Geography and Demographics
– Coventry is located in the West Midlands county, England.
– It is situated on the River Sherbourne.
– The city is separated from Birmingham by the Meriden Gap, an area of green belt.
– Coventry is 19 miles east-south-east of Birmingham and 94 miles north-west of London.
– Coventry had a population of 345,328 at the 2021 census.
– It is the tenth largest city in England and the 12th largest in the United Kingdom.
– The wider Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area had a population of 389,603 in 2021.
– It is the second largest city in the West Midlands region, after Birmingham.
– Coventry is the third largest city in the Midlands, after Birmingham and Leicester.
– According to the 2011 census, the racial structure of Coventry is as follows:
– White: 73.8%
– Asian: 16.3%
– Black: 5.5%
– Mixed: 2.7%
– Arab: 0.6%
– Other: 1.0%
– The ethnic minority population represents 33.4% of the total population.
– Islam is the largest non-Christian religion in Coventry.
– Sikh and Hindu religions are significantly represented in Coventry compared to the rest of the West Midlands.
– According to the 2011 census, the religious composition of Coventry is as follows:
– Christian: 53.7%
– No religion: 23.0%
– Muslim: 7.5%
– Undeclared: 6.4%
– Sikh: 5.0%
– Hindu: 3.5%
– Buddhist: 0.3%
– Jewish: 0.1%
– Other: 0.5%
– Christianity is the largest followed religion in the city.
– Islam is the second most followed religion in Coventry.
– Coventry has a higher proportion of Sikh population compared to the national average.
History
– Coventry was founded in the early Middle Ages.
– It was formally recognized as a city in a charter of 1345.
– Coventry was an important and wealthy city during the Middle Ages.
– It became a major center of the British motor industry in the 20th century.
– The city was heavily bombed during World War II, resulting in the destruction of much of the historic city center.
– Coventry became a bastion of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.
– King Charles I attacked Coventry but was unable to breach the city walls.
– Scottish Royalist prisoners were held in Coventry during the Second Civil War.
– King Charles II ordered the city’s walls to be damaged as punishment for supporting the Parliamentarians.
Landmarks and Cultural Institutions
– St Mary’s Guildhall, dating from the 14th century, is one of the most notable surviving medieval buildings in Coventry.
– Coventry Castle, a motte and bailey castle, was built in the early 12th century.
– Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael’s Cathedral, was elevated to cathedral status in 1918.
– The Lunt Fort, a Roman fort, is located on the outskirts of Coventry.
– The city walls of Coventry, built in the 14th century, were described as one of the wonders of the late Middle Ages.
– The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum is one of the largest cultural institutions in Coventry.
– Coventry Transport Museum has the largest public collection of British-made road vehicles in the world.
– The Midland Air Museum is situated near Coventry Airport and Baginton.
– A museum in Spon Street showcases the history of the cycle trade.
– Coventry Police Museum is located in the city’s main police station and showcases the history of the police force.
Economy and Industrial Development
– Coventry was an important center of the cloth trade in the 13th century.
– It became home to a large bicycle industry in the 19th century.
– Coventry is home to three universities: Coventry University, the University of Warwick, and Arden University.
– The city has seen regeneration and an increase in population in recent years.
– Coventry was awarded UK City of Culture for 2021.
– Ribbon weaving and watch and clock making were Coventry’s staple industries in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
– Coventry lost its status as the Midlands’ most important city to Birmingham during the 18th century.
– Coventry became one of the main British centers of watch and clock manufacture.
– The ribbon weaving and clock industries collapsed after 1860 due to cheap imports.
– Coventry became the center of the British bicycle industry in the late 19th century.
– Industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s.
– Over 81,000 people were employed in the production of motor vehicles, tractors, and aircraft in Coventry in 1960.
– Coventry enjoyed a golden age with a high disposable income for its residents.
– The sports and arts sectors flourished during this period.
– The 1970s saw a decline in the British motor industry, affecting Coventry greatly.
