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A crossroads for European and global trade, Ile-de-France is the leading economic region in France and one of the top economic regions in the world. With a GDP of €534 billion in 2007(29% of domestic GDP), and a population of 11.6 million people in 2008 (61.4% actively employed), the region provides easy access to a market of 500 million consumers in the 27 European Union countries.
Ile-de-France boasts the fastest rail network in Europe, linking the region to other European business centers in just a few hours. In addition, three international airports link Ile-de-France to the rest of the world: Paris Le Bourget, Europe’s leading business airport; Paris Orly, France’s second largest airport; and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Europe’s leading hub airport. With over 300 miles of waterways, the Autonomous Port of Paris is Europe’s second largest port with ten multimodal platforms (rail/road/river).
 
  • A broad range of world-class economic sectors: automotive industry, information and communication technology, life sciences, aerospace/defense, eco-business, finance, agribusiness, professional events and meetings, logistics, fashion, design and luxury goods, business services.
  • Seven innovation clusters: Advancity (eco-businesses), ASTech (aeronautics), Cap Digital (images and multimedia), Finance Innovation (financial services), Medicen (life sciences), Mov’eo (automobiles) and System@tic (ICT).
  • Number two location of choice in the world for Fortune Global 500 companies, after Tokyo
  • Europe’s leading region for jobs created by newly set-up foreign companies
  • France’s top region and Europe’s second leading region for foreign direct investment
  • 680,000 companies, 41.5% of which are SMEs
  • Europe’s largest commercial real estate portfolio with 50 million m² of office space (ahead of London), 30 million m² of business premises and 29 million m² of warehouse space.
  • Europe’s leading employment area, with 53% of French managers.
  • Europe’s leading region for science and technology: Ile-de-France is Europe’s top region for R&D spending.
  • Europe’s highest concentration of students, with 27% of France’s student population (600,000 students), 17 universities and more than 350 advanced training centers, including some fifty world-renowned engineering and business schools (HEC, Ecole des Mines, INSEAD, etc.)
  • Paris Ile-de-France, the capital of culture and gastronomy, each yearattracts more than 42 million tourists, including 28 million foreigners.