What is London's background?
London can trace its development as a world city to the Roman bridging of the River Thames. It became a centre of commerce in the late Middle Ages, when wool dominated exports.
How many people live in London?
There are 7.6 million people living in the city. Almost a million more people commute into London to work each day.
How many languages are spoken in the city?
More than 300 languages are spoken in London and almost one third of Londoners were born overseas, around 2.3 million people.
What are London's financial credentials?
London is one of the world's leading financial centres. Every leading financial institution on the planet is represented in London and a third of the world's largest companies are headquartered in the capital.
Where can I find information on investing in London?
Think London's website has information on London's business and investment potential. Think London is the capital's official foreign direct investment agency and it assists businesses in setting up and growing in London.
Where can I find more information on the development of London?
For information on initiatives being developed and implemented to enhance the city, go to the London Development Agency website.
Is London a good choice for university study?
Yes. London is home to two of the top five universities in the world (University College London and Imperial College London) and the world's leading business school (London Business School).
How many international students study in London?
There are more than 90,000 international students from over 200 different nations that study in London.
Where can I find more information on studying in London?
The Study London website has information on London's universities and courses, and theres plenty of advice covering applications, fees, visa details and the UK education system.
How many people visit the capital?
Tourism is a key driver of London's economy with nearly 15 million overseas visitors in 2008.
What tourist attractions are there?
There are more than 250 museums in London, as well as over 100 other notable attractions, such as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London.
How many World Heritage sites are there in London?
There are four sites:
Maritime Greenwich
The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Church
Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew
The Tower of London
Which visitor attraction is the most popular?
The British Museum is London's most popular visitor attraction. It had 5.9 million visitors in 2008.
Do you have to pay for all London attractions?
Many of London's attractions are free to visit. Some have to be paid for, though the London Eye is the city's most visited paid attraction.
Which main river flows through London?
The River Thames. Its the longest river in England and covers more than 210 miles.
Is it the only river in London?
No. As you walk along London's streets, you may be walking on water without knowing it. A number of waterways that were once open streams and rivers are now hidden beneath the city streets, diverted into sewers, drains and culverts.
What is the tallest building in London?
One Canada Square, opened in 1991 with a height of 235m, is currently the tallest building in London.
In 2011, this will be topped by the Heron Tower, which is currently being constructed and will stand at 246m tall.
In 2012, these buildings will be eclipsed by the Bishopsgate Tower (also known as The Pinnacle, 288m) and the Shard London Bridge (also known as the London Bridge Tower, 310m).
Has London hosted the Olympics before?
Yes, twice before in 1908 and in 1948. It is the host city for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
What professional sporting activities take place in London?
London is home to world-class sporting facilities, events and clubs.
There are currently 13 London-based football clubs in the top four professional divisions, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham.
Wembley Stadium, based in north-west London, is the national stadium for the England football team.
The Wimbledon Tennis Championships take place every summer here.
Meanwhile, cricket fans can venture to the Oval and Lord's Cricket Ground to watch teams play.
Other professional sports that take place in the capital include rugby, athletics, boxing, horse racing, cycling and snooker.
Are many theatrical performances held in London?
London offers some of the world's best theatre and musicals. New plays and musicals are opening in London's West End theatres, fringe theatres and Off-West End theatres all the time.
How many international airports are there in London?
London has five international airports: City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted. From these airports, there are direct flights to approximately 530 destinations worldwide.
Which airport is the busiest?
Heathrow is the busiest airport in London, and also in Europe. It's the second busiest airport in the world, based on passenger traffic. It carried 66 million passengers in 2009, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (88 million).
What transport links are there to get around London?
London has good bus, train, tram and Underground (also called the Tube) links for people to get around the city. There are also good cycle paths and roads for driving, and also the option to travel across the River Thames using the riverboat services.
Also, London's Underground and train network is one of the largest in the world and is the hub for the UK's domestic transport network.
Which Underground lines are the oldest?
The oldest Underground lines are the Hammersmith & City and the Metropolitan lines, first operated in 1863.
How many Underground lines are there?
There are 11 lines, which are represented by different colours on Tube maps:
Bakerloo line (brown)
Central line (red)
Circle line (yellow)
District line (green)
Hammersmith & City line (pink)
Jubilee line (silver)
Metropolitan line (purple)
Northern line (black)
Piccadilly line (dark blue)
Victoria line (light blue)
Waterloo & City line (turquoise)
How many bus routes does London have?
There are over 800 bus routes in London. There is also a night bus network that covers the period between the close of the Tube and the start of daytime bus services.
What is the Docklands Light Railway?
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light rail system, which runs through the redeveloped Docklands areas of east London.
What is Crossrail?
Crossrail will be a frequent and accessible railway covering London and the south east of England.
It will connect Maidenhead in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in the Thames Gateway.
Crossrail will also link Heathrow, the West End, the City of London and Canary Wharf.
Work is currently underway to create the new railway, which is due to be completed in 2017.
According to Transport for London, the estimated benefit of Crossrail to the UK economy will be at least £36 billion.
Are there good transport links from London to the rest of Europe?
Yes, it's possible to reach other European destinations by aeroplane, car and rail.
Flights from City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted airports connect to a variety of destinations throughout Europe.
There are high-speed rail services to Brussels and Paris via Eurostar from St Pancras International, in central London.
From London, it takes approximately three hours to get to Brussels by Eurostar and an additional 20 minutes to arrive in Paris.
Where can I find more information on visiting London?
The Visit London website has lots of information and advice for visiting the city, and includes accommodation, tips on places to go and things to do, maps and travel information.