London

London (England), city, is the capital of the United Kingdom. It is situated in south - eastern England at the head of the River Thames estuary. Settled by the Romans as an important shipping point for crops and minerals, it gradually developed into the wealthy capital of a thriving industrial and agricultural nation. The expansion in the 19th century of the British Empire increased London s influence still further. SinceWorld War II the city s prominence on the international stage has diminshed, but it remains a flourishing financial centre and home to one of the world s most important stock exchanges. In addition, it is the foremost tourist destination in Britain, a centre of academic excellence and one of the cultural capitals of the world - well deserving of the observation by Samuel Johnson that: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. The term City of London, or the City, is applied only to a small area known as the SquareMile (2. 59 sq km/1 sq mi) that was the original settlement (ancient Londinium) and is now part of the financial and business district of the metropolis. The city of London and 32 surrounding boroughs constitute the Greater London metropolitan area, which covers some 1, 580 sq km (620 sq mi). The 13 inner London boroughs are Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringery, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and the City of Westminster. The 19 outer boroughs are Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Waltham Forest. London s museums and art galleries contain some of the most comprehesive collection of objects of artistic, archaeological, dcientific, historical and general interest. The British Museum in Bloomsbury is one of the biggest an most famous museums in the world. Its collectionrange from Egyptian and Classical antiquities through Saxon treasures to more recent artefacts. The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington is an assembly of fine and decorative art collection from all over the world. There are magnificent examples of porcelain, glass, sculpture, fabrics and costume, furniture, and musical instruments, all set in a building of Victorian grandeur. Nearby are the Museum of Natural History and the Science Museum. On the other side of London, in the city itself, is the Museum of London, which has exhibits dealing with the development of the capital from its origins to the present day. The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square contains one of the finest mixed collections of paintings in the world. Next door is the NationalPortrait Gallery, whose collection includes more than 9, 000 portraits. The Tate Gallery, situated on the Embankmen between Chelsea and Westminster, houses ...