London is the capital of England AND the United Kingdom , the largest metropolitan area in the

United Kingdom AND the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. London has
been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back tu ITS founding by the Romans , who
called it Londinium . London's ancient core, the City of London , largely retains its square-
mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the
metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region AND
the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London AND the London
Assembly .

London is a leading global city , with its strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment,
fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research AND development, tourism AND
transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New
York has the largest city GDPin Europe AND is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of
Europe's 500 largest companies. It is the most visited city in the world. London's five international
airports make its airspace the busiest of any urban centre worldwide AND London Heathrow is
the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers . London's 43 universities form the
largest concentration of higher education in Europe . in 2012 London will become the first city to host
theSummer Olympics three times.

London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures AND religions, AND more than 300 languages are
spoken within its boundaries. In July 2007 it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the
boundaries of Greater London, making it themost populous municipality in the European
Union . The Greater London Urban Area is the second largest in the EU with a population of
8,278,251, while London's metropolitan area is the largest in the EU with an estimated total population
of between 12 million AND 14 million.

London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ;
the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbeyand St. Margaret's Church ; AND
the historic settlement of Greenwich (in which the Royal Observatory marks the Greenwich
Meridian (0° longitude) AND GMT ). Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace ,
the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus ,30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) , St Paul's Cathedral , Tower
Bridge AND Trafalgar Square . London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting
events AND other cultural institutions including the British Museum , National Gallery , British
Library , Wimbledon AND 40 theatres.London's Chinatown is the largest in Europe. The London
Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world AND the most extensive
after the Shanghai Metrou

London's buildings are too diverse to be characterised by any particular architectural style, having
been built over a long period of time. Notable recent buildings are Tower 42 , the Lloyd's building ,
and 30 St Mary Axe , also known as "the Gherkin" . London's generally low-rise nature makes these
skyscrapers and others such as One Canada Square and its neighbours at Canary Wharf , and the BT
Tower in Fitzrovia easily noticeable from a distance.

The largest parks in the central area of London are the Royal Parks of Hyde Park , its
neighbour Kensington Gardens at the western edge ofCentral London and Regent's Park on the
northern edge Regent's Park contains London Zoo , the world's oldest scientific zoo, and is located
near the tourist attraction of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

Closer to central London are the smaller Royal Parks of Green Park and St. James's Park Hyde Park
in particular is popular for sports and sometimes hosts open-air concerts. A number of large parks lie
outside the city centre, including the remaining Royal Parks of Greenwich Park to the south-
east and Bushy Park and Richmond Park to the south-west, as well as Victoria Park, East London to
the east. Primrose Hill to the north of Regent's Park is a popular spot to view the city skyline.
London is a major centre of higher education teaching and research and its 43 universities form the
largest concentration of higher education in Europe.

London is home to many museums , galleries, and other institutions, many of which are free of
admission charges and are major tourist attractions as well as playing a research role. The first of
these to be established was the British Museum in Bloomsbury , in 1753. Originally containing
antiquities, natural history specimens and the national library, the museum now has 7 million artefacts
from around the globe.

London is one of the major classical and popular music capitals of the world and is home to major
music corporations, such as EMI , as well as countless bands, musicians and industry professionals

In the 1980s London was the main city in the new wave of British heavy metal era which made bands
like Iron Maiden and Motörhead famous all around the world

London generates approximately 20% of the UK's GDP (or $446 billion in 2005); while the economy
of the London metropolitan area — the largest in Europe —generates approximately 30% of the UK's
GDP (or an estimated $669 billion in 2005).London is one of the pre-eminent financial centres of the
world and vies with New York City as the most important location for international finance.

London's largest industry is finance , and its financial exports make it a large contributor to the
UK's balance of payments . Around 325,000 people were employed in financial services in London
until mid-2007. London has over 480 overseas banks, more than any other city in the world. Due to its
prominent global role, London's economy has been affected by the global financial crisis of 2008–
2009 . The City of London estimates that 70,000 jobs in finance will be cut within a year.