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London
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. London
produces 17% of the UK's GDP, and is one of the world's major business,
political and cultural centres. London is a leader in international
finance, politics, communications, entertainment, fashion and the arts
and has considerable influence worldwide. London is one of the world's
four major global cities (along with New York City, Tokyo and Paris).
Initially a Roman town known as Londinium, nowadays London is the most
populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1
January 2005 of 7.5 million and a metropolitan area population of
between 12 and 14 million. London's population includes an extremely
diverse range of peoples, cultures, and religions, making it one of the
most cosmopolitan, vibrant and energetic cities on earth. A resident of
London is referred to as a Londoner. Over 300 languages are spoken in
London, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.
London is also known by other names in other languages.
London is the home of many global organisations, institutions and
companies, and as such retains its leading role in world affairs. A city
where cutting-edge meets tradition, London is a major tourist
destination and an international transportation hub. It has many
important buildings and iconic landmarks, including world-famous
museums, theatres, concert halls, galleries, airports, sports stadia and
palaces.
London's status as the Capital has never been granted or confirmed
officially —by statute or in written form. Nonetheless, it remains the
de facto capital and, through common law, part of the UK's unwritten
constitution.
Today, "London" usually refers to the conurbation known as Greater
London, which is divided into thirty-two London Boroughs, the City of
Westminster and the City of London and forms the London region of
England. Historically, "London" referred to the square mile of the City
of London at the conurbation's heart, from which the city grew. Between
1889 and 1965 it referred to the former County of London which covered
the area now known as Inner London. The metropolitan area of the County
of London was previously covered by the Metropolitan Board of Works.
There are other definitions of "London" which cover varying areas, such
as the London postal districts; the area covered by the telephone area
code 020; the area accessible by public transport using a Transport for
London travelcard; the area delimited by the M25 orbital motorway; the
Metropolitan Police District; and the London commuter belt.
The coordinates of the center of London (traditionally considered to be
Charing Cross, near the junction of Trafalgar Square, the Strand,
Whitehall and the Mall) are approximately 51°30′N 0°8′W. The Romans may
have marked the center of Londinium with the London Stone in the City.
Geography and climate
Greater London covers an area of 609 square miles (1,579 km²). London
used to be identified by its port on the Thames, which is a navigable
river. The river had a major influence on the development of the city.
London was founded on the north bank of the Thames and, for many
centuries, there was only a single bridge, London Bridge. As a result,
the main focus of the city was on the north side of the Thames. When
more bridges were built in the 18th century, the city expanded in all
directions as the mostly flat or gently rolling countryside around the
Thames floodplain presented no obstacle to growth. Today, there are a
few hills in London, examples being Parliament Hill and Primrose Hill,
they provide fine prospects of the city centre without significantly
affecting the directions of the spread of the city and London is
therefore roughly circular.
The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river than it is today
with extensive marshlands. It has been extensively embanked, and many of
its London tributaries now flow underground. The Thames is a tidal
river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased
over time due to a slow but continuous rise in high water level and the
slow 'tilting' of Britain (up in the north and down in the south) caused
by post-glacial rebound. The Thames Barrier was constructed across the
Thames at Woolwich in the 1970s to deal with this threat, but in
early-2005 it was suggested that a ten-mile-long barrier further
downstream might be required to deal with the flood risk in the future
[1].
London has a temperate climate, with warm but seldom hot summers, cool
but rarely severe winters. It has regular but generally light
precipitation throughout the year. Summer temperatures rarely rise much
above 33°C (91°F), though higher temperatures have become more common
recently. The highest temperature ever recorded in London was 38.1°C
(100.6°F), measured at Kew Gardens during the European Heat Wave of
2003. Heavy snowfalls are almost unknown. In recent winters, snow has
rarely settled to more than an inch (25 mm). London's average annual
precipitation of less than 24 inches (600 mm) is lower than that of Rome
or Sydney. London's large built-up area creates a microclimate, with
heat stored by the city's buildings: sometimes temperatures are 5°C
(9°F) warmer in the city than in the surrounding areas.
History
Greater London covers an area of 609 square miles (1,579 km²). London
used to be identified by its port on the Thames, which is a navigable
river. The river had a major influence on the development of the city.
