(1) the British capital, political, economic, cultural and transportation center, the country's largest port, one of the top ten cities in the world. It is located in the southeast of England, across the banks of the lower Thames, 88 kilometers away from the estuary, and can be directly reached by sea ships. Greater London consists of the City of London and 32 cities, with an area of 65,438+0,605 square kilometers and a population of 7.5 million (2005); There are 12 cities around London, which is equivalent to the urban area. It is called "inner london", with an area of 303 square kilometers and a population of 2145,000. The climate is warm in winter and cool in summer, with occasional rain, which does not last long. Generally speaking, the climate will gradually improve in June, with clear skies and mild sunshine in Wan Li; July and August entered the real summer, the sun was shining, but the temperature was around 20 degrees, and the days were particularly long. 9.5438+ 10 autumn is crisp, 10 late winter gradually. June 5438+February The temperature is below 10 degrees in February and March next year, but there is not much chance of snow. It warmed up in April and May, but it remained at a low temperature below 15.
London has a long history of 2000 years. It is the capital of successive dynasties and has many places of interest. There are many world-class museums, art galleries and famous buildings here, which are world-famous tourist attractions and attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit here every year. She also has a colorful cultural and educational life, and many world-famous universities, colleges and other educational institutions attract scholars from all over the world to study here. The transportation in London is developed, and the subway, train and ground bus are connected into a network, making it very convenient to travel. London can also taste local cuisines from all over the world. China City (Chinatown) is located in the city center, where many China restaurants and China shopping centers are located. It is the center of China people's activities. Thames is the lifeline of London, stretching for more than 300 kilometers, with beautiful scenery on both sides.
It was built in 43 BC. During the Tudor dynasty in the sixteenth century, the shipping industry was very prosperous. 18th century is the largest port city in the world. It became the trade and financial center of Britain in the19th century. Banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, industrial and trade management institutions are all concentrated in the City of London. West London is home to the royal palace, parliament and government departments, as well as big shops, theaters and high-end residential areas, and the editorial departments of many newspapers are also located here. At the eastern end of London is the pier, an industrial area and a residential area for workers. Greater London, Britain's most important manufacturing city, accounts for one-sixth of British employees. Famous for general machinery and motors; There are also aircraft, precision instruments, automobiles, oil refining, chemistry, clothing, paper making, printing, food, cigarettes and other industries. The largest seaport in Britain, with an annual throughput of 62 million tons, is also the largest container port in northwest Europe. The port area extends about 50 kilometers along the lower reaches of the Thames. About 80% of imported goods are transported to coastal docks and factories. One of the largest air stations in the world.
Inner london mainly exercises administrative, financial, trade and cultural functions. London was originally built by the Romans. Around 1 century, Britain established the administrative headquarters of Nimes in London under the rule of the Roman Empire, and planned to use the Taizhaoshi River as an important transportation channel. However, in order to connect the two banks of the river, there must be a bridge, so we chose to build a bridge from the Tower of London to the urban area, and then it quickly developed into an important town at that time. London has maintained its long tradition since the ancient Roman Empire. Every corner here has historical sites telling the past, and the streets and alleys here have traces of years and frost. If you visit the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey, in a flash, you will feel as if you have gone back hundreds of years.
London is a busy city, and many buildings are Victorian relics. The tallest building in the urban area is the post and telecommunications building, which is 189 meters high. There are Royal Society, University of London, British Museum and British Library (7 million books). The First International was founded here on 1864. Great proletarian revolutionary instructors Marx, Engels and Lenin once led the international workers' movement here; Haegert cemetery has Max's tomb. There are many famous buildings, such as Towell Castle (built in 1087), St. Paul's Church (1 10 meter high), Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and so on. Located in the southeast of the city, the original site of Greenwich Observatory is the starting point of the longitude (prime meridian) of the earth. If the Thames is compared to the Milky Way, then all parts of London are the stars around the Milky Way, and the center is Trafalgar Square. From here, it takes no more than 45 minutes to walk to all the main attractions. The subway takes Chaling Cross Station as the center, and it takes only 15 minutes to reach the main attractions by subway. You might as well go to the National Gallery across the square first, and then decide which direction to go. In the east, you can explore the City of London and the Tower of London. It's best to go west for entertainment and shopping. To the north, you can visit the cultural heritage of mankind in the British Museum. In the south, you can hear the roar of Big Ben and take a commemorative photo at Buckingham Palace. Since the Romans settled, bridges have been gradually built on the Thames, and 28 bridges with different architectural styles connect the banks of the Thames. Waterloo Bridge was named by the British to commemorate General Wellington's defeat of Napoleon. The most beautiful bridge is Tower Bridge in London. This tower bridge has a unique style and is magnificent. There are five-story towers on two huge piers. The bridge deck is open, so whenever a ship passes through the bridge deck, it can be hoisted separately. Connecting the top floor of the Twin Towers is a footbridge140m above the water surface. Standing at the top of the tower, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery nearby The city of London has gradually developed around the city of London. Standing at the top of the tower can enjoy the beautiful scenery nearby.
