Things you didn't know about... London

Budge up a bit there...

London is the largest city in Europe, with a population of over 7.2 million. It's expected to break 8 million by 2020.

London puts on a good show

On average there are 76 plays shown every day in London, plus around 33 musicals, 19 operas and 16 dance performances. No wonder London theatre accounts for over 70 per cent of UK box office revenues.

London is a real melting pot

Over 300 languages are spoken by pupils in London's schools.

"Where are we going to put that?"

Marble Arch in London was originally built to be the gateway to Buckingham Palace, but was moved in 1851. Inside the arch are three small offices that were used as a police station until 1950.

No change in London taxis

London cab drivers are not legally obliged to give you change. If you pay with a large note, the driver is allowed to take the cash and offer to pop the change in the post to the passenger's home address.

London parrots warmer climes

There are currently approximately 30,000 wild parakeets flying in the skies of London. The number is expected to increase to nearer 50,000 by 2010.

London led the way for modern groceries

Britain's very first supermarket opened in Earls Court, London, in 1951.

Birds can ruin the time

During the 1940s a flock of starlings landed on the minute hand of Big Ben's clock, causing the London landmark to show the wrong time. (And while we're on the subject, did you know that Big Ben is actually the name of the bell, not the tower or the clock?)

London restaurants are something to write home about, monsieur

London boasts 40 Michelin-starred restaurants, more than twice as many as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland combined.

Splash the cash...

Inner London has the highest average salary of any European city.

Wow, that's wheely long!

The circumference of one of London's newest landmarks, the London Eye, is 424m (1,390ft). If it were unravelled and stood on its end, it would be 1.75 times the height of the UK's tallest building, One Canada Square in Canary Wharf.