London becomes the world's largest city

Background. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. It grew rapidly during the 19th century, becoming the world's largest city at the time. The supplied source dates this status to about 1831 to 1925, a period during which the city also recorded a population density of 132 per acre (325 per hectare).

Demographic Milestone. The claim that London overtook Beijing in 1825 is not directly supported by the provided passages. Instead, evidence suggests London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925. The legacy row's 1825 date appears to be an error or placeholder, as the sourced data points to a later start date for this status.

Historical Context. London had already been the largest town in England by the 11th century, centuries before its 19th-century growth made it the world's largest city. The approximate timeframe of about 1831 to 1925 for that global demographic position comes from a single supplied passage and should be read as approximate rather than confirmed.