London                             Information and Resource Centre for Shell families

Living in London

  ◘  On the map

  ◘  Cultural aspects

  ◘  The move

  ◘  Setting up house

  ◘  Neighbourhood

  ◘  Getting around

  ◘  All about children

  ◘  Life of leisure

  ◘  Where to turn

  ◘  Print Inside Guide

Inside London

Chapter 1 - On the Map

1.0     On the Map

1.1     Geography

1.2     Climate and weather

1.3     Size and Makeup of the Expatriate Community

1.0              On the Map 

Map of England from www.lonelyplanet.com

1.1.             Geography

Foreigners often confuse the terms United Kingdom, Great Britain and England.  The United Kingdom has five components: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Island and Channel Islands. It also includes the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.  Great Britain is formed of England, Wales and Scotland.

England is mostly flat or low lying, with a range of hills known as Pennines in the north. To the west are the Cumbrian Mountains and the Lake District. The Midlands is heavily populated and just south of the Pennines. You will find rolling downs, plains and chalk cliffs to the east and southeast. The rest of the country is known as the Lowlands, which has farmland, low hills, an industrial belt and the cosmopolitan city of London.

London is not only the political capital but also the commercial, communications, entertainment and international business centre of the UK.  It is the leading financial centre of Europe and the preferred location for most foreign firms doing business on a global scale.

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1.2               Climate and weather

The moderate influence of the Gulf Stream gives the UK a temperate climate, mild and damp. Temperatures inland don’t get much below freezing in winter (December to February), or much above 30°C (86°F) in summer (June to August). All parts of the country enjoy both milder winters and cooler summers than places of the same latitude in continental Europe. The prevailing southwest winds bring abundant rainfall, especially in hilly areas and in the West Country. Expect cloudy weather and light drizzle in any part of England at any time.

The UK observes daylight saving time from the end of March till the end of October.

Average daily maximum/minimum temperatures and precipitation in London:

For the weather forecast, see www.bbc.co.uk/weather

1.3               Size and Makeup of the Expatriate Community

Within the Shell London community there are about 50 different nationalities represented; the largest groups within this community are: British, Dutch, American, Malaysian, Australian, German and French.  All groups represent single people, couples, as well as families with children. 

London in general has a large expatriate community as it is Europe’s leading financial market and a world leader in architecture, art, fashion, food, music, publishing, film and television.  With a population of over seven  million, the city is very racially and culturally diverse. One in five Londoners was born outside the UK.

In comparison with some other Shell locations there is not a strong sense of a Shell expatriate community in London, mainly because people tend to live spread out across the city and in the villages in Surrey.  If you have recently lived on a Shell camp you might find it takes you a little time to adjust to living in a non camp environment. Friendships may take longer to establish. While Outpost aims to assist new arrivals in any way it can, London is still the sort of location where you have to show your own initiative to a certain extent.

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Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Outpost London cannot assume responsibility for errors in the information included in this guide.

All rights reserved, including the right to translate or to reproduce this guide or any part of it in any form or by any techniques, without the written permission of Outpost London.