Traveling in London can be said to be very convenient. A subway ticket can travel all over the city and visit all the scenic spots in the city. During the day, you can visit museums, tower bridges, historical sites and royal palaces with cultural flavor. When you are tired, you can have a rest in the park or have a leisurely cup of English afternoon tea. At night, whether it is musicals, various plays, concerts, pubs or nightclubs, you can bring your night to a climax. In addition, the shopping pleasure that must not be missed is the weekend market, which is different from luxury department stores and elaborate shopping windows. There are more folk local colors and lively and happy atmosphere here. Whether it is Victorian antiques, rebellious and avant-garde punk costumes, exquisite handicrafts or cheap and vulgar clothing accessories, they can be caught in all cities in London. It is said that the local area is known as the "British Tourism Center". London stands among the world famous cities with its long history, colorful colors and magnificent charm.
Intercity traffic
Traffic Guide Local Traffic London's subways, buses and taxis are all convenient means of transportation, which will bring you great convenience when you roam London. The red double-decker bus is the most exciting means of transportation for tourists. Nothing is more convenient and enjoyable than taking a bus in London. You will never forget taking a bus in London. At present, there are two kinds of buses in London that shuttle through the streets. One is old-fashioned, where passengers get on and off from the rear of the car, and the car itself has no door. Passengers can get on and off even if they don't arrive at the station, such as waiting for a green light or when there is a traffic jam. But please be careful not to get on or off by force. There are two kinds of bus stop signs, one is that the bus must stop when it arrives at the station (except when it is full), and the other is that you must raise your hand to stop. There are different signs on the platform. British people naturally have to wait in line for the bus. However, the people in front of the queue are not necessarily in the same car. If you don't raise your hand when waiting in line, some cars will just leave. Besides, in Britain, people are used to keeping their hands straight forward.
The London underground is commonly known as "Tube", which means test tubes and pipes. Subway is the fastest mode of transportation in densely populated areas. Britain has the first underground railway in the world. The London Underground has 1 1 lines, and different lines are represented by different colors. The subway is convenient and fast, and a train passes by the busiest subway station every 2 minutes during rush hour. The length of the subway operated by London Underground Company is 4O8km, with 273 subway stations. There are about 460 trains running during the rush hour. Using the subway is very simple. First of all, you should have a subway map, find the name of the station you want to go to, and then determine which subway station you are in now. There will be many lines of different colors between these two points. You just need to follow the route and move forward in order like playing chess. When changing routes halfway, remember to look at the direction of the route first, and never go in the opposite direction. Also, although the subway station is like a maze, there are signs at every intersection. Follow the instructions to find the platform. Taxis, like double-decker buses, are called black taxis in London, commonly known as "black taxis". Recently, many taxis are allowed to be painted with colorful colors, not just monotonous black. It's a luxury to take this traditional taxi with a classical appearance. As soon as he got on the bus, the taxi driver received strict training and friendly service. Taxis start at ￡ 0.00 and are calculated by mileage thereafter. The price of the car is shown on the meter. A tip of about 10% will be added to the original price after arriving at the station.
