Good to know
Good to Know
- Glasgow's foreign-born population has more than tripled in percentage terms since 2001 (from 5.7% to 19.1%), making it increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan.
- The city has a particularly strong historical connection to Ireland, with roughly one-third of Glasgow residents having Irish heritage or ancestry.
- As Scotland's largest city, Glasgow hosts significantly more international migrants than other Scottish cities, making it the primary migration hub in the country.
- The tech ecosystem is rapidly expanding with particular strength in fintech, data & AI, and deep tech sectors; nearly half of venture-backed innovative tech firms received €1m+ in funding in recent years.
- Glasgow ranks 3rd in the UK (outside London) for emerging tech destinations and attracts major multinational financial services companies.
- Multiple universities (Glasgow, Strathclyde) are driving tech innovation and providing a pipeline of talent for the growing startup scene.
Ethnic Diversity
- Ethnic Minority Percentage
- 19.3
- Year
- 2022
- Context
- Glasgow has the most ethnically diverse population in Scotland; nearly three times higher than Scotland overall (7.1%).
Total Population
- Year
- 2023
- Value
- 631970
- Context
- Glasgow is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth largest in the United Kingdom.
Notable Communities
- Polish
- Growing Polish community with significant presence since EU expansion.
- South Asian
- Large Pakistani and Indian communities with multi-generational presence, particularly visible in business and commerce.
- Irish Heritage
- Approximately 500,000 people of Irish descent live in and around Glasgow; strong historical presence with significant settlement during 19th-20th centuries.
- Other European
- Italian, Lithuanian, and other European communities with historical presence.
Foreign Born Percentage
- Value Percent
- 19.1
- Year
- 2022
- Trend
- Increased from 12.2% in 2011 and 5.7% in 2001
Business And Tech Ecosystem
- Sectors
- Fintech, AI, software development, digital agencies, mobile app development, deep tech (quantum computing, data science, machine learning).
- Overview
- Glasgow is one of the UK's biggest tech investment hubs and the third-largest financial centre.
- Major Companies
- JP Morgan Chase, Barclays Wealth, BNP Paribas, Morgan Stanley, Santander, Virgin Money, Axa, Zurich Insurance, IBM.
- Innovation Districts
- Glasgow City Region home to 5 of 7 national Innovation Centres; includes CENSIS, CSIC, DHI, IBioIC, and PMS-IC.
Tech Sector
- Growth Trend
- Tech sector grew 45% in the last decade; digital technologies predicted to grow at 1.5 times the economy rate until 2029.
- Digital Tech Jobs
- 20000
- Venture Capital 2023
- £191,000,000
Startups And Scaleups
- Enterprise Value
- Over £4 billion in combined enterprise value
- Total Tech Firms In Region
- 1500
Largest Overseas Born Groups
China
- Year
- 2022
- Estimated Population
- 10350
India
- Year
- 2022
- Estimated Population
- 3200
United States
- Year
- 2022
- Estimated Population
- 1330
Nigeria
- Year
- 2022
- Estimated Population
- 1255
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Glasgow
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.