Paris is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the Région parisienne or "Paris Region"). The city of Paris, within its limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,193,031 (January 2007), but the Paris aire urbaine has a population of nearly 12 million and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

Paris was the largest city in the Western world for about 1,000 years, prior to the 19th century, and the largest in the entire world between the 16th and 19th centuries. With about 42 million tourists per year (28 million in city proper, of which 17 million are foreign visitors), Paris is the most visited city in the world. The city and its region contain 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Paris also ranked among the ten greenest European cities in 2010, and according to the 2010 survey from Economist Intelligence Unit, it is the world's most expensive city in which to live. An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centers, 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. In 2009 and 2010, Paris was ranked among the three most important and influential cities in the world, among the first three "European cities of the future" (according to research published by the Financial Times) and among the top ten most liveable cities in the world (according to the British review Monocle).

Paris and the Paris Region, with €552.1 billion in 2009, produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of France. According to 2008 estimates, the Paris agglomeration is, scantily after London, Europe's second biggest city economy and the sixth largest in the world. The Paris Region hosts the headquarters of 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, as well as 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest dedicated business district in Europe.

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