Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France. The municipality (commune) of Bordeaux proper has a population of 246,586 (2014). Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Bordeaux is the centre of the Bordeaux Métropole. With 760,933 inhabitants (as of 2014) and 1,195,335 in the metropolitan area, it is the sixth largest in France.
Bordeaux is the world's major wine industry capital. It is home to the world's main wine fair, Vinexpo. Tourism, especially wine tourism, is a major industry. It’s known for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-André, 18th- to 19th-century mansions and notable art museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. Public gardens line the curving river quays. The grand Place de la Bourse, centered on the Three Graces fountain, overlooks the Miroir d’Eau reflecting pool.
Bordeaux is a major centre for business in France. Some 20,000 people work for the aeronautic industry in Bordeaux. Other industries includes defence, optics/laser, digital technologies, and healthcare. The Laser Mégajoule will be one of the most powerful lasers in the world, allowing fundamental research and the development of the laser and plasma technologies. This project, carried by the French Ministry of Defence, involves an investment of 2 billion euros.
Bordeaux is also the financial hub of South-West France.
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