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What makes London an iconic city

With over two thousand years of history, London remains one of the world’s major centres. This ancient city, once known as Londinium, is a melting pot of culture, rich heritage and tradition. From royal palaces and monuments to bustling high-street markets and fashionable neighbourhoods, there’s something for everyone in London. Its significance resonates with the sentiment expressed by the writer Samuel Johnson, who described it as, "When a man is bored with London, he is bored with life, for there is all that life can offer." 

London's iconic status can be attributed to various factors. According to a study by city rankings firm QS Quacquarella Symonds, London is still the best city to study in the world, thanks to world-class universities such as Imperial College. The finding goes on to say that despite scoring low on affordability and being rated as ‘unfriendly’ for international students and ‘understandable’ for graduate career opportunities, the capital maintained its number one ranking for the third year in a row. 

In addition to its talent pool, London also provides a massive global financial market. It continues to be the most interconnected financial centre in the world, offering businesses unparalleled access to world markets. Even after Brexit, the city is, according to the 2021 Census, ranked second in the world in terms of diversity. The Census shows that London is the most ethnically diversified region of England and Wales, with 287 ethnic groups and nationals represented in the census. In terms of tourism, the city is a magnet, with 16.1 million inbound visitors in 2022 who visited iconic landmarks such as the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, according to a Statisca report. 

Students flock to the city for studies, global companies compete for space, its population evolves to be more diverse, creating a self-fulfilled world, millions of tourists flock to the city, and so on. It only indicates that the city is constantly and innovatively evolving itself only to maintain its dominating position in the world, reminding us of how William Sansom once put it: London is a habit you hate to lose.

* Written for a client in January 2024

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