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Paris is the
capital city of
France, as well as the
capital of the Île-de-France région, whose territory encompasses Paris and its
suburbs. The city of Paris proper is also a département, called Paris
département.
Paris, together with its suburbs and satellite cities, forms the
Greater Paris metropolitan area, with a population estimated at 11.5
million as of January 2004. It is the second largest metropolitan
area in
Europe (after Moscow,
and along with
London), and
approximately the 20th largest in the world.
Greater Paris metropolitan area, with a total GDP higher than
Australia, is the largest financial and business center of Europe
(alongside London), harboring more than 30% of France's white-collar
population, as well as more than 40% of the headquarters of French
companies, with the largest business district of Europe (La Défense),
and the 2nd largest stock exchange in Europe (Euronext).
Known worldwide as the City of Light (la Ville Lumière), Paris has
been a major tourist destination for centuries. The city is renowned
for the beauty of its architecture, its urban perspectives and
avenues, as well as the wealth of its museums. Built on an arc of
the River Seine, it is divided into two parts: the Right Bank to the
north and the smaller Left Bank to the south.
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Formerly the capital of a colonial empire stretching over five
continents, Paris is still regarded as the heart of the
French-speaking world and has retained a strong international
position, hosting the headquarters of the OECD and the UNESCO among
others. This, combined with its financial, business, political, and
tourism activities, have turned Paris into one of the major
transportation hubs in the world. Alongside
New York, London, and Tokyo,
Paris is among the four most important global cities.
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