Intercity railway is the choice of most people, so it is not necessary to drive by yourself. Airplane flights are fast but expensive, and long-distance buses are cheap but too time-consuming. Britain is the country that invented railways. If you are interested, you can go to the museum in Darlington to see Stevenson's first motorcycle. The British railway network has a long history and extends in all directions. There are high-speed trains running on the main trunk lines, and it only takes about four and a half hours from London to Edinburgh. British trunk trains generally have first-class carriages and standard carriages. A standard open ticket can be picked up at any time, but it is very expensive. If you can plan ahead and buy tickets in advance, you can find a cheaper one among all kinds of tickets. If you are a student, you can apply for a railway card and buy a discount ticket. Train tickets can be purchased at the railway station or booked online. Long-distance bus The road network in Britain is developed, and the coverage of long-distance bus greatly exceeds the railway system, and the price is relatively cheap. If you want to go to a remote place and don't want to take an expensive train, you can take a long-distance bus The comfort of coach is worse than that of train, but it is not a big problem.
shopping guide
London is a shopping paradise, with both old shops serving the British royal family and small shops on the street. Most stores are open from 10: 00 to 18: 00, and Thursday is a late-night shopping day. Many shops are open until 19: 00 or 20: 00. Many small shops in the street are still open on weekends, attracting many ladies. There are two big sales in London every year, and the summer discount is about 30%-50%, which is in the three cycles from the fourth week of June to the second week of July every year. The winter discount is about 40%-60%, and the time is from Christmas to 1. Regent St is a shopping street, which belongs to the shopping paradise of ladies and gentlemen. There are Hamley's, Wedgwood and Ma Ping &; Webber is on this street. The street twists and turns, connecting Oxford Square and Cardelli Square. Compared with the high-end brand-name shops in Sterling Street, it is more intimate here. Many shops such as Libati and Hamrez are in British style, and there are also many high-end suit shops in Xavier Law nearby. The people walking on this street are all upper-middle class people in Britain. When those English gentlemen wearing English suits, slightly pale faces and beige Panama hats pass by you, time seems to have returned to the early century, that distant romantic era. For them, seeing Asian tourists may be new, because in the19th century, this area was a shopping street for royalty and society. Although the light is getting dim now, it is still the activity area of old Britain, and you can observe the elegant temperament of the last generation of British people.
In terms of the number of shops and people, Oxford Street is better than Regent Street and Pound Street. There are many high-end shops here, but those shops that are aimed at young people's leisure and relaxation style are more eye-catching, where you can learn the most common fashion trends in London. Self- folic acid in this street is the favorite department store of Londoners. Burlington Market Street Burlington Arcade Burlington Market Street consists of old and new parts. There are high-end brand-name shops in Britain and even around the world, and it is also a very famous gathering place for fashion shops. Turn in from Piccadilly Street and you will find yourself in another time and space. The shops on Jieming Street have a history of at least 100 years, and even the old shops with a history of 300 years are not unusual. Therefore, the signs of buildings and shops are quite primitive, and the wooden windows are a bit mottled and antique. Cecil Court is the most famous book street in London, with everything from the largest bookstore in Britain to various small professional bookstores.
Near Leicester Square subway station, there is a second-hand book monopoly street Cecil Court, which is full of grotesque shops, which is very interesting. A famous shop gentleman, a gentleman perfumer, is not that simple. You can see the gentleman's clothes for washing face and shaving here, which will definitely make you dumbfounded. All the utensils, large and small, from gargling, spitting, washing face, shaving and perfume, are arranged, and you will sincerely admire the meticulous efforts of British gentlemen. T.M.LEWIN British shirt shop was established in 1898. The quality and color of shirts are very fashionable. The price of a shirt is around 45-55 pounds. The shirt looks quite pleasing to the eye on the green cabinet. Paxton company. Whitheld, a specialty store selling English cheese, has been selling all kinds of cheese for 300 years. Among them, there is an English pie called pork pie, which is baked with flour paste outside and pork jelly inside. It has a unique taste, about 3.45 pounds each. The staff inside are very cute, with a little red cheeks, and they look like typical Englishmen. All the perfumes sold in this perfume shop are made in England. Of course, all kinds of flowers are mainstream. Besides the perfume, the biggest product is the smell in the bathroom. You can try British incense, which is different from Paris. Berry brothers & rudo. This is a wine monopoly chain, celebrating its 300th birthday this year. The interior decoration is all made of logs, so it looks very chronological and nostalgic. Employees are all in suits and ties, and they speak softly. You can also see old-fashioned bottle openers and wine thermometers ... the price of wine ranges from 6.70 to 13.45. Harold's department store is the largest and most fashionable department store in Europe, covering an area of 63,000 square meters with seven floors. There are mouthwatering delicious wines in the underground food department. Fortner Ham & Mason has a 300-year-old high-end food store. There are eight floors in all. On the first floor, there are porcelain cups and cookers filled with food.
