Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.
The city of Bordeaux, with a population of 242,945 inhabitants, is the 9th largest city in France; Greater Bordeaux is the 5th largest urban area in France, with a population of 719,489 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area aire urbaine has a population of 1,114,000. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called "Bordelais" (for men) or "Bordelaise" (for women).
The city's nicknames are "La perle d'Aquitaine", "La Belle Endormie" (Sleeping Beauty) in reference to the old center which had black walls due to pollution. Nowadays, this is not the case. In fact, a part of the city, Le Port de La Lune, was almost completely renovated.
Bordeaux is the world's major wine industry capital. It is home to the world's main wine fair, Vinexpo, while the wine economy in the metro area moves 14.5 billion euros each year. Bordeaux wine has been produced in the region since the 8th century. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century.
