London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [212]
WHERE TO EAT IN WINDSOR CASTLE
Two Brewers.
£ | BRITISH | Two small, low-ceiling rooms make up this 17th-century pub where locals congregate and palace staff unwind after work. Children are not welcome, but adults will find a suitable collection of wine, espresso, and local beer, plus an excellent little menu. Reservations are essential on Sunday, when the pub serves a traditional roast. | 34 Park St. | SLF 1LB | 01753/855426 | AE, MC, V | No full dinner Fri. and Sat.
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Main Table of Contents
London At-A-Glance
English Vocabulary
Books and Movies
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Fast Facts | Geography and Environment | Economy
FAST FACTS
Type of government: Representative democracy. In 1999 the Greater London Authority Act reestablished a single local governing body for the Greater London area, consisting of an elected mayor and the 25-member London Assembly. Elections, first held in 2000, take place every four years.
Population: Inner city 3 million, Greater London 7.7 million
Population density: 12,331 people per square mi
Median age: 38.4
Infant mortality rate: 5 per 1,000 births
Language: English. More than 300 languages are spoken in London. All city government documents are translated into Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Gujurati, Hindi, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Ethnic and racial groups: White British 70%, White Irish 3%, Other White 9%, Indian 6%, Bangladeshi 2%, Pakistani 2%, other Asian 2%, Black African 6%, Black Caribbean 5%, Chinese 1%, Other 3%.
Religion: Christian 58%, nonaffiliated 15%, Muslim 8%, Hindu 4%, Jewish 2%, Sikh 1%, other religion 1%, Buddhist 0.8%
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
—Samuel Johnson
GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT
Latitude: 51° N (same as Calgary, Canada; Kiev, Ukraine; Prague, Czech Republic)
Longitude: 0° (same as Accra, Ghana). A brass line in the ground in Greenwich marks the prime meridian (0° longitude).
Elevation: 49 feet
Land area: City, 67 square mi; metro area, 625 square mi
Terrain: River plain, rolling hills, and parkland
Natural hazards: Drought in warmer summers, minor localized flooding of the Thames caused by surge tides from the North Atlantic
Environmental issues: The city has been improving its air quality, but up to 1,600 people die each year from health problems related to London’s polluted air. Only half of London’s rivers and canals received passing grades for water quality from 1999 through 2001. More than £12 million ($22 million) is spent annually to ensure the city’s food safety.
“I’m leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it’s not raining.”
—Groucho Marx
ECONOMY
Workforce: 3.8 million; financial/real estate 28%, health care 10%, manufacturing 4%, education 7%, construction 5%, public administration 5%
Unemployment: 7.2%
Major industries: The arts, banking, government, insurance, tourism
“London: a nation, not a city.”
—Benjamin Disraeli, Lothair
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Basic Terms and Everyday Items | Clothing | Transportation | Food | Slang
You and a Londoner may speak the same language, but some phrases definitely get lost in translation once they cross the Atlantic.
British English
American English
BASIC TERMS AND EVERYDAY ITEMS
bill
check
flat
apartment
lift
elevator
nappy
diaper
holiday
vacation
note
bill (currency)
plaster
Band-Aid
queue
line
row
argument
rubbish
trash
tin
can
toilet/loo/WC
bathroom
CLOTHING
braces
suspenders
bum bag
fanny pack
dressing gown
robe
jumper
sweater
pants/knickers
underpants/briefs
rucksack
backpack
suspender
garter
tights
pantyhose
trainers
sneakers
trousers
pants
vest
undershirt
waistcoat
vest
TRANSPORTATION
bonnet
hood
boot
trunk
coach
long-distance bus