Brighton

Brighton
Top: the Brighton Palace Pier Middle (left to right): the i360 observation tower; the Royal Pavilion; and the Jubilee Clock Tower Bottom (left to right): Brighton Marina; and the promenade
Brighton Location within East Sussex Show map of East Sussex Brighton Location within England Show map of England Brighton Location within the United Kingdom Show map of the United Kingdom Brighton Brighton (Europe) Show map of Europe
Coordinates: 50°49′15″N 00°08′15″W / 50.82083°N 0.13750°W / 50.82083; -0.13750
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South East England
Ceremonial county	East Sussex
Historic county	Sussex
Unitary authority	Brighton and Hove
Admin HQ	Hove Town Hall
Town charter	1313
Incorporated	1854
Unitary authority	1997
City status	2000
Government
• Type	Unitary authority
• Governing body	Brighton and Hove City Council
• Leader	Bella Sankey (Labour)
• Mayor	Lizzie Deane
• MPs	Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour, Kemptown) Caroline Lucas (Green, Pavilion)
Area
• Total	31.98 sq mi (82.83 km2)
Population  (2021)
• Total	276,334 (ranked 59th) (Brighton and Hove pop.)
• Density	8,640/sq mi (3,336/km2)
Demonym	Brightonian
Time zone	UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)
Postcode area	BN
Area code	01273
ISO 3166-2	GB-BNH
ONS code	00ML (ONS) E06000043 (GSS)
OS grid reference	TQ315065
NUTS 3	UKJ21
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
Website	www.brighton-hove.gov.uk

Brighton (/ˈbraɪtən/ BRY-tən) is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the city of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located 47 miles (76 km) south of London.^[1] Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. The ancient settlement of "Brighthelmstone" was documented in the Domesday Book (1086). The town's importance grew in the Middle Ages as the Old Town developed, but it languished in the early modern period, affected by foreign attacks, storms, a suffering economy and a declining population. Brighton began to attract more visitors following improved road transport to London and becoming a boarding point for boats travelling to France. The town also developed in popularity as a health resort for sea bathing as a purported cure for illnesses.

In the Georgian era, Brighton developed as a highly fashionable seaside resort, encouraged by the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who spent much time in the town and constructed the Royal Pavilion in the Regency era. Brighton continued to grow as a major centre of tourism following the arrival of the railways in 1841, becoming a popular destination for day-trippers from London. Many of the major attractions were built in the Victorian era, including the Grand Hotel, the Hilton Brighton Metropole, the Palace Pier and the West Pier. The town continued to grow into the 20th century, expanding to incorporate more areas into the town's boundaries before joining Hove to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove in 1997, which was granted city status in 2000.^[2] Today, Brighton and Hove district has a resident population of about 276,334 and the wider Brighton and Hove conurbation has a population of 474,485 (2011 census).^{[note 1]}

Brighton's location has made it a popular destination for tourists, renowned for its diverse communities, shopping areas, large and vibrant cultural, music and arts scene, and its large LGBT population, leading to its recognition as the "unofficial gay capital of the UK" and as of the 2021 census, 10.7% of the population of Brighton and Hove over the age of 18 identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, the highest percentage in the entire UK.^[3] Brighton has been called the UK's "hippest city"^[4] and "the happiest place to live in the UK".^[5]

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