– Most of Coventry’s motor companies were absorbed into larger companies like British Leyland and Chrysler.
– The early 1980s recession hit Coventry hard, leading to high unemployment rates.
– British Leyland’s workforce in Coventry significantly decreased during this time.
– Other industrial giants, such as Alfred Herbert, also collapsed.
– Coventry’s economy started to recover in the 1980s.
– The city’s economy diversified into services, with engineering no longer a major employer.
– Manufacturing in Coventry is now driven by smaller, specialized firms.
– The University of Warwick and Coventry University became the biggest drivers of the city’s economy.
Urban Development and Post-War Reconstruction
– The first council houses were let to Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry
Coventry (/ˈkɒvəntri/ ⓘ KOV-ən-tree or /ˈkʌv-/ KUV-) is a cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centuries. Founded in the early Middle Ages, its city status was formally recognized in a charter of 1345. The city is governed by Coventry City Council.
Coventry | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Shown within the West Midlands county | |
  Coventry Location within England  Coventry Location within the United Kingdom  Coventry Location within Europe | |
| Coordinates: 52°24′29″N 1°30′38″W / 52.40806°N 1.51056°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Ceremonial county | West Midlands |
| Historic county | Warwickshire |
| Administrative HQ | Council House |
| Founded | 1043 |
| Founded by | Leofric, Earl of Mercia |
| Government | |
| • Type | Metropolitan borough |
| • Body | Coventry City Council |
| • Leadership | Leader and cabinet |
| • Lord Mayor | Jaswant Singh Birdi |
| • Council Leader | George Duggins (L) |
| • Chief Executive | Julie Nugent |
| • MPs | Colleen Fletcher (L) Taiwo Owatemi (L) Zarah Sultana (L) |
| Area | |
| • City and metropolitan borough | 38.09 sq mi (98.64 km2) |
| Population (2021 Census) | |
| • City and metropolitan borough | 345,324 |
| • Density | 8,050/sq mi (3,108/km2) |
| • Metro | 651,600 |
| Demonyms | Coventarian |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
| Postcode | |
| Area code | 024 |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-COV |
| ONS code | 00CQ (ONS) E08000026 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SP335785 |
| NUTS 3 | UKG33 |
| 2021 population | 345,328 |
| Ethnicity (2011 Census) | 73.8% White (66.6% White British) 16.3% Asian 5.5% Black 2.7% Mixed Race 1.6% Other |
| Website | www |
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| Click the map for an interactive fullscreen view | |
Formerly part of Warwickshire until 1451, and again from 1842 to 1974, Coventry had a population of 345,324 at the 2021 census, making it the tenth largest city in England and the 13th largest in the United Kingdom.
It is the second largest city in the West Midlands region, after Birmingham, from which it is separated by an area of green belt known as the Meriden Gap; it is the third largest in the wider Midlands after Birmingham and Leicester. The city is part of a larger conurbation known as the Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area, which in 2021 had a population of 389,603.
Coventry is 19 miles (31 km) east-south-east of Birmingham, 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Leicester, 10 miles (16 km) north of Warwick and 94 miles (151 km) north-west of London. Coventry is also the most central city in England, being only 12 miles (19 km) south-west of the country's geographical centre in Leicestershire.
Coventry became an important and wealthy city of national importance during the Middle Ages. Later it became an important industrial centre, becoming home to a large bicycle industry in the 19th century. In the 20th century, it became a major centre of the British motor industry; this made it a target for German air raids during the Second World War, and in November 1940, much of the historic city centre was destroyed by a large air raid.
The city was rebuilt after the war, and the motor industry thrived until the mid-1970s. However, by the late-1970s/early-1980s, Coventry was in an economic crisis, with one of the country's highest levels of unemployment due to major plant closures and the collapse of the respective local supply-chain. In recent years, it has seen regeneration and an increase in population. The city also has three universities: Coventry University in the city centre, the University of Warwick on the southern outskirts and the smaller private Arden University with its headquarters close to Coventry Airport. In addition, Coventry was awarded UK City of Culture for 2021.