London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. London is also the largest city in England. Many people from different cultures live in London, and more than 300 languages are spoken there.
London is a very old city. Nearly 2000 years ago the Roman army invaded Britain. They built a town on the River Thames called Londinium. By the Middle Ages, in the 14th century, London was one of the largest cities in the world! During the 18th century the number of people in London grew to more than 600,000, then in the 19th century London reached 3 million people! Today nearly 8 million people live in London.
Fun Facts: London is so large it has about 85,000 streets and taxi drivers have to learn 320 different routes to navigate them; 7000 stray dogs live in London; the smallest house in London is only 1.06 metres wide; The British Library in London is the largest public library in the world and has over 150 million items! The first television set was sold in London in 1928. London has 17,000 bus stops for 7000 buses, which drive 700 bus routes; and, almost one quarter of Londoners are children and teenagers.
London has had an eventful history: From Civil War in 1642, to the Great Plague in 1665, and the Great Fire of London in 1666. London was also home to the Globe Theatre in the sixteenth century, where Shakespeare’s plays were performed. In 1851 London hosted The Great Exhibition, which displayed the art and industry of the world. London also hosts the London Marathon every year, and the first one was held in 1981. Now, in 2012, London is hosting the Olympics Games. This is the third time that the city will have hosted the event! The first two times were 1908, and 1948. London is the only city in the United Kingdom to have hosted the Olympic Games, and the only city in the world to have hosted the Olympic Games 3 times. Did you know that London has had 2 other Olympic firsts? The first Paralympic Games were held in London in 1948, and the 1948 London Olympics were the first to be broadcast on television.