London is the capital city of England and the UK standing on the River Thames. London is a leading global city known for its arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, research and development, tourism, and transport. It is one of the world’s leading financial centres, a global cultural capital, and the world’s most-visited city. London’s 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe. London has a diverse range of peoples and cultures, and more than 300 spoken languages. The region had an official population of about 8.5M in 2013, the largest municipality in Europe, accounting for 12.5% of the UK population.
London contains four world heritage sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret’s Church; and the historic settlement of Greenwich. Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and The Shard. London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions, including the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, British Library and 40 West End theatres. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.