Whether London is your intended destination or just a brief stopover on the way to your new home, we have compiled this guide to help you get your bearings on arrival. To obtain more details about the city check out the websites listed at the end of this profile.
London has a population of approximately 7.5 Million people (2007), one seventh of the population of the UK, and is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the European Union.
London is in the South East of England and is the largest urban area and capital city of the United Kingdom, covering an area of 609 square miles (1,579 square km). London is a port on the Thames (a navigable river). The river has had a major influence on the development of the city.
London began on the Thames' north bank and for many centuries London Bridge was the only bridge in or close to the city. Because of this, the main focus of the city was on the north side of the Thames. When more bridges were built in the 18th century, the city expanded in all directions, as the mostly flat or gently rolling countryside presented no obstacle to growth. The River Thames now flows through the centre of London, and continues flowing east towards the sea via the Medway out into the Thames Estuary and thence into the North Sea.
London is situated inland, and the nearest point to the seaside is at Brighton (50 miles south), or to the Thames Estuary at Sheerness.
In the last three decades London has transformed its economy from one in which manufacturing was a key sector to one where business and finance now forms one of its cornerstones.
In 1971 a quarter of the city’s workforce was employed in the manufacturing sector. Today 1 out of 5 people working in London are employed in the business and financial services sector. It is anticipated that by 2026 only 133 000 will still be employed in manufacturing.
Manufacturing has been eclipsed by financial services, in which London has become both a national and a world leader. In 1990, business and financial services accounted for one in six jobs. London laid claim to one-third of all British employment in this sector—reportedly the world's largest concentration of such jobs in one metropolitan centre. International banking, commodities, securities trading, and reinsurance services have crowded into modern office towers in the historic "square mile" of the City of London, providing new opportunities for commercial development, subject to the space limitations of the district. By the end of the 1990s, the recession of the early part of the decade was over; tourism was booming; and major public works projects were under way, spurred by the approach of a new millennium.
The centrepiece of the public transport network is the London Underground — commonly referred to as The Tube — which has eleven interconnecting lines. The Underground serves the central area and most suburbs to the north of the Thames, while those to the south are served by an extensive suburban rail surface network.
London's bus network is one of the biggest in the world, running 24 hours, with 8,000 buses, 700 bus routes, and over 6 million passenger journeys made every weekday. London has the largest wheelchair accessible network in the world and, from the 3rd quarter of 2007, became more accessible to hearing and visually impaired passengers as audio-visual announcements were introduced. The buses are internationally recognised, and are a trademark of London transport along with black cabs and the Tube. 
Heathrow Airport is the world's busiest airport in terms of numbers of international passengers. No fewer than eight airports use the words London Airport in their name, but most traffic passes through one of five major airports.
Although the majority of journeys involving central London are made by public transport, travel in outer London is car-dominated. The inner ring road (around the city centre), the North and South Circular roads (in the suburbs), and the outer orbital motorway (the M25, outside the built-up area) encircle the city and are intersected by a number of busy radial routes—but very few motorways penetrate into inner London. In 2003, a congestion charge was introduced to reduce traffic volumes in the city centre. With a few exceptions, motorists are required to pay GBP8.00 per day Monday to Friday between the hours of 0700 to 1800, to drive within a defined zone encompassing much of congested central London.
With 83 major street markets, selling everything from antiques and exotic ingredients to retro fashions and crafts, market shoppers are spoilt for choice in London. From porcelain in Portobello Road to jellied eels in the East End, all sorts of London markets give your browsing ability a workout! Huge antique emporiums, funky street markets and cool designer-maker studios will land you in shopping heaven.
| London has a reputation for being a creative city and with the UK producing some internationally-renowned and innovative designers, the capital acts as a shop window onto British design. |
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Department stores are a London speciality. There are dozens of them across the city, stocked with a huge range of products from fashion to home furnishings, food to jewellery. Oxford Street is a world famous shopping street home to a wide range of shops including big-name department stores.
The incredible mixture of races and nationalities has brought a wonderful, unparalleled new wave of gastronomic delight. (Fans of steak and kidney pie, shepherds pie, fish 'n' chips, Sunday roasts and other British specialties, however, will find traditional offerings everywhere from the local pub to trendy Modern British restaurants.) Curry houses now appear, often in droves, on practically every high street. Japanese sushi bars likewise have mushroomed all over the centre.
Take your pick from Korean to Burmese, Argentine steak to Vegan, Malaysian to Mauritian, and Modern British to Hungarian - an epicurean feast! Food is the new hedonistic pleasure, with food halls emerging as trendy hang-outs, chefs becoming TV stars and cookery books turning into hot bestsellers. London is indisputably foodie heaven, and luxury ingredients are the latest must-haves.
London is an international centre of culture in terms of arts, music, festivals, museums and much more. London hosts several festivals, fairs and carnivals throughout the year. The most famous is the Notting Hill Carnival, the world's second largest carnival. The carnival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, and attracts almost 1 million people. It has a distinctly Afro-Caribbean flavour, and highlights include a competition between London's steelpan bands and a 3 mile street parade with dancing and music.
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There are over 240 museums in London. Among the more important are the British Museum (antiquities from all over the world), the Victoria and Albert Museum(applied and decorative arts), the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Museum of London.
There are so many lifestyle choices available in London, that it is hard to list them all and be sure none have been missed. Theatre, opera, ballet, music, cinema, books, antiques, travel, eating out, gambling, entertaining, walking, cycling, riding, driving, shopping etc. etc.
With not just one but eight Royal Parks, you're spoilt for choice in London for immaculately tended lawns, lakes and leisure facilities. With everything from boating lakes, golf courses, outdoor theatres and historic buildings to stripy deckchairs - there’s something for every outdoor enthusiast. From football, rugby, cricket and tennis, to more unusual sports on skates and skis, London is host to a wealth of sporting events and activities.
Home to a range of universities, colleges and schools, London has a student population of about 378,000 and is a centre of research and development. With 125,000 students, the University of London is the largest contact teaching university in the United Kingdom and in Europe. It comprises 20 colleges as well as several smaller institutes, each with a high degree of autonomy.
London is also known globally for its business education, with the London Business School (ranked 1st in Europe - Business Week) and Cass Business School (Europe's largest finance school) both being top world-rated business schools.
London Tourism
www.visitlondon.com
City of London Council
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Daylight saving in summer, known as British Summer Time (BST), will come into effect in 2008 on Sunday 30 March 01:00 GMT, and end on Sunday 26 October 01:00 GMT (02:00 BST)
BST is Greenwich Mean Time + 1 hour.
