London is the capital, largest city and chief port of England, and also serves as the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

With a population of about 7 million, this vast metropolis is by far the largest city in Europe, a distinction it has maintained since the 17th century.

In the 19th century, it was the largest and most influential city in the world, the center of a large and prosperous overseas empire.

Although it no longer ranks among the world’s most populous cities, London is still one of the world’s major financial and cultural capitals.

By European standards, London is physically spread out and dispersed, without a predominant focal point. It therefore defies easy general description, as the city’s character is found in its diverse and distinct sections.

Many of these sections began as separate villages, and today they maintain some of their individual identities. London’s image is partly defined by its past, as its major buildings and institutions represent 2000 years of community history.

Its image is also the product of a new multiethnic mix of people and the creative impulse of the new popular culture of "Cool Britannia", a phrase Britain’s promoters conceived in the mid-1990s to portray Britain as modern and trendy.

London’s metropolitan area extends for more than 30 miles at its widest point, covering some 1,610 sq km (620 sq mi).

This vast urban territory is divided into 33 political units — 32 boroughs and the City of London. At the core of this immense urban area is Central London.

Most of Central London is located North of the Thames, on a gentle slope that rises to the North. It contains about 12 of the 33 political units, including the City of London, the City of Westminster, and districts in the West End.

The City of London is the traditional heart of the city and stands as its own political unit. The City of Westminster is the seat of the national government.

Much of the outer portion of this huge conglomeration of people and activities is made up of low-rise residential development.