Luton, United Kingdom

The town is situated in a gap at the far east of the Chiltern Hills and is built on the River Lea, which Luton is named after. The town is the most populous settlement in Bedfordshire followed by Bedford. Luton forms a conurbation with the town of Dunstable, which is located to the west on the opposite side of the M1 motorway, and also includes Houghton Regis.

Luton is situated 32 miles (50 km) north-west of London, 10 miles (20 km) north-west of St Albans, 10 miles (20 km) west of Stevenage, 18 miles (29 km) north-east of Aylesbury, 20 miles (32 km) south of Bedford, 23 miles (37 km) south-east of Milton Keynes and 39 miles south-west of Cambridge.The source of the River Lea, part of the Thames Valley drainage basin, is in the Leagrave area of the town. The Great Bramingham Wood surrounds this area. It is classified as ancient woodland; records mention the wood at least 400 years ago.

Luton is located in a break in the eastern part of the Chiltern Hills. The Chilterns are a mixture of chalk from the Cretaceous period (about 66 – 145 million years ago) and deposits laid at the southernmost points of the ice sheet during the last ice age (the Warden Hill area can be seen from much of the town).

Bedfordshire had a reputation for brick making but the industry is now significantly reduced. The brickworks at Stopsley took advantage of the clay deposits in the east of the town.

Luton's economy has traditionally been focused on several different areas of industry, including car manufacturing, engineering and millinery. Today, Luton is moving towards a service based economy mainly in the retail and the airport sectors, although there is still a focus on light industry in the town.

EasyJet – head office (originally EasyLand, later moved into Hangar 89) and main base at London Luton Airport

Luton's post-war and more recent industrial decline has been compared to that of similar towns in northern England.

In 2008, of the town's working population, classified 16–74 years of age by the Office for National Statistics, 63% are employed. This figure includes students, the self-employed and those who are in part-time employment. 11% are retired, 8% look after the family or take care of the home and 5% are unemployed.

Luton International Carnival is the largest one-day carnival in Europe. It usually takes place on the late May Bank Holiday. Crowds can reach 150,000 on each occasion.

The procession starts at Wardown Park and makes its way down New Bedford Road, around the town centre via St George's Square, back down New Bedford Road and finishes back at Wardown Park. There are music stages and stalls around the town centre and at Wardown Park.

Luton is home to the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), the country's first purpose-built facility of its kind.

The festival celebrating the patron saint of Ireland St Patrick and organised by Luton Irish Forum, is held on the weekend nearest to 17 March. In its 20th year in 2019, the festival includes a parade, market stalls and music stands as well as Irish themed events.

Luton is one of the main locations of the University of Bedfordshire. A large campus of the university is in Luton town centre, with a smaller campus based on the edge of town in Putteridge Bury, an old Victorian manor house. The other campuses of the university are located in Bedford, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury.

The town is home to Luton Sixth Form College and Barnfield College. Both have been awarded Learning & Skills Beacon Status by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

There are 98 educational institutes in Luton – seven nurseries, 56 primary schools (9 voluntary-aided, 2 special requirements), 13 secondary schools (1 voluntary-aided, 1 special requirements), four further educational institutes and four other educational institutes.