The
City of Westminster ˈwɛs(t)mɪnstər is a
London borough occupying much of the central area of
London, including most of the
West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient
City of London, directly to the east of the
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary is the
River Thames. It is an
Inner London borough and was created in 1965 when
Greater London was established. At its creation Westminster was awarded
city status, which had been previously held by the smaller
Metropolitan Borough of Westminster.
Aside from a number of large parks and open spaces, the
population density of the district is high. Many sites commonly associated with London are located in the borough, including
Buckingham Palace, the
Houses of Parliament, and
10 Downing Street. The borough is divided into a number of localities including the ancient political district of
Westminster around the
Palace of Westminster; the shopping areas around
Oxford Street,
Regent Street,
Piccadilly and
Bond Street; and the night time entertainment district of
Soho. Much of the borough is residential, and in 2008 it was estimated to have a population of 236,000. The local authority is
Westminster City Council.