Paris is the capital of which country?

Paris is the capital of France. It sits in a loop of the Seine River in the Île-de-France region and serves as the country’s political, cultural, and economic centre.

The city grew from the settlement of the Parisii, a Gallic people whose name eventually became Paris. The Romans called the settlement Lutetia, and Paris became increasingly important during the medieval period. King Clovis I made it a capital of his kingdom around the beginning of the sixth century.

Paris is often confused with Île-de-France, the surrounding administrative region, or with the wider Paris metropolitan area. The city itself is divided into 20 municipal arrondissements. Famous landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Arc de Triomphe. Paris hosted the Olympic Games in 1900, 1924, and 2024.