London is the
capital and most populous city of
England and the
United Kingdom. Standing on the
River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It was founded by the
Romans, who named it
Londinium. London's ancient core, the
City of London, largely retains its
medieval boundaries and in 2011 had a resident population of 7,375, making it the smallest
city in England. Since at least the 19th century, the term
London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms
Greater London, a
region of England governed by the
Mayor of London and the
London Assembly. The conurbation also covers two
English counties: the small district of the City of London and the county of Greater London. The latter constitutes the vast majority of London, though historically it was split between
Middlesex (a now abolished county),
Essex,
Surrey,
Kent and
Hertfordshire.
