All about London

London (England), city, capital of the United Kingdom. London is situated in southeastern England along the Thames River.

With a population of about 7 million, this vast metropolis is by far the largest city in Europe, a distinction it has maintained since the 17th century.

In the 19th century it was the largest and most influential city in the world, the center of a large and prosperous overseas empire.

Although it no longer ranks among the world’s most populous cities, London is still one of the world’s major financial and cultural capitals.

By European standards, London is physically spread out and dispersed, without a predominant focal point.

It therefore defies easy general description, as the city’s character is found in its diverse and distinct sections.

Many of these sections began as separate villages, and today they maintain some of their individual identities.

London’s image is partly defined by its past, as its major buildings and institutions represent 2000 years of community history.

Its image is also the product of a new multiethnic mix of people and the creative impulse of the new popular culture of “Cool Britannia,” a phrase Britain’s promoters conceived in the mid-1990s to portray Britain as modern and trendy.

London’s climate is generally mild and damp, although it can be erratic. This region is one of the driest parts of Britain, and the average annual rainfall is only 750 mm (30 in).

However, the weather is generally cloudy, and some rain is liable to fall on half the days of the year.

With a mean temperature in July of about 18° C (about 64° F), London has warmer summers than most of the island, although heat waves are infrequent and seldom last long.

Temperatures rarely go above 26° C (78° F). Winters are relatively frosty, however, and the mean temperature in January is 4° C (40° F). Fog frequently develops in winter.

In the past, foggy days were aggravated by smoke, resulting in London's traditional 'pea-soupers.' However, since the use of coal has significantly declined, these have largely disappeared.



(1) LONDON AND IT'S METROPOLETAN AREA
(2) POPULATION
(3) EDUCATION AND CULTURE
(4) ECONOMY
(5) GOVERNMENT
(6) CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
(7) HISTORY