Bordeaux is a port city in the southwest of France, with a population of approximately 925,000 people. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde departement. Bordeaux is one of Europe's military, space, and aeronautics research and construction centers. It is also the core of France's nuclear research and physics experiments. The city's university presence of almost 100,000 students is known for its research units in several disciplines. Bordeaux wines have been produced since the 8th century, and the city is known as the world's wine capital. Once a year, the industry's biggest event, Vinexpo takes place. The city of Bordeaux is built on the arc of the river Garonne, and is divided into two parts, east and west.