Paris (pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English; Paris1.ogg [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 limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of
2,167,994 (January 2006),[2] but the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area)
has a population of over 11 million,[3] and is the most populated metropolitan
area in the Eurozone.[4][not in citation given]
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.[5] According to 2005
estimates, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy,[6] and is
fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP.[7]
Paris and the Paris Region, with ˆ533.6 billion (US$731.3 billion) in 2007,
produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France.[8]
The Paris Region hosts 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies[9] in several
business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business
district in Europe.[10] 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 45
million tourists every year in the Paris Region, 60% of whom are foreign
visitors.[11] There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions,
along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.