France Capital

Few cities captivate like Paris, the current capital city of France. Often known as the most romantic city in the world, Paris has a long history with the first settlement occurring around 250 BC or about 2,000 years ago. At the time it was known as Lutetia, a name that originated from Celtic. Lutetia means “a dwelling place in the middle of the waters.” The Celtic tribe, Parisii was the first to set up their settlement near the Seine river. This strategic location was vital due to its fertile soil and as a commercial point. It was later named Paris in 212 A.D., the name of its first inhabitants. Paris is in the north-west part of France on the river Seine. It is at the heart of the Ile-de-France region.

Paris is a busy city. According to recent estimates, it has a population of about 2,241,346 people. However, the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 10.5 million, making it the most populated urban area in the European Union. The Paris metropolitan area experiences rapid population growth as demonstrated during each population census.

Paris has rich historical landmarks. One such is the Eiffel Tower, which attracts droves of people each year. For instance, the Eiffel Tower had its 250 millionth visitor in 2010. The Eiffel Tower is a display of honor that symbolizes the French Revolution in 1789. It stands at 300 meters tall and is twice as high as the Washington Monument. The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is another popular tourist destination in France. This museum is found in Alma-Marceau and provides a surreal view of French culture. Also, Paris is famous for its palatial churches. For example, the Basilique du Sacré Coeur in the Montmartre district. This impressive church is an 18th-century building with interior gold mosaics and stained-glass windows. Other attractions worth seeing are the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris, the Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen, the Cimitiere du Pere Lachaise, among others.

Paris is home to the Western European oceanic climate influenced by the sea. The average temperature during summer is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius regulated by fresh air coming from the nearby v. In winter, the temperature is about 7 degrees Celsius with some mild sunlight. Besides, there are a few days of the year when the temperature rises above 32 degrees Celsius and may extend for some period. Consequently, some Parisians close their businesses and move southwards. Paris receives light rainfall throughout the year with an average annual rainfall of about 652 millimeters.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Paris
Languages	French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard)
Ethnic Groups	Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Religion	Christian (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic) 63-66%, Muslim 7-9%, Buddhist 0.5-0.75%, Jewish 0.5-0.75%, other 0.5-1.0%, none 23-28%
Government	Semi-presidential republic
Independance	No official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic founded); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)
Area	643,801.00 km²
Water Area	3,374.00 km²
Land Area	640,427.00 km²
Population	66,836,154.00 Much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Location	metropolitan France:?Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
No. Bordering Countries	8
Bordering Countries	Andorra 55 km, Belgium 556 km, Germany 418 km, Italy 476 km, Luxembourg 69 km, Monaco 6 km, Spain 646 km, Switzerland 525 km
GDP(PPP)	$2,700,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$42,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Germany, Spain, and the United States.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are machinery and transportation equipment, as well as aircraft.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Germany, China, and Italy.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, and aircraft.
Climate	Metropolitan France:?generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Terrain	Metropolitan France:?mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Learn More	France

France Capital

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