City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: "Tossed by the waves, she does not sink") Nickname:The City of Lights, The City of Eternal Love The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. Location

Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Coordinates 48°52'0?N, 2°19'59?E Administration Country France Region Île-de-France Department Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) (2001-2008) City Statistics Land area¹ 86.9[1] km² Population² (2005 estimate) 2,153,600  - Ranking 1st in France  - Density 24,783/km² (2005[1]) Urban Spread Urban Area 2 723 km² (1999)  - Population 9 644 507 (1999) Metro Area 14,518.3 km² (1999)  - Population 12,067,000 (2007) 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: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Paris (pronounced /pa'?i/ in French; /'pa??s/ in English) 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 ("Région parisienne"). Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 within its administrative limits.[2] The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of 9.93 million.[3] Paris' commuter belt area, or couronne périurbaine, when joined with Paris and its unité urbaine, completes the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) that, with its population of 12 million,[4] is one of the most heavily populated areas in Europe.[5] 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.[6] The Paris Region (Île-de-France) is France's foremost centre of economic activity. With €500.8 billion (US$628.9 billion), it produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2006.[7] The Paris Region hosts 36 of the Fortune Global 500 companies[8] in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe.[9] Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the ICC and the informal Paris Club. Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year.[10] There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world famous institutions and popular parks.