LondonBy Stefania Giannila

Geography

• It is the capital of the United Kingdom

• It is in the southeast of England

• It has got temperate oceanic climate, like most of the British islands

• Its area is 1,579 square kilometers, which makes it the 37th largest urban area in the region in the world

• It is built on the banks of the River Thames

Education

• The education system is divided into early years (ages 3–4), primary education (ages 4–11), secondary education (ages 11–18) and tertiary education (ages 18+)

• Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 17

• Higher education often begins with a three-year bachelor's degree. Postgraduate degrees include master's degrees, either taught or by research, and the doctorate, a research degree that usually takes at least three years. Universities require a Royal Charter in order to issue degrees, and all but one are financed by the state via tuition fees, which cost up to £9,000 per academic year for English, Welsh and EU students

• Until 1870 all schools were charitable or private institutions, but in that year the Elementary Education Act 1870 permitted local governments to complement the existing elementary schools, to fill up any gaps. The Education Act 1902 allowed local authorities to create secondary schools. The Education Act 1918 abolished fees for elementary schools.

Leisure time • Recreation

• Cycling

• Sports

• Arts and Entertainment

• Nightlife Hotspots

Sports• It has hosted major international tournaments and has

professional teams in many sports

• London has hosted the Summer Olympics in 1908 at White City and 1948 at Wembley Stadium. In July 2005 London was chosen to host the Games in 2012, making it the first city in the world to host the Summer Olympics three times

• London hosted the Paralympic Games in 2012, for the first time.

ArtsLondon is Britain's leading centre for arts education. London's four music conservatories are the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Other drama schools include Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the Central School of Speech and Drama. Art & Design schools include Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Chelsea College of Art and Design, Camberwell College of Arts, Wimbledon School of Art and London College of Communication and London College of Fashion, and Goldsmiths College, University of London and the Slade School of Art, and The Design School and the Royal College of Art. The former Hornsey College of Art is now part of Middlesex University. The University of East London has an Institute for Performing Arts Development