Paris 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 ÃŽle-de-France region . The city of Paris, within its limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,167,994 , but the Paris aire urbaine has a population of nearly 12 million, and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.
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. According to 2005 estimates, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy, and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP.
Paris and the Paris Region, with €533.6 billion in 2007, produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of Fran...
