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 (French: département de Paris).
The population of the city of Paris at the last official census was 2,125,246. The population of the Greater Paris metropolitan area (including all its suburbs and satellite cities) was 11,174,743, making it the second largest metropolitan area in European Union (after London), and approximately the 20th most populous metropolitan area in the world.
Greater Paris metropolitan area, with a total GDP in 2003, higher than Brazil's and Russia's, is the second largest financial and business center of Europe (after London), harboring more than 30% of France's white-collar population, as well as more than 40% of the headquarters of French companies, with one of the largest business districts of Europe ( La Défense), and the second-largest stock exchange in Europe (Euronext).
Known worldwide as the City of Lights (la Ville Lumière), Paris is a major tourist destination and cultural hub. The city is renowned for the beauty of its architecture, its urban perspectives and avenues, as well as the wealth of its museums and the diversity of its cultural life. 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.
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, has turned Paris into one of the major transportation hubs in the world.
New York,
London, Tokyo, and Paris are often listed as the four major global cities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris
| From | To | Valid Departing Dates | Airfares From | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | London | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $939.00 |
| Chicago | Madrid | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1163.00 |
| Los Angeles | London | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1125.00 |
| Miami | Frankfurt | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1210.00 |
| San Francisco | Berlin | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1258.00 |
| Miami | Rome | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1567.00 |
| Seattle | Istanbul | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1363.00 |
| Los Angeles | Rome | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1516.00 |
| Atlanta | Athens | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1279.00 |
| Dallas | Amsterdam | 06/01/2008 | - | 08/31/2008 | $1252.00 |