GFASES 2026

Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city center population of 2,048,472, and a metropolitan population of 13,171,056 as of January 2025 in an area of more than 105 km2 (41 sq mi). It is located in the centre of the Île-de-France region. Paris is the fourth-most populous city in the European Union. Nicknamed the City of Light, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century. Paris is home to several United Nations organisations, including UNESCO, as well as other international organisations such as the OECD, the OECD Development Centre, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, the International Energy Agency, the International Federation for Human Rights, along with European bodies such as the European Space Agency, the European Banking Authority and the European Securities and Markets Authority. The city hosts different sporting events, such as the French Open, and is the home of the association football club Paris St-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français; it hosted the Summer Olympics three times.