Flea market: Camden market on Saturday and Sunday 08: 00- 18: 00. There are all kinds of antiques, handicrafts, clothes and shoe stores here. Slip Lane Sunday 09: 00- 14: 00. Ethnic groups gather together, mainly clothing and household items. Portobello Road, Saturday 07: 00- 17: 00. It used to be a shrine for hippies in London, with many ancient costumes, jewels, coins and antiques. Brixton Market Monday to Saturday 08: 00- 17: 30. There are many fruits, handicrafts and tapes from Africa and India. At the same time, it is also the birthplace of miniskirts, which often lead the latest fashion in the world.
Leisure and entertainment
Art Performance London is rich in art and entertainment forms. Opera, musical, classical music, rock, jazz, royal ballet, tap dancing, everything, and the tickets are incredibly cheap. There are at least/kloc-0.000 theaters in London, most of which are staged by Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw. London theatres can be roughly divided into two types, and commercial theatres are mainly composed of works of famous writers performed by famous actors. The most famous are the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In the small theater, you can watch the creation of some fledgling writers, and the theater atmosphere is relaxed and happy. It is relaxing to enjoy classical music in London. The acoustics of the concert hall are very good, but the tickets for the concert are very cheap. Every year from July to September, London hosts the Summer Classical Music Festival, inviting world-famous conductors and bands to perform in the Royal Albert Hall. The famous concert halls in London include Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall, Albert Concert Hall and Royal Conservatory of Music, among which Royal Celebration Concert Hall is the top concert hall in London. Ticket prices depend on the quality of seats and performers, generally as follows: drama -20, musical -30, opera or ballet -60, classical concert -30, rock or jazz concert -25. Tickets for rock or jazz concerts in London are not high, so you can go dancing in discos.
Sports competitions catch up with the season from mid-August to early May, and visitors can also watch the English Football League and the FA Cup. In Britain, people generally call football, not soccer. In order to distinguish it from football, they also say soccer. Now, football has become a very popular sport all over the world, and its birthplace is Britain. As early as the14th century, this sport became popular all over Britain. It is said that at first, young people from two villages competed to kick the ball into the gate of the other village, and later it developed into a formal sport. In England alone, there are more than 90 professional football teams, which are divided into four levels: Grade A to Grade D. Scotland also has its own football league. Both leagues are held from mid-August to early May, and there are games every Saturday at 3 pm during the season. The timetable can be found in newspapers and magazines. In addition to the league, there is also the FA Cup. This is the knockout round of all professional teams under the British Football Association, which is very popular. The final will be held on the second Saturday in May. All stadiums have league tickets. Most fans go to the queue in the morning. If there are any wonderful activities, they are often sold out during the pre-sale period. The fare for station seats is about. Although it is cheap, there are many fanatical fans here. If you want to avoid them, you can buy a seat on the second floor, and the fare is around. Besides, tickets for international competitions and the FA Cup are hard to get. You can buy in advance through institutions such as "game entry".
London Museum has a collection of all kinds of rare treasures in the world. When you arrive at the British Museum, you can see various cultural heritages from Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations to Indian, China and Japanese. You can enjoy the wonderful works of the masters in the National Art Gallery. The museums and art galleries here are spacious, magnificent, comfortable and elegant, with rich exhibits. Although some museums and galleries are operated commercially, the British Museum and other places are still free of charge (sometimes there are optional fund-raising activities). During your stay in London, you can take a walk every day and enjoy the luxury of this art, except Christmas Eve (65438+February 24th), Christmas Day (65438+February 25th), New Year's Day (65438+ 10/Sunday) and the first Sunday after Christmas.
The festivals in London mainly include Christmas, New Year, Easter (one day in March-April, the first Sunday after the vernal equinox), Thanksgiving (165438+1the fourth Thursday in October), bank holidays (April, May and August, and there are four Mondays related to other festivals with uncertain dates after Christmas), and Thanksgiving.
