City of London
| City of London | |||
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| City and county | |||
The City of London skyline in December 2013
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| Nickname(s): the Square Mile, the City | |||
| Motto: Domine Dirige Nos ("O Lord Direct us", motto of City of London Corporation) |
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 City of London within Greater London |
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| Coordinates: 51.5155°N 0.0922°WCoordinates: 51.5155°N 0.0922°W | |||
| Status | Sui generis; city and county | ||
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom | ||
| Country | England | ||
| Region | London | ||
| Romansettlement | c. 47 AD (Londinium) |
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| Wessexresettlement | 886 AD (Lundenburh) |
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| Wards | |||
| Government | |||
| • Body | City of London Corporation | ||
| • Lord Mayor | Alan Yarrow[1] | ||
| • Town Clerk | John Barradell | ||
| • Administrative HQ | Guildhall | ||
| • London Assembly | John Biggs (City and East) | ||
| • Member of Parliament | Mark Field (Cities of London and Westminster) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 2.90 km2 (1.12 sq mi) | ||
| Highest elevation | 21 m (69 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | ||
| Population (2011)[2] | |||
| • Total | 7,375 | ||
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,600/sq mi) | ||
| • Ethnicity[3] |
57.5% White British |
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| Population Ranked 325/326 | |||
| Time zone | GMT (UTC) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | BST (UTC+1) | ||
| Postcodes | EC, WC, E | ||
| ONS code | 00AA | ||
| Area code(s) | 020 | ||
| Patron saint | St. Paul | ||
| Police force | City of London Police | ||
| Transport for London zones | Fare zone 1; congestion charge zone | ||
| Airport | London City Airport | ||
| Website | cityoflondon.gov.uk | ||
The City of London is a city and county within London. It constituted most of London from its settlement by the Romans in the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages, but the agglomeration has since grown far beyond the City's borders.[4] The City is now only a tiny part of the metropolis of London, though it remains a notable part of central London. It is one of two districts of London to hold city status; the other is the adjacent City of Westminster.
The City of London is widely referred to simply as the City (often written as just City and differentiated from the phrase "the city of London" by capitalising City) and is also colloquially known as the Square Mile, as it is 1.12 sq mi (2.90 km2)[5] in area. Both of these terms are also often used as metonyms for the United Kingdom's trading and financial servicesindustries, which continue a notable history of being largely based in the City.[6]
The name London is now ordinarily used for a far wider area than just the City. London often denotes the sprawling London metropolis, or the 32London boroughs, in addition to the City of London itself. This wider usage of London is documented as far back as the 16th century.[7]
The local authority for the City, namely the City of London Corporation, is unique in the UK and has some unusual responsibilities for a local council, such as being the police authority. It is also unusual in having responsibilities and ownerships beyond its boundaries. The Corporation is headed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, an office separate from (and much older than) the Mayor of London. The current Lord Mayor isAlan Yarrow.
The City is a major business and financial centre.[8] Throughout the 19th century, the City was the world's primary business centre, and it continues to be a major meeting point for businesses.[9] London came top in theWorldwide Centres of Commerce Index, published in 2008. The insurance industry is focused around the eastern side of the City. A secondary financial district exists outside of the City, at Canary Wharf, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to the east.
The City has a resident population of about 7,000 (2011) but over 300,000 people commute to and work there, mainly in the financial services sector.[10] The legal profession forms a major component of the northern and western sides of the City, especially in the Temple and Chancery Lane areas where the Inns of Court are located, of which two—Inner Temple and Middle Temple—fall within the City of London boundary.
