paris

Paris

Paris is the capital city of France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France. The City of Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 within its administrative limits. Paris is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has a population of 9.93 million. A commuter belt around the urban area completes the Paris metropolitan area that, with its population of 12 million, is one of the most heavily populated areas in Europe. An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centre, 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 is France's foremost centre of economic activity. With 500.8 billion EU (US$628.9 billion), it produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2006. The Paris Region hosts 36 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Defense, the largest purpose-built business district inEurope. 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. There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world famous institutions and popular parks "Modern" Paris is the result of a vast mid-19th century urban remodelling. For centuries it had been a labyrinth of narrow streets and half-timber houses, but beginning in 1852, the Baron Haussmann's vast urbanisation levelled entire quarters to make way for wide avenues lined with neo-classical stone buildings of bourgeoise standing; most of this 'new' Paris is the Paris we see today. These Second Empire plans are in many cases still in effect, as the city of Paris imposes the then-defined "alignement" law (imposed position defining a predetermined street width) on many new constructions. A building's height was also defined according to the width of the street it lines, and Paris' building code has seen few changes since the mid-19th century to allow for higher constructions. It is for this reason that Paris is mainly a "flat" city.