Greater London Population: 7,615,000 (Source: UN Population Division 2005 estimate)

United Kingdom Population: 59,598,000 (Source: UN Population Division 2005 estimate)

Greater London Area: 1572 square kilometres (32 boroughs)

Telephone Area Codes: 0207 (central London), 0208 (outer London)

Currency: Pound sterling (£, GBP)

Time Zone: GMT. Eastern Standard Time plus five hours, Pacific Standard Time plus eight hours

Language: English

London Districts

London's size and stature generally makes a first visit an intoxicating, sometimes bewildering experience. This is Europe's largest, wealthiest and most populated city, which is constantly evolving because it always runs at full tilt.

London is most easily defined by its districts, such as the West End, South Bank and Mayfair, all with their own distinctive character and divided between north and south by the famous River Thames.

The majority of visitors to London remain in the central area, and within that, the West End, a loosely defined region bursting at the seams with theatres, entertainment and shops. Major London streets and districts include:

Soho and Chinatown
Bouncing day and night with its array of nightclubs, restaurants and sheer volumes of people; Chinatown is unmissable during the Chinese New Year festival.

Covent Garden and The Strand
Should be on any shortlist for its smart stores and bars.

Oxford Street and Regent Street
Over a mile of prime shopping.

Leicester Square
One of London's mainstream entertainment hubs.

Trafalgar Square
Replete with churches, galleries and monuments.

Westminster
The home of the British government and royal family.

Holborn
The heart of London's West End Theatre District and epicentre of the legal system.

St James
Exclusive district that encompasses Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster.

Mayfair
Affluent residential area offering quality restaurants and boutique shops.

Bloomsbury
Strong literary links with attractions including the British Library, Charles Dickens Museum and the extraordinary British Museum.

Marylebone
Developing from a long-time residential area into a stylish shopping and dining district.

Paddington
Busy transport hub for the western region of England.

Victoria
Another key transport hub amidst heavyweight attractions such as Buckingham Palace.

South Bank
The London Eye and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre are amongst the attractions in this smartly redeveloped riverside equivalent of Paris's Left Bank.

City of London
London's historical and financial core - buzzing during the week, blissfully quiet at weekends.

Docklands
Regenerated with skyscrapers, luxury apartments and transport links, the Docklands in East London have boomed in the past decade.