Paris (pronounced /paˈʁi/ in French; /ˈpæɹɪs/ in English) is the capital city of France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region ("Région parisienne"). Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 within its administrative limits.[2] The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of 9.93 million.[3] Paris' commuter belt area, or couronne périurbaine, when joined with to Paris and its unité urbaine, completes the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) that, with its population of 12 million [4], is one of the most heavily populated areas in Europe.[5]