London was founded on the north bank of the Thames and, for many
centuries, there was only a single bridge, London Bridge. As a result,
the main focus of the city was on the north side of the Thames. When
more bridges were built in the 18th century, the city expanded in all
directions as the mostly flat or gently rolling countryside around the
Thames floodplain presented no obstacle to growth. Today, there are a
few hills in London, examples being Parliament Hill and Primrose Hill,
they provide fine prospects of the city centre without significantly
affecting the directions of the spread of the city and London is
therefore roughly circular.
The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river than it is today
with extensive marshlands. It has been extensively embanked, and many of
its London tributaries now flow underground. The Thames is a tidal
river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased
over time due to a slow but continuous rise in high water level and the
slow 'tilting' of Britain (up in the north and down in the south) caused
by post-glacial rebound. The Thames Barrier was constructed across the
Thames at Woolwich in the 1970s to deal with this threat, but in
early-2005 it was suggested that a ten-mile-long barrier further
downstream might be required to deal with the flood risk in the future
[1].
London has a temperate climate, with warm but seldom hot summers, cool
but rarely severe winters. It has regular but generally light
precipitation throughout the year. Summer temperatures rarely rise much
above 33°C (91°F), though higher temperatures have become more common
recently. The highest temperature ever recorded in London was 38.1°C
(100.6°F), measured at Kew Gardens during the European Heat Wave of
2003. Heavy snowfalls are almost unknown. In recent winters, snow has
rarely settled to more than an inch (25 mm). London's average annual
precipitation of less than 24 inches (600 mm) is lower than that of Rome
or Sydney. London's large built-up area creates a microclimate, with
heat stored by the city's buildings: sometimes temperatures are 5°C
(9°F) warmer in the city than in the surrounding areas.
Modern London
Today Greater London comprises the City of London and the 32 London
boroughs (including the City of Westminster). 12 of these boroughs are
defined as Inner London, the remaining 20 defined as Outer London. The
dominant centre of activity in London is the City of Westminster
(including the West End) which is the main cultural, entertainment and
consumer district, the location of most of London's major corporate
headquarters outside of the financial services sector, and the centre of
the UK's national government. The City of London (also known as the
"Square Mile") is at the center of international finance, and is
Europe’s main business center. The headquarters of more than 100 of
Europe’s 500 largest companies are all in London. The London foreign
exchange market is the largest in the world, with an average daily
turnover of $504 billion, more than the New York and Tokyo exchanges
combined. While very busy during the working week, most parts of the
City tend to be quiet at weekends, since it is primarily a
non-residential area.
London is one of the most visited cities on earth. Tourist attractions
are located mainly in Central London, comprising the historic City of
London; the West End with its many cinemas, bars, clubs, theaters, shops
and restaurants; the City of Westminster with Westminster Abbey, the
royal residences of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and St. James's
Palace; the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea with its museums
(the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, and Victoria and Albert
Museum) and Hyde Park. Other important tourist attractions include St
Paul's Cathedral, the National Gallery; the South Bank and Bankside
areas of Southwark with the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern; London
Bridge, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the Tate Britain on the
Embankment; and the British Museum in Bloomsbury. There are many other
places of interest across the city.
Classical music/Opera
London has five professional symphony orchestras; the London Symphony
Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. There are
also several chamber orchestras, some of which specialise in period
instrument performances, including the Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightenment, and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
The principal orchestral music venues are the Royal Festival Hall, and
the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which are both in the South Bank Centre; the
Barbican Centre; and the Royal Albert Hall, which hosts the Proms each
summer. Chamber music venues include the Purcell Room at the South Bank
Centre; the Wigmore Hall and St. John's, Smith Square.
The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden is home to the Royal Opera and
Royal Ballet companies. The other main opera company is the English
National Opera. In the summer opera is performed in a temporary pavilion
by Opera Holland Park, and there are occasional performances by visiting
opera companies and small freelance professional opera companies. The
major venues for contemporary dance productions include the Sadler's
Wells Theatre and the Barbican Centre.
Popular music
London is famous for its rock scene, and was the starting point of such
bands as The Clash, Led Zeppelin, The Sex Pistols,The Who , The
Libertines, and Pink Floyd. Most major bands' tours will pass through
London as well, favourite venues being the Brixton Academy, the Astoria,
and the Hammersmith Apollo.
