Grand Paris

The Metropolis of Greater Paris, also known as Greater Paris, is a métropole covering the City of Paris and its nearest surrounding suburbs which was created from Nicolas Sarkozy's administrative renovation of the city. Alongside the administrative renovation, the Grand Paris Express (GPE) transportation megaproject was also launched by Sarkozy. The métropole came into existence after Sarkozy's presidency on 1 January 2016; it comprises 130 communes, including Paris and all 123 communes in the surrounding inner-suburban departments of the Petite Couronne (Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne), plus seven communes in two of the outer-suburban departments, including the communes of Argenteuil in Val-d'Oise, Savigny-sur-Orge, Juvisy-sur-Orge, Athis-Mons, Viry-Châtillon and Paray-Vieille-Poste in Essonne, the last of which covers part of Orly Airport. Part of the métropole comprises the former Seine department, which existed from 1795 to 1968. Grand Paris covers 814 square kilometers (314 square miles), and has a population of over 7 million. The métropole is administered by a metropolitan council of 210 members, not directly elected, but chosen by the councils of the member communes. Its responsibilities include urban planning, housing, as well as environment protection.