Paris Vacation Rentals

About Paris, France

Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: She is tossed by the waves but is not sunk)

The Eiffel Tower (foreground) and the skyscrapers of the
La Défense business district (background). Location
Paris Time zone CET (UTC +1) Administration Country France Region Île-de-France Department Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS)
(2008–2014) Statistics Land area1  86.9 km2 (33.6 sq mi) Population2 2,203,817  (January 2006 estimate)  - Ranking 1st in France  - Density 25,360 /km2 (65,700 /sq mi) Urban spread Urban area 2,723 km2 (1,051 sq mi) (1999)  - Population 10,142,983 (2006) Metro area 14,518.3 km2 (5,605.5 sq mi) (1999)  - Population 11,769,433 (2006) Website paris.fr 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 /ˈpærɪs/ in English, [paʁi]  ( listen) in French) is the capital of France and the country's most populous 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 2,203,817 (January 2006), but the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of 11,769,433 (January 2006), 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.

Paris and the Paris Region, with €533.6 billion (US$731.3 billion) in 2007, produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France. According to 2005 estimates, the Paris urban agglomeration is Europe's biggest city economy, and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP. The Paris Region hosts 38 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe. 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. There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.

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