London

London is the British capital and one of the biggest cities in the world.

The oldest part of London is called the City. It is small, but it is very important. Two thousand years ago a town was built here. For hundreds of years people lived and worked there, but now very many of the old houses have gone. Thousands of people come here every morning to work in large offices.

To the east is the large area called the East End. This is London's poorest part, where people of all colors live. The very large riverside docks in the East End make London one of the three largest ports in the world.

To the west are the fine shops and theaters of the area known as the West End. This part is best known to rich tourists. Oxford Street with its great department stores is the favorite street for shopping. In the West End there are beautiful parks too. The largest of all London's parks is Hyde Park.

The Houses of Parliament are along the bank of the Thames and Parliament Square is one of many London squares. Some of them are small, others are large and busy, like Trafalgar Square.