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This past century, several countries have sacrificed much of their cultural heritage in the name of progress, regarding old landmarks as mere relics that hinder - if not arrest - development. France, however, has scored an admirable feat by striking a balance in which economic power has kept a genteel and elegant façade.
The present-day city owes much of its beauty to the 19th century official Baron Georges Hausmann, whose grand vision entailed the demolition of entire districts to make way for broad tree-lined boulevards. The metropolis received another major facelift during the 1980's. Throughout his two seven-year terms, the late Socialist president Francois Mitterand tapped many of the world's renowned architects to design contemporary landmark buildings such as the Louvre's once-infamous pyramid, the National Library and the Arch of La Défénse.
France is the world leader in key heavy industries. Mergers and acquisitions originating in France have solidified their foothold in the world. France's Usinor is the majority stakeholder of the European consortium that forms the world's largest steel manufacturer. With a recent acquisition, France's Lafarge has become the world's largest cement manufacturer. France's dominance starts from the ground, but goes way up from there. The country is a global leader in industries that refuse to be earthbound. France's Dassault Aviation has over 50 percent of the business jet market worldwide, integrating its sleek technologies developed for its military aircraft into executive planes. Down south, Toulouse is the home of Airbus Industries, where the world's largest commercial airliner is currently in production. As the skies lead into the vastness of space, France continues to be a pioneer in this new frontier. Evry is the headquarters for Arianespace, the world's largest commercial rocket company. Launching over 50 percent of the world's telecommunications satellites, Arianespace is a mostly French turned "European" company that delivers the world's most sophisticated cargo. Much of this load is made by Astrium, Europe's largest satellite manufacturer located in Velizy. Solidifying their position in space, Astrium is Europe's largest contractor for the International Space Station.
Smart Cards were first developed in France, and their first mover advantage has made them the world leader in this technology. They are a key platform in 3rd Generation mobile telephony, as well as the replacement of the magnetic stripe used in credit cards and the SIM card in GSM mobile phones. Their uses don't end there, as the French continue to lead the way in applications for a technology that is continually changing everyday life. What can such diversity and strength be attributed to? The driving force of the French is the spirit of innovation and creativity that makes it a world leader. One in five people in Paris works in the field of science and technology. Paris itself boasts the highest GDP per capita in Europe. Michel Bon, Chairman and CEO of France Telecom, Europe's 2nd largest telecommunications company, says that France Telecom spends the most in R&D in their industry. Its subsidiary - Wanadoo --is Europe's second largest internet service provider, used as the "global showcase of Europe" according to Bon. This idea of innovation is also shared by Michel Pebereau, Chairman and CEO of BNP Paribas, Europe's second largest bank. Mr Pebereau has taken BNP Paribas to the top spot in internet banking in Europe, through online financial institutions such as BNP Net, Banque Directe, and Cortal. Benoit Genuini, president of Accenture France, the world's largest consultancy, comments that France has a high concentration of high tech industries, and this will continue to accelerate over the coming years. Franco-Japanese cooperation is growing. "Exports from Japan to France between 1993 and 1999 increased by almost 25 percent, while on the other hand, Japanese imports from France increased in the same period by more than 30 percent," notes Kazuo Ogoura, the Japanese ambassador to France. This increase has been marked by the exchange of high technology goods from the both countries. Japan is a major destination for French heavy industrial goods such as steel and concrete. Usinor announced a cooperation with Nippon Steel before it merged with two other European steel conglomerates to form the largest steel company in the world. Lafarge also formed a joint venture with Aso Cement Company before an acquisition made it the largest cement company in the world. Japanese visitors also feel very at home in France, whether it is in Paris or other parts of the country. "The Japanese have something in common with Alsace Lorraine, and with Bretagne, where they are actively attracting foreign investment through incentive programs," says Ogoura. François Huart, the French Minister of Global Business Development, is taking the active role in promoting Japanese trade relations. He launched the "France-Japan, Partners at Heart" campaign this March, with the support of the French Ministry of Economic Affairs, Finance and Industry. Fifty different events are being carried out between the French and Japanese governments this year, all united by this theme. "The Japanese have begun to call for new partners. This creates an opportunity for French and European businesses looking for partnerships," says Huart. "The French want to have an alliance with Japanese to compete with Germany and other European countries. They have a sense of cultural refinement that has echoed in the Japanese mind. One of the key elements is the encouragement of local authorities in France -- that France needs and wants to be with the Japanese," says Ogoura. Mr Huart describes the Japanese economy eloquently: "A proverb talks about being unable to see the forest for the trees. Well, I believe that the current difficulties should not conceal the forest of Japanese power."
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Paris is the heart of one of the world's strongest and most centralized economies
Usinor Chairman Francis Mer runs the third largest steel company in the world and jointly presides over the yet-unnamed merger of what would be the world's largest steel producer 
Michel Pebereau, the head of the BNP Paribas, the sixth largest bank in Europe