Marseille

Marseille, the second largest city of France is one of the oldest cities of France. The Greeks of Phocaea found this city 26 centuries ago. Nature has bestowed the city with exotic natural beauty. The islands, beaches, marine life add to the glory of this magnificent city. Marseille, the capital of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur is also France's largest commercial port. The city is located on the shores of the Mediterranean coast. The city is also bestowed with rich architectural and cultural heritage. Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde and Chateau d'If are some major tourist attractions of this city.

State: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Country: France

Location: Marseille is located in southern France.

Geographic Coordinates: Latitude 43º17'51N, Longitude 5º22'38E

Area: Marseille has an area of 240.62 square kilometer.

Population: 808,700 (2004 estimate)

Racial Makeup: French law forbids taking any data related to race or religious groups in a census. It is thus not possible to know the racial make up of any French city.

Economy: Marseille is an important city of Southern France. The city suffered severe damage during World War II but now it has emerged as a significant city. Marseille has a large and busy harbour, which is one of the biggest in France. It is also one of the most important harbors of the Mediterranean Sea.

Climate: Marseille is located 118 feet above sea level. The mean annual temperature of Marseille is 15°C. In this city, the average temperature in January is 7°C and in July, it is 23°C. January and November are the months, when Marseille recieves maximum rainfall. It rains in almost all the months in Marseille.

Rainfall: Marseille receives an annual rainfall of 550 mm.

Government Type: Marseille is divided into 16 arrondisements.


Major Political Parties:

• Lutte Ouvriere (LO) - Worker's Struggle
• Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire (LCR) - Revolutionary Communist League
• Parti des Travailleurs (PT) - Party of the Workers
• Parti Communiste Francais (PCF) - French Communist Party
• Les Verts - The Greens
• Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) - Union for a Popular Movement
• Parti Socialiste (PS) - Socialist Party
• Front National (FN) - National Front