Paris

Paris is the city and capital of France, located in the north-central part of the country. It was founded more than 2,000 years ago on an island in the Seine River. The City of Paris itself covers an area of 41 square miles (105 square kilometers). It occupies a central position in the productive agricultural region known as the Paris Basin. It is the nation's most important center of commerce and culture. It was captured and fortified by the Romans in 52 BCE and ruled by various other groups such as the Clovis, Northmen, English, and Germans.