London Overview

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Beyond the blinding lights of Oxford and Piccadilly Circuses, London is just as much a working and living city as it is a tourist destination. Comprised of 32 boroughs along with the City, London is often described as more of a conglomerate of villages than a unified city. While this understates the pride Londoners take in their city as a whole, it is true that locals are strongly attached to their neighborhoods. Each area’s heritage and traditions are alive and evolving, from the City of London’s 2000-year-old association with trade to the West End’s ever-changing theatre scene. Thanks to the feisty independence and diversity of each area, the London “buzz” is continually on the move—every few years a previously disregarded neighborhood explodes into cultural prominence. Most recently, South London has come to prominence with the cultural rebirth of the South Bank and the thumping nightlife of a recharged Brixton. No matter which neighborhood you start your journey in, Londoners of all creeds invite visitors to take part. Wander between cultures in London’s diverse neighborhoods or take part in a political rally in Trafalgar Square. Each day in London brings something new, so get ready for adventures and prepare to love the city in all its splendor.

Facts And Figures

Population: 7,421,600.
Land Mass: 1577 sq. km, 30% of which is outdoor parks—147 registered parks and gardens and 8 royal parks.
Language: English is the primary language, but over 300 languages are spoken.
Religion: 58% Christian (compared to 72% nationally), 16% no religion.
Ethnicity: 71% classify themselves as white; 13% Indian, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani; 7% African; 5% Caribbean; 3% mixed race; and 1% Chinese.
Students: Home to over 350,000 students of higher education.
Gdp: London produces 20% of the UK’s Gross Domestic Product.
Tourism: 13.8 million tourists visit London each year.
Sites: Home to four World Heritage Sites (Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, and St. Margaret’s Church; Tower of London; Maritime Greenwich; and Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew) and 17 national museums.
Workforce: Of 3.4 million people, 750,000 commute from outlying areas. Average salary for manual jobs is £21K for men, £19K for women; for non-manual jobs, £42K/39.6K.
Poverty: 7.6% unemployment rate (5.5% nationally); 48% of children in inner London live in poverty (30% nationally); roughly 60,500 homeless households.
Social Care: London boroughs look after over 11,000 children, support more than 34,000 adults in residential and nursing homes, and spend £5 billion annually on education.

Essentials

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required for Stay Less Than Six Months: No
Tourism Office: www.visitbritain.com or www.visitlondon.com
Phone Numbers: 999 in emergencies; 192 for national directory assistance; 153 for international directory assistance.
Currency: Pound (£)
Value Added Tax: 17.5%, applied to everything but food, books, medicine, and children’s clothing. Usually included on price tag.
Public Transport: The Underground or the bus system.
Measurement system: Metric
Admission to national museums: Free!
Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace: Approximately every other day
Measurement system: Metric

When To Go

London’s popularity as a top tourist destination makes it wise to plan around high season (June-Aug.). Spring or autumn (Apr.-May and Sept.-Oct.) are more appealing times to visit; the weather ...more

Neighborhood Overviews

The book organizes neighborhoods roughly from east to west, starting with the City of London and East London and moving in a snake-like manner westward, so that adjacent neighborhoods are next to one ...more

Cultural Essentials

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 Though London has experienced a long and tumultuous history, it has always ...more