Ealing is a district in West London, England. It is 7.5 miles west of Charing Cross. In the London Borough of Ealing, it is one of the borough's seven major towns. Ealing, resembling the W5, W13 and NW10 post codes is the administrative centre of the borough. It is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan.
Ealing is in the historic county of Middlesex. Until the urban expansion of London in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries Ealing was a rural village within Ealing parish. Improvement in communications with London, culminating with the opening of the railway station in 1838, shifted the local economy to market garden supply and eventually to suburban development. By 1902 Ealing had become known as the "Queen of the Suburbs" due to its greenery, and because it was halfway between city and country.
As part of the growth of London in the 20th century, Ealing significantly expanded and increased in population. It became a municipal borough in May 1901 and has formed part of Greater London since December 1965. It is now a significant commercial and retail centre with a developed night-time economy.