Hounslow is the principal town in the
London Borough of Hounslow in
Greater London. It is a suburban district 10.6 miles (17 km) west south-west of
Charing Cross. It forms a larger
post town in the
TW postcode area and is an economic hub within the capital; it has a large shopping centre which adjoins its
high street and a large number of restaurants, cafés and small businesses, many of which are associated with product assembly, marketing, telecommunications and
London Heathrow Airport. A minority of its workers are employed in
Central London, to which the town is connected by rail and tube. Hounslow is part of the
TW3 postcode area, though some areas to the west are in TW4 instead. The population of the town, comprising the Hounslow Central, Hounslow Heath and Hounslow South wards, was 41,304 in the
2011 census.