English food can be described in one word-"simple". There are only two ways to make it: baking it in an oven or cooking it in a pot. When cooking, don't put seasoning. When eating, add some salt, pepper or mustard, spicy soy sauce and so on according to your personal preference. Moreover, when you go to London, you will find that there are basically no potatoes (sweet potatoes) in every London meal! Respect everyone's likes and dislikes, but it is inevitable to cut corners. However, since you have come to England, you can enjoy the charm of English food. Grilled steak is recognized as a masterpiece of British cuisine. It is made of large pieces of greasy raw beef baked in the oven. Just like fried steak, when you order this dish, the waiter will ask you whether you like it rare or well-done. The prepared beef can be dipped in western mustard sauce, and Yorkshire pudding is also famous as a side dish. Fish and chips This is the "McDonald's" in Britain. This is a cheap and convenient food. Fried fish are mostly plaice or cod, and they are eaten with salt or vinegar (many British people use both) and French fries, which are very popular with ordinary people. In addition, there are cucumbers and cream sausages (sausages wrapped in paste and fried), which will definitely make your appetite big. In addition to the British, there are often waiters from Spain and Italy in beverage shops. Their English accent is so strong that it is difficult to understand. Just point to the dish you want and say "please give me this". Beef patties are beef or sirloin, and they have some special flavors. If you get used to it, you will find it delicious. This is also a typical bar lunch. You must try! Dover sole English fish dishes are quite delicious, and there are several chain restaurants specializing in fish dishes in London. Especially the plaice caught in Dover Strait is light and delicious. English breakfast starts with orange juice and cornflakes, with milk and sugar on top. Then the main course, usually bacon, sausage, fried eggs with fried mushrooms or tomatoes (fried tomatoes are delicious). And toast, of course. Finally, coffee or black tea, and traditional English milk tea. This is an English breakfast.
Types of Beer Bitter Beer is rich in color and bitter in taste. The most representative beer in Britain. Light draft beer is a dark brown draft beer with lower bitterness and alcohol content and darker color than bitter beer. Bottled brown beer. Pale ale light beer bottle bitter beer, with high alcohol content, carbonated gas and light color. Bacon and eggs, several English foods, are essential dishes in English breakfast. Eggs are mostly fried eggs. Bath sweet bread is a kind of sweet bread with raisins or lemons. It was first made by Bath people, so it is called Bath sweet bread. Black pudding is a kind of sausage containing pig blood. Cornwall pie is a kind of pie with meat and vegetables. German cream is rich in flavor and nutrition. In afternoon tea, it is often placed on cakes or fruits as decoration, which is also delicious. Edinburgh stone is hard candy. Gaelic coffee is coffee with cream, sugar and whisky. Guinness (trade name) is the most popular brand in dark beer. Evening refreshments are refreshments earlier than dinner in the evening, mainly sandwiches and other snacks. Irish coffee is a mixture of whisky, coffee, sugar and milk. Passion fruit pie is a kind of pie filled with all kinds of dried fruits and spices, and it is an essential dish in Christmas dinner. As the name implies, farmhouse meal is a very simple meal. It consists of cheese, bread, salad and western-style kimchi, which can be seen in pubs. Lear beer is another name for traditional draft beer. Scottish eggs are boiled eggs wrapped in ham and fried bread. There are round and square ones. Short bread is a kind of slightly hard biscuit. There is a lot of cream. Strong beer is black strong beer made from roasted malt.
Dining custom tasting style British people don't finish beer in one gulp, but taste draft beer with less foam and less gas. It is said that the best drinking temperature of bitter beer is 13- 15 degrees Celsius. People who are used to drinking light beer around 7 degrees Celsius had better order Lager. There are often empty seats in the drinking seats, so you can find a place to stand and drink. If the weather is warm, you can also sit on the bench outside the pub and drink. The atmosphere is good. After drinking, please don't forget to send the cup back to the counter and say "thank you!" . English Afternoon Tea/KLOC-In the 9th century, ladies and gentlemen in British upper class began to have afternoon tea, which was held by a warm fire in winter and in a blooming garden in summer. Its most important function is to let the upper class contact feelings and exchange information. For example, which painter's works or plays you have seen recently are all relaxed and elegant activities. They don't serve cakes in a self-help way, but they usually count as a set, including a pot of tea and a snack, which includes sandwiches, contempt or cupcakes. The snacks in different restaurants are a little different. Better restaurants will also change their cakes in different seasons. There are earl grey tea, Darjeeling tea and Ceylon tea, among which earl grey is the most popular.
