City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: "Tossed by the waves, she does not sink") Nickname: La Ville lumi?re ("The City of Lights") The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocad?ro. Location

Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Coordinates 48°52'0?N, 2°19'59?E Administration Country France Region ?le-de-France Department Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delano? (PS) (2001-2008) City Statistics Land area? 86.9[1] km? Population? (Jan. 2006 estimate) 2,167,994  - Ranking 1st in France  - Density 24,948/km? (2006[1]) Urban Spread Urban Area 2 723 km? (1999)  - Population 9 644 507 (1999) Metro Area 14,518.3 km? (1999)  - Population 12,067,000 (2007) 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km? (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 ?le-de-France region (aka "Paris Region"; in French: R?gion Parisienne or RP). The City of Paris has an estimated population of 2,167,994 within its administrative limits (January 2006).[2] The Paris unit? urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005),[3] while the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million[4] and is one of the most populated metropolitan 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 (?le-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 D?fense, 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.