The final national result, overturning over four decades of the UK's membership of EU, was officially declared as 51.9 per cent in favour of Brexit and 48.1 per cent in favour of Remain by the UK Electoral Commission's chief counting officer Jenny Watson from Manchester Town Hall.

Britain, the second largest economy in Europe after Germany, is the second country after Greenland to quit the bloc.

A total of 17,410,742 voters emerged as Brexiters compared to the 16,141,241 that sided with Remain, leading to a victory for Brexit by 1,269,501 votes.

The referendum turnout was declared as 72.2 per cent with over 30 million people turning out to vote, reflecting the highest turnout in the UK since 1992.

London, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted strongly to stay in the EU but Brexit held strong in the north of England, the Midlands region, Wales and most English counties, sending world markets into a shock with the Pound Sterling in free-fall.

Image: The cover of the Daily Telegraph. Also see how other papers covered the historic Brexit polls.