London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest city, urban zone and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the European Union by most measures.[note 1] Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium.[3] London’s ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core.[4] The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region[5] and the Greater London administrative area,[6][note 2] governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.[7] London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence.[8] It is the world’s leading financial centre alongside New York City[9][10][11] and has the fifth- or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world depending on measurement.[note 3][12][13] London has been described as a world cultural capital.[14][15][16][17] It is the world’s most-visited city measured by international arrivals[18] and has the world’s largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic.[19] London’s 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe.[20 …