In addition to spawning the bands mention above, London, in its capacity
as the UK's cultural centre, has served as the base of a number of
internationally important acts, including The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix,
as well as being instrumental in the birth of dance music.
Festivals
London hosts several festivals, fairs and carnivals throughout the year.
The most famous is the Notting Hill Carnival, the world's second largest
carnival. The carnival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend,
and attracts almost 1 million people. It has a distinctly Afro-Caribbean
flavour, and highlights include a competition between London's steelpan
bands and a 3 mile street parade with dancing and music.
There are also large parades held on St. George's Day (April 23) and St
Patrick's Day (March 17). The Dance Umbrella is held every October, and
features a variety of dance companies putting on displays across London.
In addition there are many smaller fairs and parades, including the
Christmas Without Cruelty Fayre, a fair held annually to promote animal
rights.
Theatre
There are over three dozen major theatres, most concentrated in the West
End (see the articles West End theatre and List of London venues). West
End theatres are commercial ventures and show musicals, comedy and
serious drama. The subsidised or non-commercial theatre includes the
National Theatre, which is based at the South Bank; the Royal
Shakespeare Company which is based in Stratford, but presents seasons in
London; The Globe, a modern reconstruction of the home of Shakespeare's
troupe; The Royal Court Theatre which specialises in new drama; the Old
Vic; and the Young Vic. London also boasts a vibrant fringe theatre
culture including places such as the Battersea Arts Centre, The UCL
Bloomsbury, The Place, and Tricycle Theatre.
Art
The British National collection of Western Art to 1900 is held at The
National Gallery. Other major collections of pre-1900 art are The
Wallace Collection; the Courtauld Gallery at the Courtauld Institute of
Art; and Dulwich Picture Gallery. The national collection of post-1900
art is at Tate Modern and the national collection of British Art is at
Tate Britain. The National Portrait Gallery has a major collection
dedicated to prominent British people from all periods. The Royal
Academy's temporary exhibitions are also important.
In addition to Tate Modern major contemporary art venues include White
Cube, the Saatchi Gallery, and The ICA.
Museums
There are over 240 museums in London. Among the more important are the
British Museum (antiquities from all over the world), the Victoria and
Albert Museum (applied and decorative arts), the Natural History Museum,
the Science Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime
Museum, and the Museum of London.
Religion
When Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine to bring England into the
Catholic fold in 597, it was intended that the envoy should become
"Archbishop of London", as the city was remembered as the capital of
Roman Britain. In the event, the saint received his most hospitable
reception in the Kingdom of Kent, and the archiepiscopal see was founded
at Canterbury. Nonetheless London has been at the centre of England's
religious life for much of its history, and each Archbishop of
Canterbury has traditionally spent much of his time in London, where he
has an official residence at Lambeth Palace. London's two Anglican
bishops are the Bishop of London, whose see is London north of the
Thames, and whose throne is in London's grandest church, the baroque St
Paul's Cathedral (designed by Sir Christopher Wren), and the Bishop of
Southwark, who tends to Anglicans south of the river. Important national
and royal ceremonies are divided between St Paul's and Westminster
Abbey, a gothic church on the scale of a cathedral. As in the rest of
the UK, religious attendance in London is low, and the Church of England
has borne the brunt of this decline.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster is generally regarded as
the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Other
traditional Protestant denominations whose headquarters are in London
include the United Reformed Church and the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers). Many of London's immigrant groups have established
denominations in the city, for example Greek Orthodoxy. In addition
various evangelical churches exist.
London is the most important centre of Islam in the United Kingdom. Two
London boroughs contain the highest proportion of Muslims in the UK:
Tower Hamlets and Newham. The London Central Mosque is a well-known
landmark on the edge of Regent's Park, and there are many other mosques
in the city. London also has the largest Hindu population outside of
India. Southall, in West London is home to many Hindus. Hare Krishna
monks are a common sight in the city centre and the Hindu temple at
Neasden, Neasden Temple is the largest Hindu temple outside of India,
built in the traditional style. Much of the enormously elaborate and
intricate marble sculpture used in the building was carved in India.
Over two-thirds of British Jews live in London, which ranks thirteenth
in the world as a Jewish population centre
Wikipedia.org
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