The French capital has 2 249 975 inhabitants within Paris itself and over 12 million when including the surrounding urban areas.  Paris, located in the north of France, is crossed by the Seine between the confluences of Marne and Oise.  It is divided into 20 districts giving a total surface area of 105 km².

The city is, with its suburbs, the economic and commercial capital of France, as well as its leading stock-exchange and financial centre.

The Parisian region is a major European economic player; the leading European region by regional gross domestic product and 6th by the gross domestic product per inhabitant. The density of its rail and motorway network and its airport structure, hub of the French and European airline network, make it a focal point for international transport.