London (pronounced ˈlʌndən/) is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom. It has been an influential city for two millennia and its history goes back to its founding by the Romans then named Londinium. London’s core the ancient City of London the ‘square mile’ retains its medieval boundaries. However since at least the nineteenth century the name "London" has also referred to the whole metropolis that has 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 global city and one of the world’s largest financial centres. Central London is home to the headquarters of more than half 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 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 has a wide 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 7556900 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 8278251. while the metropolitan area (the largest in the EU) has an estimated total population of between 12 million and 14 million. The public transport network administered by Transport for London is the most extensive 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.