[originaltext] London, the capital of England and the UK is the world’s nint

London, the capital of England and the UK is the world’s ninth-largest city. Its history spans nearly 2,000 years, beginning with the arrival of the Romans soon after their inva sion of Britain in AD43. London is situated on the banks of the river Thames, in southeast England. London has many historic buildings including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It is also a major centre for entertainment, shopping and dining.
    The West End is a large area of central London to the west of the City, containing most of the best-known theatres and shopping districts.
    London’s population reached a peak of around 8.6 million in 1939 then declined slowly to below 7 million in 1983. Only recently has London population reached over 7 million. The population of London alone exceeds the total population Scotland.
    Although most of the population is white and Anglo-Saxon, more than a quarter of London’s population is from an alternative ethnic background, making up half of the Britain’s total ethnic minorities. This gives London the largest non-white population of any European city and is an important part of its cosmopolitan feel. Over 250 languages are spoken in the city, making the capital the most linguistically diverse city in the world.