Drinking afternoon tea in a traditional English bar is aristocratic, while drinking two cups in an English bar is definitely popular culture. In a warm and dark bar, it is a great enjoyment to have a drink with three or two friends with frothy dark beer in their hands. It seems that only at this time can the normally reserved British people open their hearts. When you arrive in London, you must sit in a bar, and then you will be glad you came. Another charm of English bars is that beer is delicious and there are many kinds. If you have no special preference, try English beer. Lager beer, bitter beer and Guinness stout are the main beers in Britain. Light beer has a sweet soda flavor, while bitter beer is a little bitter. Dark beer is a famous Irish product. It is said that when Irish children have a bad appetite, their parents will give them some dark beer to stimulate their appetite. As for side dishes and wine, traditional foods include grilled salmon, French fries, cereal and so on. However, most bars are open from morning till late at night and do not provide lunch or dinner. With the changes of the times, the bar has gradually changed its style. At present, the most popular bar in London is the "sports bar", which is equipped with a big-screen TV, and everyone can sit together and watch the broadcast of sports programs.
Brief introduction to history
London, originally a Celtic town, was built by Roman invaders around 50 AD as a port on the Thames and named London. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 7th century, Rendini was abandoned, and the Saxons established the town of Lundenwick 1 mile west of Oldwich. It was not until the 9th century to the10th century that Rome and London regained their population. London gradually developed and expanded, absorbing nearby villages and settlements and spreading in all directions. By the17th century, London was already the largest city in the British Empire and even in Europe. 1666 London fire destroyed most of the buildings in London (miraculously, only more than 20 people died in the fire), but immediately after the fire, London began to rebuild in 10, during which the landmark buildings including St. Paul's Cathedral began to start construction. During the Victorian era, London experienced a large-scale development. The opening of the world's first subway, the operation of buses and the railway lines connecting all directions have given London a new look and transportation. /kloc-In the second half of the 9th century, the resident population in London dropped sharply (185 1 year:128000; 187 1 year: 75,000 people; 190 1 year: 27,000 people), a large number of new buildings have transformed London from a Georgian city into a Victorian city.
The great changes in London in the past 100 years can be said to have started after World War II. During World War II, London was heavily bombed by the Nazi German Air Force, during which more than 30,000 Londoners were killed and most buildings were destroyed. In the 1950s and 1970s, there was no unified planning for the reconstruction of London, which led to the diversification of architectural patterns and became a major feature of London today. At the beginning of the 20th century, most people in London used coal as household fuel, which produced a lot of smog. These smog and the climate in London have caused the famous smog in London, which is called London fog in English. Therefore, English sometimes calls London "smog", hence the name "Fog Capital". 195212 from February 5 to 9, the fog and haze incident in London caused 4000 deaths. Therefore, the government implemented the Clean Air Act in 1956, prohibiting the use of smog-producing fuels in some parts of London. Today, the air quality in London has improved significantly. The climate is influenced by the North Atlantic warm current and westerlies, and belongs to temperate maritime climate. The city of London is often full of wet fog, so it has another name called "Fog Capital".
Administrative planning
The Thames, the administrative division of London, runs through London and divides the city into north and south. The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in London are divided into "City of London" and 32 districts. The City of London has independent administrative and legislative powers and has a high status; Although the city of Westminster is called the city, it still belongs to an administrative district of London. The City of London and the municipalities directly under the Central Government belong to one of the standard first-level administrative regions-the unitary authority. Among these 33 administrative districts, according to the definition of "inner london Education Authority", 12 near the center is collectively referred to as "inner london", while the other 20 districts are collectively referred to as "Outer London", making a total of 33 districts. London is the third largest city in Europe. According to the 200 1 census, the population of London and its autonomous cities (towns) (about 6 10 square miles) is 7 172036. Among them, about 7 1% is white, 1% is Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani, 5% is African-American, 5% is Caribbean-American, 3% is mixed-race, and about1%is Chinese. 58.2% of the population believes in Christianity, and 15.8% of the population has no religious belief. About 2 1.8% of London residents were born outside the EU. Although the population of London is less than that of Moscow and Paris, if the population (about13,945,000) living in London metropolitan area (6,267 square miles) is included, it will surpass Paris and become the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and its population has exceeded the combined population of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many people still think that Britain is an Anglo-Saxon country, with whites accounting for the vast majority. That was not the case. Visitors to London for the first time may be surprised by so many blacks and orientals here. As the former capital of the British Empire, London not only received the legacy of the old colonies, but also received a large number of immigrants, resulting in various profound social problems. But on the other hand, it is also one of the conditions for becoming an international metropolis.