Quick facts
Belfast overview
Belfast (orange) and the other large cities of United Kingdom
Belfast lies in Northern Ireland in United Kingdom at 54.6°N, 5.93°W, about 7 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/London (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Bradford (366,187) and larger than Coventry (345,324). The largest city in United Kingdom is London with 8,961,989 people; the capital, London, has 8,961,989.
The national capital, London, is about 518 km away; the nearest large city is Glasgow, 176 km from Belfast.
United Kingdom as a whole has a live population of 70,040,452 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #22 of 238 countries — see the United Kingdom population page for the full statistics and the United Kingdom atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Belfast
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Glasgow Scotland | 176 km | 626,410 |
Largest cities in United Kingdom
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LondonCapital | England | 8,961,989 |
| 2 | Birmingham | England | 1,157,603 |
| 3 | Glasgow | Scotland | 626,410 |
| 4 | Manchester | England | 568,996 |
| 5 | Sheffield | England | 556,500 |
| 6 | Leeds | England | 536,280 |
| 7 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 514,990 |
| 8 | Liverpool | England | 496,770 |
| 9 | Bristol | England | 479,024 |
| 10 | Cardiff | Wales | 372,089 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Belfast?
Belfast has about 348,005 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Belfast the capital of United Kingdom?
No. The capital of United Kingdom is London (8,961,989 people), about 518 km away. Belfast is the 13th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Belfast compared with the rest of United Kingdom?
Its 348,005 residents are 0.5% of the 70,040,452 people living in United Kingdom today. London is larger with 8,961,989 people.
Where is Belfast?
In Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, at latitude 54.6 and longitude -5.93, 7 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Glasgow (176 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Belfast Population 2026 — United Kingdom. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/belfast/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/belfast/">Belfast Population 2026 — United Kingdom</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.