interchange|london|elizabeth}})}}.

[[Heathrow Airport]] {{Rint|air}}

Services operated by [[Heathrow Express]] and [[Elizabeth line]] {{nowrap|({{Rail-interchange|london|elizabeth}})}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/maps/gwr-network-map.pdf?la=en|title=Network Map|website=[[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427100956/https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/maps/gwr-network-map.pdf?la=en|archive-date=27 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/elizabeth-line|title=Elizabeth line Map|website=[[Transport for London]]}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[London Victoria]]'''
{{Rail-interchange|gb|rail}} {{Rint|london|circle}} {{Rint|london|district}} {{Rint|london|victoria}}
| [[File:London-Victoria-station 03.JPG|alt=Victoria station concourse. British flags hang from the ceiling.|frameless|158x158px]]
| [[Brighton Main Line|Brighton]] and [[Chatham Main Line|Chatham]] Main Lines
| South East London and [[Kent]] including [[Peckham Rye railway station|Peckham Rye]], [[Dartford railway station|Dartford]], [[Gravesend railway station|Gravesend]], [[Dover Priory railway station|Dover Priory]] and [[Ashford International]]. Services operated by [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]].<ref name=":0" />

South London, [[Sussex]] and [[Southern England|the South Coast]] including [[Clapham Junction]], [[Sutton railway station (London)|Sutton]], [[Brighton railway station|Brighton]], [[Eastbourne railway station|Eastbourne]], [[Gatwick Airport railway station|Gatwick Airport]] ({{Rint|air}}), [[Guildford railway station|Guildford]], [[Portsmouth Harbour railway station|Portsmouth]], and [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]]. Services operated by [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]].

[[Gatwick Airport]] {{Rint|air}}

Services operated by [[Gatwick Express]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.southernrailway.com/-/media/goahead/gtr-all-shared-pdfs-and-documents/gtr-all-brands-route-map.pdf|title=Route Map|website=[[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427101558/https://beta.southernrailway.com/-/media/goahead/gtr-all-shared-pdfs-and-documents/gtr-all-brands-route-map.pdf|archive-date=27 April 2019}}</ref>
|}

===London Underground===
The City of Westminster is served by 27 [[London Underground]] stations and 10 of the 11 lines.

===Electric charging points===
By 2009 Westminster City Council had electric vehicle charging points in 15 locations through the city (13 car parks and two on-street points). Users pay an annual fee to cover administration costs to register and use the points.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.westminster.gov.uk/carparks/electric.cfm |title=City of Westminster: Additional on street charging points for electric vehicles |access-date=4 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505052114/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/carparks/electric.cfm |archive-date=5 May 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> By 2018 there were 60 electric vehicle charging locations.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.westminster.gov.uk/electric-vehicles|title= Electric Vehicles|access-date= 22 December 2018|archive-date= 23 December 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181223030209/https://www.westminster.gov.uk/electric-vehicles|url-status= live}}</ref>

===Travel to work===
In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: underground, metro, light rail, tram, 21.0% of all residents aged 16–74; on foot, 9.3%; bus, minibus or coach, 9.3%; driving a car or van, 6.0%; work mainly at or from home, 5.5%; bicycle, 3.1%; train, 3.0%.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-and-quick-statistics-for-wards-and-output-areas-in-england-and-wales/rft-qs701ew.xls|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=23 November 2013|archive-date=15 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915043538/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-and-quick-statistics-for-wards-and-output-areas-in-england-and-wales/rft-qs701ew.xls|url-status=live}} Percentages are of all residents aged 16–74 including those not in employment. Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey's longest part by distance.</ref>

{{Further|List of roads in the City of Westminster}}

==Education==<!-- This section is linked from [[Soho]] -->
[[File:LSE main entrance.jpg|right|thumb|The main entrance to the [[London School of Economics]]]]
{{Main|List of schools in the City of Westminster}}
Westminster Children's Services administers many primary and secondary schools. In addition, there are several state-funded faith schools, primarily [[Church of England]] (CE), and [[Roman Catholic]] (RC), but Christian non-denominational (ND) schools are also in the borough,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041112213428/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/educationandlearning/schoolsandcolleges/ Westminster Education service] accessed 17 May 2007</ref> and there are several non-profit-making junior and senior [[independent school]]s.

