London - Location & Importance
- The capital of the UK is Greater London, usually known as London
- It is located in the southeast of England and sits on either side of the Thames River, with the bulk of Greater London being north of the river
- Divided into inner and outer London, and has 32 boroughs and one City of London
- Historically, the City of London was (and still is) the Roman city of Londinium, but as London grew, it incorporated parts of Middlesex, Surrey and Kent to become the County of London
- By 1965, London was made up of 88 different boroughs and districts
- To address this growth, 32 boroughs were established to create Greater London
- The City of London is not a borough but a county and government district and is often referred to as 'The City' or 'The Mile'
- In Roman times, Londinium was 1 square mile and remained as the main 'city of London'
- From the Middle Ages this area expanded, but is still known as the 'Square Mile' or The Mile and is the centre of finance
- Since 1839 it has also run its own police force, the City of London Police
- In 2000, another level of local government was created called the 'Greater London Authority (GLA)', and covers all the boroughs and the 'City'
Importance of London
- London is the largest city in the UK (Birmingham is the second largest)
- It is England's economic, transportation and cultural centre, with a long history and popular tourist destination
| Regional |
Many people commute to London, and it provides many jobs for people Wealthy city with higher-than-average house prices and earnings Europe's fastest-growing technology cluster, with 3,000 companies concentrated in the East End The capital generates 22% of UK GDP despite accounting for only 12.5% of the UK population |
| National |
Over 40 leading universities and research Central government is based in Whitehall 6 major train stations and 5 international airports around London and is home to the second biggest port in the UK |
| International |
Considered a ‘world city’, London is one of three important financial centres in the world, along with New York and Tokyo Major international centre for fashion, art, theatre, and film Headquarters of major TNCs |
