| Paris is the capital city of France. It is situated
on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the lle-de-France
region . Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,500 within its
administrative limits. The Paris Unité urbaine (or "urban unit") is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond its city limits, with a population of 9.92 million.A commuter belt around the same completes the Paris urban area that, with its population of 11.9 million,is one of the most populated areas of its kind in Europe. An important settlement for more than 2 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. The Paris region (lle-de-France) is France's foremost centre of economic activity. With €478.6 billion (US$595.1 billion), it produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of France in 2004. 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 fifteen of the world's 100 largest companies. Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO and the OECD. With over 35 million foreign visitors per year, Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world. The city hosts numerous iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral, the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur, the Invalides, the Panthéon, the Grande Arche and the Opéra Garnier among its many attractions, along with world famous institutions such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay or the Musée National d'Art Moderne, and popular parks like Disneyland Resort Paris. |