1. London
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of
life: for there is in London all that life can
afford”- Samuel Johnson, 1777

3. Basic Facts
• The Old City of London and the communities
surrounding it form one political unit called
Greater London or simply London
• London covers 1,580 square kilometers.
• The river Thames flows through the heart of
London.
– About 64 km east of London, the Thames empties
into the North Sea.
– The river links London with shipping routes
throughout the word.
– The river Thames was VERY IMPORTANT to the
development of London as a great city

4. More Basic Facts
• London is the capital of the U.K.!!
• Is the largest metropolitan area in the United
Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the
European Union.
• London has been a major settlement for two
millennia
• London is a leading global city, with strengths in
the arts, commerce, education, entertainment,
fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional
services, research and development, tourism and
transport all contributing to its prominence.

5. Yep, You know it, more facts!
• Has the fifth-largest city GDP in the world (and
the largest in Europe).
• London has been described as a world cultural
capital.
– It has the third most international visitors in the
world
• London has a diverse range of peoples and
cultures, and more than 300 languages are
spoken within its boundaries.
• Greater London has a population of 7,825,200,
making it the most populous municipality in the
European Union, and accounting for 12.5% of the
UK population.

6. Even More Basic Facts
• Central London covers 26 square kilometers
and can be divided into three main sections.
– City, the West End, East End and the South Bank.
• The City forms London’s famous financial
district.
– It is the heart of London.
– Only covers 1 square mile of London.
– Only about 5000 people live there but 500,000
people work there.
– Is the oldest part of London and consists largely of
banks and office buildings.
– Location of the famous Saint Paul’s Cathedral

7. And Even More Basic Facts!!
• West End is the home to London’s most
“fashionable” residential area.
• West End is center of Britain's government.
– Britain’s chief governmental buildings are in the
City of Westminster.
• The home of the Prime Minister is Number 10 Downing
Street.
• London’s main shopping districts are located
in West End.
• The South Bank is London’s cultural center
with many theaters, art galleries…
• East End contains London Docks.

8. Places of Interest in London
• London attracts over 14 million international
visitors per year, making it Europe's most
visited city.
• 5 most visited places in England are
– British Museum
– National Gallery
– Tate Modern
– Natural History Museum
– London Eye

9. British Museum
• Is widely considered to be one of the world's
greatest museums of human history and culture.
• Its permanent collection, numbering some eight
million works, is amongst the finest, most
comprehensive, and largest in existence and
originates from all continents, illustrating and
documenting the story of human culture from its
beginnings to the present.
• The British Museum was established in 1753

11. National Gallery
• The National Gallery is an art museum on
Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.
Founded in 1824.
• It houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings
dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.

12. Tate Modern
• Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in
London, England.
• It is Britain's national gallery of international
modern art.
• It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the
world, with around 4.7 million visitors per
year

13. Natural History Museum
• The museum is home to life and earth science
specimens comprising some 70 million items
within five main collections: Botany,
Entomology, Mineralogy, Paleontology and
Zoology.
• The museum is a world-renowned centre of
research.

15. London Eye
• The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel situated
on the banks of the River Thames.
• The entire structure is 135 metres tall and the
wheel has a diameter of 120 metres
• It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the
most popular paid tourist attraction in the
United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million
people annually.
• Was made in 1999.

17. Review Questions
1. Name so basic facts about London
2. What are the four parts of the center of
London?
1. Describe each one.
3. What are the top 5 tourist destinations in
London?
1. Describe each one.
1. What is important about them?
2. When were they created?
4. Which of these places would you want to
visit?

18. Homework
• Compare and contrast the top travel
destinations in Ukraine and London. Which
ones would you rather travel to? Why?