Quick facts
Swansea overview
Swansea (orange) and the other large cities of United Kingdom
Swansea lies in Wales in United Kingdom at 51.62°N, 3.94°W, about 18 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/London (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Preston (313,332) and larger than Newcastle upon Tyne (300,125). 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 264 km away; the nearest large city is Cardiff, 55 km from Swansea.
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 Swansea
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 Swansea?
Swansea has about 300,352 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Swansea the capital of United Kingdom?
No. The capital of United Kingdom is London (8,961,989 people), about 264 km away. Swansea is the 21st largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Swansea compared with the rest of United Kingdom?
Its 300,352 residents are 0.4% of the 70,040,452 people living in United Kingdom today. London is larger with 8,961,989 people.
Where is Swansea?
In Wales, United Kingdom, at latitude 51.62 and longitude -3.94, 18 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Cardiff (55 km), Newport (65 km), Bristol (95 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Swansea Population 2026 — United Kingdom. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/swansea/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/swansea/">Swansea 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.