The capital of England and the United Kingdom, the city of London is a true 21st-century city. Standing on the River Thames in the south east of Great Britain, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It was founded by the Romans, who named it Londinium. It is a global centre for banking and finance, ans a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both London Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

At its centre stand the imposing Houses of Parliament, the iconic 'Big Ben' clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British monarch coronations. Across the Thames River, the London Eye observation wheel provides panoramic views of the South Bank cultural complex, and the entire city. London is one of the leading tourist destinations in the world and in 2015 was ranked as the most visited city in the world with over 65 million visits. It is also the top city in the world by visitor cross-border spending, estimated at US$20.23 billion in 2015.