Transport and cultural geography of London - Essay Example

LondonLondon developed the first underground railway in the world. The Metropolitan Company financed the construction of the railway that became the first to use electric engines for propulsion. Besides, the company built an escalator at Earls Court and Holloway. The underground train exists to date carrying 1.07 million passengers annually. The London underground tunnel hosts animals from deer to grass snakes. About half a million mice also dwell in these tunnels. The mosquitoes inhabiting the tunnels have evolved to a unique species for its insatiable biting (AARP London 2012).

London now has seven major railway stations covering long distances. Recent developments in London Heathrow airport make it the world’s busiest airports. The airport services both local and international travels. Heathrow airport has underground station served by an underground railway connecting the airport to Central London. Taxis are also available outside the airport. London also has 24 bridges over river Thames such as the Tower Bridge built in 1894 (Bagwell & Lyth, 2002). The London transport museum hosts all the developments in transportation beginning first inventions.

The Roman settlers were the first to settle permanently in London. The World War II destroyed a large part of London. London has 7.5 million residents as indicated by the 2007 census (Rycroft, 2011). The population consists of people from different cultures and religions. The main geographical feature in London is Thames River, which runs through the city from east to southwest. Lastly, London harbors many museums in commemoration of its history. The Alfred Waterhouse Museum contains over 70 million plants, animals, rock, fossil and mineral specimens.

The Science Museum hosts educational and entertainment exhibits including the Apollo10 Command Module (Fullman, 2012). The building also displays recent developments in medicine, technology and contemporary science. Other interesting museums include National Gallery, Tate Modern, National Maritime Museum and The Design Museum.ReferencesBagwell, P. S., & Lyth, P. J. (2002). Transport in Britain, 1750-2000: From canal lock to gridlock. London: Continuum. Print.Fullman, J. (2012). AARP London 2012.

New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.Rycroft, S. (2011). Swinging city: A cultural geography of London, 1950-1974. Farnham: Ashgate. Print.