Almost every person on the planet dreams of visiting Paris. This is not surprising, because there is a unique charm and a unique atmosphere. As practice shows, even a week of time is not enough to visit all the local attractions. Further in this article, we will talk in more detail about this amazing city, including its history and population.
General Description
In general, the French capital is quite compact. The total area of Paris is about 105 square kilometers. The boundaries of the city are fenced off by a ring road called the Peripheral Boulevard, and it is divided into left-bank and right-bank parts by the Seine River. In administrative terms, the metropolis is divided into twenty districts, which are numbered from the center towards the suburbs. Paris is the administrative, cultural, industrial and political center of the state. Over the past few decades, it has strongly merged with its suburbs, thereby forming the largest agglomeration in the country.
Geography
Capital of Francelocated in the north of the country, 145 kilometers from the English Channel. The river Seine crosses Paris in the direction from the southeast to the northwest. The map of Paris clearly demonstrates how original the water artery forks in the very heart of the city, thereby forming the Île de la Cité. It was on it that the first local settlers once settled their homes. Many interesting historical sites are located along the river. On the outskirts of the city there are quite extensive territories that remain undeveloped in our time. In this case, we are talking about the Bois de Boulogne and Vincennes forests. Once upon a time, French aristocrats hunted here, and now these places have become one of the most favorite among Parisians. Like almost all of France, Paris is influenced by a humid, mild climate. In the winter months, the air temperature drops below 0 degrees extremely rarely. As for snow, it also doesn't fall often.
A Brief History
Before the invasion of Roman troops in 52 BC, tribes of Gauls lived on the territory of the modern French capital. The conquerors then called the local population Parisians. From this word comes the name of the city. As noted earlier, only the island of the City, now the historical center of Paris, was originally inhabited. Over the next 50 years, the city grew a little to the left bank. Now here is the so-called Latin Quarter. Roman rule ended in 508.
During the eleventh century, part of the city spread to the right bank, and to the boardKing Philip II Augustus (1180-1223) had a period of rapid development. At this time, not only did the area of Paris increase significantly, but numerous churches were erected, key roads were paved, and the Louvre fortress was erected. In the Middle Ages, the city became one of the leading European intellectual and commercial centers, and its rapid development was temporarily suspended only because of the plague that began in the fourteenth century. In 1852, inspired by the modernization of London, Emperor Napoleon III partially rebuilt Paris.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, economic growth was experienced by the whole of France. Paris was no exception. A vivid confirmation of this was the successful Olympic Games and the World Exhibition, which was visited by millions of tourists from all over the world. At the same time, the first metro line was opened.
World War II
In June 1940, the city was occupied by German troops. They stayed here until the end of August 1944. The government of the country expected such a development of events, and therefore, some time before the capture of the French capital by the Nazis, the population of Paris was partially evacuated, and monuments and public buildings were covered with sandbags. Be that as it may, one cannot fail to note the fact that, compared to other major European cities, it was practically not affected.
Post-war period and today
The development of the French capital continued in the post-war years. At this time, the suburbs grew significantly and began to be builtthe business, industrial district of Defense, now known throughout the world for its line of skyscrapers. In the eighties of the last century, the city was engulfed in mass protests. They mainly took place in its suburbs and were associated with the discontent of local residents, mostly immigrants. More serious riots occurred in late 2005. Then the rebellious persons representing the visiting population of Paris, in protest against their social position and status, burned several thousand cars and often attacked public buildings. In our time in the city, in some surprising way, progress is harmoniously combined with a century of history. In particular, next to the architectural masterpieces created by world-famous masters, ultra-modern buildings are being erected. And this fact does not violate the local atmosphere, which has been formed over the centuries.
Population
As of today, the population of Paris is about 2.3 million people. In this indicator, the city is one of the five largest metropolitan areas in the European Union. About 300 thousand of its inhabitants are foreigners who arrived here from European and African states. Including the suburbs, the agglomeration known as Greater Paris has about 10 million people. Throughout the country, this area is the most densely populated. Eloquent is the fact that the city accounts for 17% of the population of the state, although it itself occupies only 2% of its territory.
PopulationParis grew strongly between 1945 and 1970. This time was characterized by a large migration from other regions of the country, as well as a high birth rate in the families of people who arrived here. In the eighties, the influx of young people did not particularly stop, but at that time many middle-aged citizens left the city. As a result, ten years later the inhabitants of the French capital were mostly foreigners and the elderly.
According to statistical studies, throughout history, the population of Paris has been significantly replenished by immigrants from other countries. In the early 1990s, this trend intensified. At that time, the settlers accounted for about 25% of the local population. They were predominantly Algerians, Spaniards, Portuguese and representatives of other former French colonies. They mainly performed low-paid jobs in construction and industry. The result of all this was acute housing problems that arose within Greater Paris, as a result - there were slums inhabited by very poor people.
Economy
The capital of France, together with its suburbs, boasts the highest rate in the country in terms of the number of employed residents. The population of the city of Paris mainly works in such areas as the manufacture of watches, jewelry, perfumes, fashion clothes, as well as high-quality expensive furniture. These goods are usually produced in small workshops concentrated in the central part of the city. For industrialworkers account for about one-quarter of all employed residents of Paris. The service sector is quite developed here. Large enterprises that specialize in the production of cars, aircraft, electrical engineering and chemicals are located mainly in the northern suburbs.
Suburbs
As a rule, residents of the agglomeration live in small single-family houses built in the interwar period, as well as in multi-storey buildings that appeared after the Second World War. Although housing construction flourished during this period, the problem of housing shortages in the suburbs of the French capital remains. Moreover, many of the houses located here cannot boast of having modern amenities. The vast majority of local people are immigrants. The most famous, elite suburbs of the French capital are La Defense, Versailles and Saint-Denis. Their residents are adequately provided with work and a developed service sector.
Tourism, shopping & nightlife
The capital of France, according to statistics, is the most visited city on the planet. An average of 30 million tourists come here every year. This is not surprising, since numerous historical masterpieces from various eras have been preserved here. In addition, the city attracts visitors with its secrets, unique old streets and atmosphere. At the same time, a person who comes here for the first time does not even need a map of Paris with sights marked. In any case, he will be delighted, because the unique here isabsolutely every corner.
Another reason why travelers come to the French capital is shopping. The locals also like to spend their free time doing this activity. To make purchases, you do not need to go anywhere, because the streets of the city are crowded not only with elite, but also with cheaper stores. At the same time, the purpose of shopping for Parisians is reduced to the process itself, and not to the obligatory purchase of something.
After dark, the city is transformed: bridges and architectural monuments begin to light up, and boulevards and streets overflow with reflections of both ancient and modern lamps. The population of Paris prefers to spend this time meeting with their friends. They visit theaters or restaurants, and after them they sometimes go to nightclubs and bars.
