Overview
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, located in the north-central part of the country on the River Seine. The city proper has a population of about 2.1 million, while the metropolitan area is home to roughly 12 million people, making it one of the largest urban areas in Europe.
Geography and Physical Features
Paris sits in a wide basin surrounded by gently rolling hills. The Seine winds through the city, dividing it into the Right Bank and Left Bank, with two natural islands, Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint-Louis, in its center. The city is famously organized into 20 arrondissements that spiral outward from the historic center.
Significance
Paris has been a major European center of culture, philosophy, and political thought for centuries. It was the heart of the French Revolution and has long served as a global capital of art, fashion, and gastronomy. UNESCO designated the banks of the Seine in central Paris as a World Heritage Site in 1991.
Notable Facts
The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889 for the World's Fair, stands 330 meters tall and is the most-visited paid monument in the world. The Louvre is the world's largest art museum and houses the Mona Lisa. The Notre-Dame Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece dating from the 12th century, suffered a major fire in 2019 and is undergoing restoration.