Geography

greaterlondon
Apr 18, 2015
4 min read

London lies on the River Thames , about 50 km from the North Sea . The river has influenced London for many centuries . Rising tideshave flooded the city more than once. In the 1970s and 80s a large barrier was built in the eastern part of the city to stop incomingwater from flooding the nation’s capital.

London is divided into three main sections.

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Figure 1. The location of Greater London. Source http://www.mapsofworld.com/united-kingdom/london-city-map.html

The City is London’s financial district and the oldest part of the capital . It is very small, with a size of only one square mile. Althoughonly a few thousand people live here , hundreds of thousands pour into the City every day to work in the big office buildings of large banks and other institutions.
The West End includes London’s government district Westminster as well as the famous shopping streets around Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. The city’s famous cinemas, theatres and bars are located in the West End. Most of London’s tourist attractions are concentrated here.
The South Bank is the area south of the Thames River. It is a cultural district with many concert halls, museums, theatres and galleries.

The City of London is the largest city based on population and is the capital of the United Kingdom as well as England. London is also one of the largest urban areas in the entire European Union. London's history goes back to Roman times when it was called Londinium. Remnants of London's ancient history are still visible today as the city's historic core is still surrounded by its medieval boundaries. Today

London is one of the world's largest financial centers and is home to more than 100 of Europe's top 500 largest companies. London also has a strong governmental function as it is the home of the UK's Parliament. Education, media, fashion, arts and other cultural activities are also prevalent in the city. London is a major world tourist destination, features four UNESCO World Heritage Sites and was host to the 1908 and 1948 Summer Olympics. In 2012, London will again host the summer games. The following is a list of the ten most important things to know about the City of London, England: 1) It is believed that the first permanent settlement in present-day London was a Roman one in around 43 B.C.E. It lasted for only 17 years however, as it was eventually raided and destroyed. The city was rebuilt and by the 2nd century, Roman London or Londinium had a population of over 60,000 people. (You'll find more about Romans here> LINK) 2) Since the 2nd century, London passed through the control of various groups but by 1300 the city had a highly

organized governmental structure and a population of over 100,000. In the centuries following, London continued to grow and became a European cultural center because of writers such as William Shakespeare and the city became a large seaport. 3) In the 17th century, London lost one-fifth of its population in the Great Plague. Around the same time, much of the city was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. Rebuilding took over ten years and since then, the city has grown. 4) Like many European cities, London was highly impacted by World War II - especially after the Blitz and other German bombings killed over 30,000 London residents and destroyed a large part of the city. The 1948 Summer Olympics were then held at Wembley Stadium as the rest of the city rebuilt. 5) As of 2007, the City of London had a population of 7,556,900 and a population density of 12,331 persons per square mile (4,761/sq km). This population is a diverse mix of various cultures and religions and over 300 languages are spoken in the city. 6) The Greater London region covers a total area of 607 square miles (1,572 sq km). The London Metropolitan Region however contains 3,236 square miles (8,382 sq km). 7) The main topographical feature of London is the Thames River which crosses the city from the east to the south-west. The Thames has many tributaries, most of which are now underground as they flow through London. The Thames is also a tidal river and London is thus vulnerable to flooding. Because of this, a barrier called the Thames River Barrier, has been built across the river. 8) London's climate is considered temperate maritime and the city generally has moderate temperatures. The average summer high temperature is around 70-75°F (21-24°C). Winters can be cold but because of the urban heat island, London itself does not regularly receive significant snowfall. The average winter high temperature in London is 41-46°F (5-8°C). 9) Along with New York City and Tokyo, London is one of the three command centers for the world's economy. The largest industry in London is finance, but professional services, media such as the BBC and tourism are also large industries in the city. After Paris, London is the world's second most visited city by tourists and it attracts around 15 millioninternational visitors yearly. 10) London is home to various universities and colleges and has a student population of around 378,000. London is a world research center and the University of London is the largest teaching university in Europe. To learn more about London visit the city's official website.