This article is about the capital of France. For other uses, see Paris (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 48°52′0″N 2°19′59″E / 48.86667, 2.33306
Paris
City flag
City coat of arms
Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur
The Eiffel Tower (foreground) and the skyscrapers of Paris's suburban La Défense business district (background).
Location
Time Zone
CET (UTC +1)
Coordinates
48°52′0″N 2°19′59″E / 48.86667, 2.33306
Administration
Country
France
Region
Île-de-France
Department
Paris (75)
Subdivisions
20 arrondissements
Mayor
Bertrand Delanoë (PS)(2008-2014)
City Statistics
Land area¹
86.9[1] km²
Population²(Jan. 2006 estimate)
2,167,994
- Ranking
1st in France
- Density
24,948/km² (2006[1])
Urban Spread
Urban Area
2 723 km² (1999)
- Population
9,644,507 (1999)
Metro Area
14,518.3 km² (1999)
- Population
12,067,000 (2007)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Paris (pronounced /ˈpærɨs/ in English; [paʁi] (help·info) in French) is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris within its administrative limits (largely unchanged since 1860) has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006).[2] The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005).[3] The Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million,[4] and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.[5]
An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.[6] According to 2005 estimates by the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy,[7] and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP.[8]
The Paris Region, with US$731.3 billion, produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2007.[9] The Paris Region hosts 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies[10] in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe.[11] Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the informal Paris Club.
Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year.[12] There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.
Contents[hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Beginnings
2.2 Middle ages
2.3 Nineteenth century
2.4 Twentieth century
2.5 Twenty-first century
3 Geography
3.1 Climate
4 Cityscape
4.1 Architecture
4.2 Districts and historical centres
4.2.1 City of Paris
4.2.2 In the Paris area
4.3 Monuments and landmarks
4.4 Parks and gardens
4.5 Cemeteries
5 Culture
5.1 Opera & theatre
5.2 Cuisine
5.3 Movies
5.4 Tourism
5.5 Sports
6 Economy
7 Demographics
7.1 Density
7.2 Paris agglomeration
7.3 Immigration
8 Administration
8.1 Capital of France
8.2 City government
8.3 Municipal offices
8.4 Capital of the Île-de-France région
8.5 Intercommunality
9 Education
9.1 Primary and secondary education
9.2 Higher education
9.3 Universities
9.4 Grandes écoles
10 Transportation
11 Water and sanitation
12 International relations
12.1 Sister city
12.2 Partner cities
13 See also
14 References
15 Further reading
16 External links
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