Top: City of London skyline, Middle: Palace of Westminster, Bottom left: Tower Bridge, Bottom right: Tower of London.

London region shown within the United Kingdom Coordinates: 51°30'28?N 00°07'41?W? / ?51.50778, -0.12806 Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region London Districts City and 32 boroughs Settled by Romans as Londinium c. AD 50 Government  - Regional authority Greater London Authority  - Regional assembly London Assembly  - Mayor Boris Johnson  - HQ City Hall  - UK Parliament  - London Assembly  - European Parliament 74 constituencies 14 constituencies London constituency Area  - Greater London 609 sq mi (1,577.3 km?) Elevation [1] 79 ft (24 m) Population (2006 est.)[2], [3][4], [5]  - Greater London 7,355,400  - Density 12,331/sq mi (4,761/km?)  - Urban 8,278,251  - Metro 12–14 million  - Demonym Londoner  - Ethnicity (2005 Estimates[6]) Ethnic groups 69.6% White 58.2% White British 2.6% White Irish 8.8% Other White   3.4% Mixed 1.0% White & Black Caribbean 0.5% White & Black African 0.9% White & South Asian 0.9% White & Other   12.9% South Asian 6.4% Indian 2.2% Pakistani 2.2% Bangladeshi 2.0% Other South Asian   10.8% Black 4.4% Black Caribbean 5.5% Black African 0.8% Other Black   3.3% East Asian and Other 1.4% Chinese 1.9% Other Time zone GMT (UTC0)  - Summer (DST) BST (UTC+1) Post code Various Website: www.london.gov.uk London (pronunciation (help·info); IPA: /'l?nd?n/) is the largest urban area and capital of England and the United Kingdom.[7] An important settlement for two millennia, London's history goes back to its founding by the Romans.[8] Since its settlement, London has been part of many important movements and phenomena throughout history, such as the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gothic Revival.[9][10] The city's core, the ancient City of London, still retains its limited mediaeval boundaries; but since at least the 19th century the name "London" has also referred to the whole metropolis which has developed around it.[11] Today the bulk of this conurbation forms the London region of England[12] and the Greater London administrative area,[13] with its own elected mayor and assembly.[14] London is one of the world's leading business, financial, and cultural centres,[15] and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts all contribute to its status as a major global city.[16] London boasts four World Heritage Sites: The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church; the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.[17] The city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and its popularity has increased over the years due to economic growth.[18] London's diverse population draws from a wide range of peoples, cultures, and religions, and over 300 languages are spoken within the city.[19] As of 2006, it has an official population of 7,512,400 within the boundaries of Greater London[2] and is the most populous municipality in the European Union. As of 2001, the Greater London Urban Area has a population of 8,278,251[3] and the metropolitan area is estimated to have a total population of between 12 and 14 million.[4][5]