| Being one of the largest and most populated cities of | | | | as before, the city's habitats' number continued to |
| Europe, London, the United Kingdom's capital is a | | | | increase. Today, London's wider metropolitan area |
| cosmopolitan area in which a highly diverse range of | | | | has a population between 12 and 14 million depending |
| peoples, cultures and religions coexist today. | | | | on the definition of that area. According to the 2001 |
| According to a Guardian newspaper editorial, "London | | | | census, 27 percent of London's population was born |
| in 2005 can lay claim to being the most diverse city | | | | outside the UK and about 29 percent were classified |
| ever." With more than 300 different languages | | | | as non-white -non-counting the unknown tens of |
| spoken in London's streets by its permanent | | | | thousands who did not complete a census form. But |
| residents, such a claim seems at least reasonable. | | | | even this total does not include the second the third |
| During my last London visit, I was astonished by the | | | | generation immigrants, who have inherited the |
| multicultural experience a tourist like me could have, | | | | traditions of their parents and grandparents. |
| just by visiting different neighborhoods and talking to | | | | Ethnically diverse and historically rich, London |
| a variety of people. In fact, the city is considered | | | | continues to attract people from around the globe |
| today to be an international transport hub and an | | | | who find in its neighborhoods their new home. |
| extremely popular tourist destination, making London | | | | London in 2006 is uncharted territory. According to |
| one of the most visited world's capitals; a fact that | | | | sociologists and historians, never have so many |
| tremendously promotes its multicultural character. | | | | different kinds of people tried living together in the |
| London's metropolitan are has considerably grown | | | | same place before. Virtually every race, nation, |
| over the centuries, especially during the 19th and | | | | culture and religion in the world can claim at least a |
| early 20th centuries increasing industrialization that led | | | | dozen of Londoners. But, what some people see as |
| to rapid population growth. England's capital was the | | | | the greatest experiment of multiculturalism of the |
| most populated city of the world until 1925, when | | | | last centuries is already challenged by the global |
| New York overtook its immense number of citizens. | | | | political and social developments which have recently |
| London continued to grow until World War II and the | | | | begun to point out that harmony and peace are |
| Green Belt legislation which led to its population largely | | | | more than ever subject to the powers of race and |
| remain static. But although urban building constructions | | | | ethnicity. |
| were not allowed to take place at the same speed | | | | |