LONDON

 

London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom.[8][9] The city stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea. London has been a major settlement for two millennia.[10] The City of London, London's ancient core and financial centre, was founded by the Romans and originally called Londinium; with an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile, it retains boundaries that closely follow its medieval limits.[note 1][11][12][13][14][15] The adjacent City of Westminster has for centuries been the location of much of the national government. Thirty-one additional boroughs north and south of the river also comprise modern London. The London region is governed by the mayor of London and the London Assembly.