3. London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom.[5]
It is
the most populous region, urban zone and metropolitan area in the
United Kingdom. Standing on the RiverThames, London has been a
major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its
founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium.[6]
London's ancient
core, the City of London, largely retains its 1.12-square-mile (2.9 km2
)
mediaevalboundaries and in 2011 had a resident population of 7,375,
making it the smallest city in England. Since at least the 19th century,
the term London has also referred to the metropolis developed around
this core.
4. London is a leading global city, with
strengths in the arts, commerce,
education, entertainment, fashion,
finance, healthcare, media, professional
services, research and development,
tourism and transport all contributing to
its prominence.
5. London has a diverse range of peoples and
cultures, and more than 300 languages are
spoken within its boundaries. London had an
official population of 8,308,369 in 2012,[2]
making it
the
most populous municipality in the European Union
, and accounting for 12.5% of the UK population.
6. • London has hosted the Summer Olympics three times: in 1908, 1948, and
2012.[262][263]
London was chosen in July 2005 to host the 2012 Olympics and
Paralympics, making it the first city to host the modern Games three
times. London was also the host of the British Empire Games in 1934
. London will host the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.
• London's most popular sport is football and it has fourteen League
football clubs, including six in the Premier League
: Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and West
Ham United. In May 2012, Chelsea became the first London club to win
the UEFA Champions League.
