Districts

London's vast urban area is often described using a large set of district names (e.g. Bloomsbury, Mayfair, Whitechapel). These are for the most part informal designations which have become commonplace through tradition, each referring to a neighbourhood with its own distinctive character, but no official boundaries (often overlapping). One area of London which does have a strict definition is the City of London (usually just called The City), the largest financial district and central business district (CBD) in Europe. The City has its own governance and boundaries, giving it a distinctive status as the only completely autonomous borough in London. London's other financial hub is the Docklands area in the east of the city, dominated by the Canary Wharf complex, whilst many other businesses locate in the City of Westminster which is the home of the UK's national government.

The West End (or Theatreland) is London's main entertainment and shopping district, with locations such as Oxford Street, Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus acting as tourist magnets. The West London area is known for fashionable and expensive residential areas such as Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea — where properties sell on average for over £5,000,000.

Meanwhile, the eastern side of London contains the East End — the area closest to the original Port of London, known for its high immigrant population, as well as for being one of the poorest areas in London. The surrounding East London area saw much of London's early industrial development; now, brownfield sites throughout the area are being redeveloped, including areas along the Thames (the Thames Gateway) and up the Lower Lea Valley, which is being developed into the Olympic Park for the 2012 Olympics. North London and South London are informal divisions of the capital made by the River Thames, although they can define varying areas.

Annotations

two millennia – два тысячелетия; coterminous – имеющий общую границу; tributaries –притоки; precipitation – осадки; tidal – связанный с приливом и отливом; borough – городок

Comprehension Check Exercises

I. Fill in the blank with the correct word:

1. London is the capital city of … and the United Kingdom.

2. London is the most populous city and … area in the European Union.

3. Residents of London are referred to as … .

4. Samuel Johnson remarked that "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of … ".

5. Today, "London" usually refers to the area known as … .

6. Its primary geographical feature is … .

7. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive … .

8. London has a … climate with regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year.

9. The West End (or … ) is London's main entertainment and shopping district.

II. Complete the sentence with the best answer (a, b or c) according to the information in the text:

1. London is the capital city of

1. England

2. Scotland

3. Wales

2. Its population is

1. very cosmopolitan

2. small

3. high immigrant

3. London counts iconic landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and

1. Tower Bridge

2. CN Tower

3. the Pencil

4. Londoners generally refer to the City of London simply as

1. "the City" or the "Square Mile"

2. "the Big Apple"

3. Albion

5. Politically the entire London urban area may be classed as

1. a "city"

2. a region containing two smaller cities

3. a “town”

6. The home of the UK's national government is

1. the City of Westminster

2. the City of London

3. the West End

III. Find out whether the statement is true or false according to the information in the text:

1. London's status as the capital of the UK has never been granted or confirmed officially.

2. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive marshlands.

3. Snow is common in London.

4. Officially, London is a region containing two smaller cities within its built-up area: the City of London and the City of Westminster.

5. The East End is London's main entertainment and shopping district.

6. The West East End is the area closest to the original Port of London.

7. North London and South London are informal divisions of the capital made by the River Thames.

IV. Questions:

1. What is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom?

2. What contributes to its status as one of the key global cities?

3. What is the principal airport of London?

4. What iconic landmarks does the city count amongst its many attractions?

5. What can you say about London's metropolitan area?

6. What is sometimes used to define the "London area"?

7. London's status as the capital of the UK has never been granted or confirmed officially, has it?

8. What is the primary geographical feature of London?

9. Describe the climate of London.

10. Name the main districts of London.