London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest and most populous metropolitan area and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures.
A major settlement for two millennia, its history goes back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile' financial district, retains its mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the metropolis developed around it. Today, the bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, with its own elected mayor and assembly.
London is a leading global city being the world's largest financial centre and has the largest city GDP in Europe. Central London is home to the headquarters of most of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest. London's influence in politics, finance, education, entertainment, media, fashion, the arts and culture in general contributes to its global position. It is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors. London hosted the 1908 and 1948 Summer Olympics and will host the 2012 Summer Olympics. London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church.
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 the most populous municipality in the European Union. The Greater London Urban Area (the second largest in the EU) has a population of 8,278,251. while the metropolitan area (the largest in the EU) has an estimated total population of between 12 million and 14 million. The London Underground network, administered by Transport for London, is the oldest and most extensive underground railway network in the world, London Heathrow Airport is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers and the airspace is the busiest of any urban centre in the world.
From 1067 the city had the same rights that a county and only it depended on the royal authority. To this one epoch dates back the Tower of London.
- In 1191 the city was constituted in "municipality" when a mayor replaced the portreeve.
- In 1215, London had the privilege of choosing his mayor every year.
During long time, England lacked the fixed capital. From the 13th century, Westminster, place near to London, turned into one of the principal ones sedate of the Government. In addition, the summit of the European trade constituted another stimulant to turn London into the capital of the kingdom.During the 14th century his port turned into distribution center of goods. This activity was reinforced in the 15th century by a powerful textile industry.From the 16th century and until middle of the 18th century, London benefited from the political centralization and from the expansion of the maritime trade developed by the Tudor and continued by the Estuardo. During the reign of Enrique VIII the city was counting approximately 100.000 inhabitants. In the middle of the 17th century they were promoting 500.000.
- In 1665, though the big planning documents already had begun, most of the city was enclosed inside the former wall what propitiated a serious epidemic of pest that it caused 70.000 victims. On the following year, a gigantic fire destroyed fifth four parts of the city. The reconstruction of the city, base of the area known today as the City, bore the urban development needs in mind, and the masterpieces of the architect Wren embellished the new London. The city turned into the center of the social English life, with his palaces and hislounges, his theatres, his cultural societies (Royal Society, 1662) and his museums (British museum, 1753).
Great part of the current London belongs to the Victorian epoch. Until beginning of the 19th century, the capital was reduced to the limits of the Roman original city, more Westminster and Mayfair surrounded with fields. The industrialization attracted an increasing number of persons who filled these green spaces. This rapid expansion caused serious problems as the epidemic of rage of 1932, or the " great pestilence ", in 1858, caused by the stink of the Thames that forced to suspend the parliamentary meetings.
- From 1750 the population happened from 700.000 inhabitants to more than 4.500.000 in 1901 (6.600.000 with the zone suburban). At the end of the 19th century London had turned into the capital of the international finance and of the trade.
The administrative needs of a center of so many commercial activity stimulated to create in 1888 a new territorial autonomous unit, the county of London, governed by the " London county council ". This county was divided in twenty-nine electoral units, but the progressive expansion overflew soon out of the limits of the county on there having be formed a suburban zone of very rapid development. After a stationary period, the population of the capital began to diminish on having ended the first world war and descended below the 3.500.000 about 1950. As counterpart, the suburban area has grown continuously.
- In 1963 there was carried out a new division of the London agglomeration, which was understanding the old town and 32 metropolitan hamlets.
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