City of London
City of London | |
|---|---|
|
Flag Coat of arms | |
| Nicknames: the Square Mile, the City | |
| Motto(s): | |
Location within Greater London | |
| Coordinates: 51°30′56″N 00°05′35″W / 51.51556°N 0.09306°W | |
| Status | Sui generis; city and ceremonial county |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | London |
| Roman settlement | c. 47 AD (Londinium) |
| Wessex resettlement | 886 AD (Lundenburg) |
| Wards | 25 wards
|
| Government | |
| • Body | City of London Corporation |
| • Lord Mayor | Alastair John Naisbitt King |
| • Town Clerk | Ian Thomas |
| • Admin HQ | Guildhall |
| • London Assembly | Unmesh Desai (Labour; City and East) |
| • UK Parliament | Rachel Blake (Labour; Cities of London and Westminster) |
| Area | |
• City | 1.12 sq mi (2.90 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2022) | |
• City | 10,847 |
| • Rank | 295th (of 296) |
| • Density | 9,700/sq mi (3,700/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC±00:00 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+01:00 (BST) |
| Postcodes | EC, WC, E |
| Area code | 020 |
| Geocode |
|
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-LND |
| Police | City of London Police |
| Patron saint | St. Paul |
| Website | cityoflondon |
The City of London (often known as the City or the Square Mile) is a city, ceremonial county and local government district in England. Established by the Romans around 47 AD as Londinium, it forms the historic centre of the wider London metropolis. Surrounded by the modern ceremonial county of Greater London, from which it remains separate, the City is a unique local authority area governed by the City of London Corporation, which is led by the Lord Mayor of London; although it forms part of the region governed by the Greater London Authority.
Nicknamed the Square Mile, the City of London has an area of 1.12 sq mi (716.80 acres; 2.90 km2), making it the smallest city in the United Kingdom. It had a population of 8,583 at the 2021 census,[1][2] however over 500,000 people were employed in the area as of 2019.[3][4]
Together with Canary Wharf and the West End, the City of London forms the primary central business district of London, which is one of the leading financial centres of the world. The Bank of England and the London Stock Exchange are both based in the City. The insurance industry also has a major presence in the area, and the presence of the Inns of Court on the City's western boundary has made it a centre for the legal profession.
The present City of London constituted the majority of London from its settlement by the Romans in the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages. It contains several historic sites, including St Paul's Cathedral, the Royal Exchange, Mansion House, Guildhall, the Old Bailey, Smithfield Market, the Monument to the Great Fire of London, and the remains of the ancient London Wall.
- ^ "How life has changed in the City of London: Census 2021". Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – City of London (E09000001)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Statistics about the City – City of London". www.cityoflondon.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- ^ Greater London Authority (January 2008). London's Central Business District: Its global importance (PDF). p. 6. ISBN 978-1-84781-109-7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2021.