London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in theEuropean Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and theGreater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