===Universities and colleges===
*The [[University of Westminster]] has its three campuses in the borough; 309 [[Regent Street]] (with 4–12 / 16 Little Titchfield Street and 32 / 38 Wells Street buildings uniting under the same campus), 115 New Cavendish Street, and 29 / 35 [[Marylebone Road]].
*The [[Strand, London|Strand]] campus of [[King's College London]] is located within the district.
*The [[London Business School]], in [[Regent's Park]].
*The [[London School of Economics]], at [[Clare Market]], near [[Aldwych]].
*The [[Royal Academy of Music]], on [[Marylebone Road]].
*[[University of the Arts London]] has constituent colleges in [[Millbank]] ([[Chelsea College of Art and Design]]) and [[Oxford Street]] ([[London College of Fashion]]).
*The [[Courtauld Institute of Art]], in [[Somerset House]], Strand.
*[[Brigham Young University]] London Centre, on Palace Court.
*The northern half of [[Imperial College London]]'s main [[South Kensington]] campus lies within the borough.
*[[City of Westminster College]] is a [[further education]] college with campuses on [[Paddington Green, London|Paddington Green]] and at [[Queen's Park, London|Queens Park]]. It also owns the [[Cockpit Theatre]], which is used as a training and performance venue.
*[[Regent's College]], whose campus is within the grounds of Regent's Park, which houses: [[European Business School London]]; [[Regent's American College London]]; Regent's Business School; School of Psychotherapy and Counselling; [[Webster Graduate School]]; Internexus, a provider of English language courses.
*[[Westminster Kingsway College]] is a further education college with centres in [[Soho]] and [[Victoria, London|Victoria]] in Westminster. It also has centres in [[London Borough of Camden|Camden]].
*The [[Royal College of Art]] in Kensington Gore.

===Public libraries===

[[File:CharingCrossLibraryLondon.JPG|thumb|upright=0.75|Charing Cross Library]]

The city operates two reference libraries; [[Westminster Reference Library]] and Marylebone Information Service.<ref>"[https://www.westminster.gov.uk/find-library/ Westminster Find a Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924185624/https://www.westminster.gov.uk/find-library/ |date=24 September 2018 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 25 September 2015.</ref> Westminster Reference Library holds several special collections: of which the Sherlock Holmes, Arts and Business collections are the most comprehensive.<ref>"[https://www.westminster.gov.uk/westminster-reference-library Westminster Reference Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313201536/https://www.westminster.gov.uk/westminster-reference-library// |date=13 March 2016 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 25 September 2015.</ref> In addition to the collections in Westminster Reference Library the city has two specialist libraries: the [[Westminster Music Library]], the largest music library in the UK<ref>";[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/special/music/ Westminster Music Library]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414122010/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/special/music/ |date=14 April 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref> and the Westminster Chinese Library in the Charing Cross Library.<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/chineselibrary.cfm Westminster Chinese Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207040347/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/chineselibrary.cfm |date=7 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>

Free City of Westminster operated public lending libraries in Westminster include:
* Charing Cross Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/charing.cfm Charing Cross Library]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131090210/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/charing.cfm |date=31 January 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Church Street Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/churchstreet.cfm Church Street Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205182252/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/churchstreet.cfm |date=5 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* The Maida Vale Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/maida.cfm Maida Vale Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205182259/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/maida.cfm/ |date=5 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Marylebone Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/marylebone.cfm Marylebone Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207033634/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/marylebone.cfm |date=7 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Mayfair Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/mayfair.cfm Mayfair Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205182306/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/mayfair.cfm |date=5 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Paddington Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/paddington.cfm Paddington Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129190120/http://westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/paddington.cfm |date=29 January 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Pimlico Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/pimlico.cfm Pimlico Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205182319/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/pimlico.cfm |date=5 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Queen's Park Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/queenspark.cfm Queen's Park Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131220840/http://westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/queenspark.cfm |date=31 January 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* St. John's Wood Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/stjohnswood.cfm St. John's Wood Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215165029/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/stjohnswood.cfm |date=15 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>
* Victoria Library<ref>"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/westref.cfm Victoria Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217050638/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/findalibrary/westref.cfm |date=17 February 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>

