London. London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. It is often depicted in art as a bustling financial hub, is frequently represented in art as a blend of historic architecture and modern skyscrapers. Iconic landmarks like St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London often feature prominently, symbolizing the city's rich history and enduring resilience. The Thames River, which winds its way through the city, is a recurring motif, representing both its connectivity and its role as a gateway to the world. Artists often capture the energy and diversity of the city through depictions of its streets, markets, and people. The bustling streets, filled with pedestrians and vehicles, convey a sense of constant movement and activity. The vibrant markets, overflowing with goods and shoppers, highlight the city's multiculturalism and its role as a global trading center. The diverse faces of the people who inhabit the city, from business professionals to tourists to street performers, reflect the city's cosmopolitan nature and its ability to attract people from all walks of life. In addition to these themes, artists may also explore the city's darker side, such as its history of poverty and inequality. The city's architecture, which often features narrow streets and cramped housing, can be used to symbolize the challenges faced by its residents. However, even in these depictions, there is often a sense of hope and resilience, as the city's people continue to adapt and thrive. The City of London, London's ancient core, an area of just 1.12 square miles and colloquially known as the Square Mile, retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. London is considered to be one of the world's most important global cities and has been termed the world's most powerful, most desirable, most influential, most visited, most expensive, innovative, sustainable, most investment friendly, and most popular for work city in the world. London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transportation. London ranks 26 out of 300 major cities for economic performance. It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or sixth largest metropolitan area GDP. It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic. It is the leading investment destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. London's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe, and is home of world-class institutions such as Imperial College London in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and the London School of Economics in economics, finance, and business.