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ABOUT PARIS
/ PARIS GUIDE
Paris is the capital city of
France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at
the heart of the Île-de-France region ("Region Parisienne"). Paris
has an estimated population of 2,153,600 inhabitants within city
limits (2005 est.). The Paris urban area has a population of 9.93
million; a vast commuter belt around the same completes the Paris "aire
urbaine" (roughly: "metropolitan area") that, with its population of
11.5 million, is one of the most populated areas of its kind in
Europe.
The Paris region (Île-de-France) is France's foremost centre of
economic activity. With €478.7 billion (US$595.3 billion), it
produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of
France in 2005. With La Defense, the largest purpose built business
district in Europe, it hosts the head offices of almost half of the
major French companies, as well as the headquarters of ten of the
world's 100 largest companies.Paris also hosts many international
organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the ICC, or the informal
Paris Club. It is regarded as one of the 4 major global cities.
Paris' strategic location at a crossroads between land and river
trade routes in lands of abundant agriculture had made it one of
France's principal cities by the 10th century, rich with Royal
palaces and demurs, wealthy Abbeys and a cathedral; by the 12th
century Paris had become one of Europe's foremost centres of
learning and the arts. Today, Paris is an influential centre in
politics, fashion, business, arts and science. The city serves as an
important hub of intercontinental transportation and is home to some
of the most prominent universities, sport events, opera companies
and museums, making it an attraction for over 30 million foreign
visitors per year.
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