Greater London

The Old City of London and the communities surrounding it form one political unit. This area is 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 thus links London with shipping routes throughout the world.

London is divided into 32 boroughs plus the City. The City and each borough have their own governments.

Central London covers about 26 square kilometers and can be divided into three main sections. They are the City, the West End, East End and the South Bank.

The City forms London's famous financial district. It is the heart of London. The City covers about 1 sq. mile of Central London. Only about 5000 people live in the City. But half a million office workers crowd its buildings each working day.

The City is the oldest part of London and consists largely of modern bank and office buildings. The great dome of Saint Paul's Cathedral still towers over other buildings in the area. Parts of the Guildhall date from the 1400's. Mansion House dates from the 1700's. A 62-meter stone column called the Monu­ment stands near the spot where the Great Fire started in 1666.

The West End is the center of Britain's government and London's most fashionable resi­dential area. It covers 18 sq. kilometers. Near the River Thames the Strand links the West End and the City. The Strand is one of London's oldest and business streets.

Britain's chief governmental buildings are in the City of Westminster. The Houses of Par­liament tower along the Thames. From Parliament, the governmental buildings extend along a broad avenue called Whitehall. The home of Prime Minister, Number 10 Downing Street, is lo­cated just off Whitehall. Buckingham Palace lies a short distance of the Prime Minister's home.

London's main shopping districts spread out from two West End intersections. One Inter­section, Trafalgar Square, is an area of open pavement with statues and fountains. Whitehall and the Strand meet at the square.

At the other intersection, Piccadilly Circus, six busy streets come together. Many of London's fin­est shops are in this area, along Bond, Oxford, and Regent streets. Piccadilly Circus also forms the center of London's largest entertainment area.

The South Bank is the site of a large, modern, cultural center that includes a number of theaters, concert halls, and art galleries. The South Bank covers 5 sq. km along the River Thames. The East End contains London docks.

A broad band of countryside, called the Green Belt, surrounds Greater London. Communi­ties called new towns established outside the Green Belt in order to ease overcrowding in London. Many thousands of Londoners have resettled in the new towns since the 1940's.