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London Sightseeing
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union.
An important settlement for nearly two millennia, London is now an international leader in finance, and its involvement in politics, education, entertainment, fashion, media and the arts contribute to its status as a major global city. With 125,000 students, the University of London is the largest contact teaching university in the United Kingdom and in Europe. The current Mayor of London is Boris Johnson, who is in his first term of office.
London has an estimated population of 7.5 million. Its population is cosmopolitan, drawing from a diverse range of cultures and religions, speaking over 300 languages. Residents of London are referred to as Londoners.
The city is a major tourist destination, counting iconic landmarks such as The Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace amongst its many attractions, along with famous institutions such as The British Museum and the National Gallery.
Londoners generally refer to the City of London simply as "the City" or the "Square Mile".
The first major settlement was founded by the Romans in AD 43, following the Roman invasion of Britain. This settlement was called Londinium, commonly believed to be the origin of the present-day name. The Romans may have marked the centre of Londinium with The London Stone in the City.
Greater London covers an area of 609 square miles. Its primary geographical feature is The Thames, a navigable river which crosses the city from the southwest to the east.
The largest parks in the central area of London are the Royal Parks of Hyde Park, its neighbour Kensington Gardens at the western edge of Central London and Regent's Park on the northern edge. Regent's Park contains London Zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo, and is located near the tourist attraction of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
Closer to central London are the smaller Royal Parks of Green Park and St. James's Park. Hyde Park in particular is popular for sports and sometimes hosts open-air concerts. A number of large parks lie outside the city centre, including the remaining Royal Parks of Greenwich Park to the south-east and Bushy Park and Richmond Park to the south-west, as well as Victoria Park, East London to the east. Primrose Hill to the north of Regent's Park is a popular spot to view the city skyline. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London)
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