Glasgow — Scotland's Largest City (History & Geography)

Glasgow — key facts

1. 1 Scotland's largest city Population approximately 635,000 (metropolitan area 1.8 million). Second city of the British Empire at its height. On the River Clyde, west-central Scotland.
2. 2 Industrial history 19th century: Glasgow was the 'workshop of the world' — textiles, engineering, chemicals. The Clyde became the world's premier shipbuilding river. Over 25,000 ships built on the Clyde. 1/5 of all the world's ships in 1913.
3. 3 Empire connections Glasgow's wealth was built partly on the tobacco and sugar trades — both reliant on enslaved labour in the Americas. The city's Merchant City district reflects this history. The George Square statues remain contested.
4. 4 Deindustrialisation Shipbuilding collapsed in the 1960s-80s as cheaper overseas yards won contracts. Mass unemployment devastated communities — particularly the east end.
5. 5 Cultural revival Glasgow's reinvention as a cultural city: European City of Culture (1990). Burrell Collection; Glasgow School of Art; Citizens Theatre; Celtic Connections festival. The Barras market.
6. 6 Glasgow today Vibrant, diverse, undergoing ongoing regeneration. Commonwealth Games 2014. COP26 2021. Art schools producing internationally recognised artists. Strong music scene.