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The capital of the United Kingdom is London. The United Kingdom, a nation in northwest Europe, consists of the entire island of Great Britain (containing England, Wales, and Scotland) and the northern part of Ireland. Often referred to as Britain, it has London as its capital city, a world leader in commerce, finance, and culture. Other major cities are- Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool in England; Londonderry and Belfast in Northern Ireland; Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland; and Cardiff and Swansea in Wales. In this article, we will discuss everything about the capital of the United Kingdom, London.
Table of Contents
Overview of London
London, as we famously know it for being one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, is absolutely a one-time experience for anyone.
| Attribute | Value |
| Country Name | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| Commonly known as | United Kingdom (UK) or Britain |
| Location | Northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland |
| Constituent countries | England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland |
| Land area | 94,354 square miles (244,376 km2) |
| Estimated population (2022) | nearly 67.6 million people |
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History of London
London was founded by Romans in the 1st century AD as Londinium as a part of the Roman Empire for 400 years, later settled by Saxons.
- Conquered by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Tower of London was built.
- Faced plagues and the Great Fire (1666), rebuilt with St. Paul’s Cathedral by Wren.
- Became the wealthy capital of the vast British Empire in the 18th-19th centuries.
- Heavily damaged by WWII bombing (Blitz), rebuilt again.
- Suffered terrorist attacks in the 21st century, but remains resilient.
- Hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
- Elected Sadiq Khan, 1st Muslim mayor of a Western capital city (2016). Population: 8.9 million (est. 2016).
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Geography of London
The precise location of London is the Southeastern part of Great Britain island. Other such details of geography are mentioned below.
- Total Area Covered:
- London region: 610 sq mi (1,579 sq km).
- London Metropolitan Region: 3,236 sq mi (8,382 sq km).
- The total population of London is 8.982 million.
- The total density of the population as of 2021
- London region: 5,596 people per sq km.
- London Metropolitan Region: 1,510 people per sq km.
- One of the key rivers of London is the Thames.
Demography of London
The demography of the capital city of the United Kingdom is as follows:
| Region | Total population | Population change (2012-2022) | Population per km2 | % not UK-born |
| London sub-region: Central | 1,435,500 | 1.40% | 11,144 | 44% |
| London sub-region: East | 2,855,000 | 9.50% | 6,184 | 38% |
| London | 8,866,200 | 6.20% | 5,640 | 41% |
| London sub-region: North | 978,100 | 3.90% | 4,960 | 43% |
| London sub-region: South | 1,643,900 | 5.20% | 4,219 | 32% |
| London sub-region: West | 1,953,600 | 6.70% | 4,949 | 47% |
| Rest of England | 48,240,200 | 6.30% | 375 | 13% |
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Culture and Economy of London
London’s Culture & Creative Industries are basically the economic powerhouses of the capital city of the UK.
- London’s creative industries generate close to £10 million in an hour.
- Global recognition fuels the cultural interest of London since it is one of the most googled cities.
- Londoners work in creative fields. This is proved by the fact that one in six jobs is in creative fields.
- The cultural tourism generates a revenue of £7.3 billion.
- West End theatre, the World-famous, attracts 32,000 nightly attendees on a daily basis.
- Fashion weeks generate £6 billion+ in PR value for London.
- 30,000 art & design graduates is the yearly influx of creative talent.
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Facts About London
Let’s conclude the article with some of the amazing facts about London that you might have not known already.
- Despite being a massive metropolis, the City of London, the historical core of London, is the smallest city in England by area, covering only 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi).
- The Mail Rail was an underground railway that transported mail beneath central London from 1912 to 2003. Although it is no longer operational, tourists can access a small part of the train.
- There’s a fake house squeezed between two real houses on Bathurst Street near Hyde Park. This illusion was created in the 1800s to avoid having to pay a window tax. By having fewer than the required number of windows facing the street, the owners avoided the tax.
- London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with people speaking over 300 languages. This makes it a truly multicultural and vibrant city.
- The smallest statue in London is located on Philpot Lane in the City’s financial district. It depicts two mice fighting over a piece of cheese and is only about 3 millimetres tall
FAQ
London is the capital of both England and the UK. It is the most populous city in the United Kingdom, with a metropolitan area of over 13 million inhabitants.
The full form of the UK is the United Kingdom and the capital of the UK is London.
The full name of the United Kingdom is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).
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