The [[London Library]], an independent lending library funded by subscription, is at 14 [[St James's Square]].<ref name="libraries">"[http://www.westminster.gov.uk/fmn/index3.cfm?LayerID=24&LGSL=42,437,438,439,440,441,442,444,445,446,447,449,456,9999 Libraries] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508051629/http://www.westminster.gov.uk/fmn/index3.cfm?LayerID=24&LGSL=42%2C437%2C438%2C439%2C440%2C441%2C442%2C444%2C445%2C446%2C447%2C449%2C456%2C9999 |date=8 May 2009 }}." City of Westminster. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref><ref>"[http://www.londonlibrary.co.uk/visit/index.htm Visit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233505/http://www.londonlibrary.co.uk/visit/index.htm |date=3 March 2016 }}." The London Library. Retrieved on 21 January 2009.</ref>

== Embassies and High Commissions ==
Many countries' embassies or [[High commissioner (Commonwealth)|High Commissions]] are in Westminster.

==Notable people==
{{main|List of people from the City of Westminster}}

==Coat of arms==
[[File:Coat of arms of City of Westminster.svg|thumb | Coat of arms of [[Westminster City Council]] at [[Westminster City Hall]]]]
The current Westminster coat of arms was given by an official grant on 2 September 1964.<ref name=ngw>{{cite web|url= http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Westminster_%28London%29|title= Westminster (London)|publisher= Heraldry of the world|access-date= 25 October 2015|archive-date= 2 February 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180202202244/http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Westminster_%28London%29|url-status= live}}</ref>

Westminster had other arms before, which had a [[chief (heraldry)|chief]] identical to the chief in the present arms. The symbols in the lower two thirds of the shield stand for former municipalities now merged with the city, Paddington and St Marylebone. The original arms had a [[portcullis]] as the main charge, which now forms the [[Crest (heraldry)|crest]].<ref name=ngw/>

==Freedom of the City==
The following people and military units have received the [[Freedom of the City]] of Westminster.
 
{{Incomplete list|date=October 2019}}

===Individuals===
* [[Sir Winston Churchill]]: 1946.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC36o_znw1I| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211102/zC36o_znw1I| archive-date=2021-11-02 | url-status=live|title=Churchill Receives Freedom of Westminster| date=21 July 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* [[Sir Robert Mark]]: 22 June 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sirrobertmark.co.uk/recognition-awards/|title=Recognition & Awards|access-date=7 October 2019|archive-date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007011138/https://www.sirrobertmark.co.uk/recognition-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Margaret Thatcher]]: 12 December 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/108259 |title=Speech receiving Freedom of City of Westminster |date=12 December 1990 |publisher=Margaret Thatcher Foundation |access-date=30 November 2018 |archive-date=30 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130202318/https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/108259 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Military units===
* [[HMS Westminster (F237)|HMS ''Westminster'']], [[Royal Navy|RN]]: 11 December 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4515712.stm|title=Ship is granted freedom of city|date=11 December 2005|via=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=7 October 2019|archive-date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007011130/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4515712.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|London}}}}
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[History of local government in London]]
* [[History of London]]
* [[List of churches in the City of Westminster]]
* [[River Westbourne]]
* [[Tri-borough shared services]]
* [[Westminster St Margaret and St John]]
{{Div col end}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*Gray, Robert, ''A History of London'', Hutchinson & Co, London, 1978, {{ISBN|0-09-133140-4}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|City of Westminster}}
* [http://www.westminster.gov.uk/ City of Westminster]
* ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21648 Westminster]'', by Sir Walter Besant and Geraldine Edith Mitton and A. Murray Smith, 1902, from [[Project Gutenberg]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/user/Westminstercc Westminster City Council] [[YouTube]] channel
* [http://www.westendextra.com/ ''West End Extra'']: A local newspaper covering the City of Westminster

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