From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishLondonLon‧don /ˈlʌndən/ the capital city of the UK, in southeast England on the River Thames, which is also an important port and centre for tourists. Population: 8,308,369 (2012). London is the centre of the British government, and the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street (the home of the prime minister), Buckingham Palace (the home of the Queen), and Whitehall (the main government offices) are all in the southwestern part of central London. London is also one of the world’s main financial centres, and the London Stock Exchange and the Bank of England are in the City, the main business area in the eastern part of central London. Most of the well-known shops, hotels, theatres, cinemas etc are in the West End, the western part of central London, and the East End – known as a mainly working-class area where the local people are called ‘Cockneys’. London is also known for its many parks, including Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, its many museums, and its system of public transport, which includes red buses, black taxis, and an underground railway called the ‘Tube’. London was originally established by the Romans, as Londinium, in the 1st century AD, and became the capital of England in the 11th century. —Londoner noun
