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France

geography Maturity 11-13 Vital Level 3 Next article →

France is a large country found in Western Europe.

EU-France
EU-France

Its main land is called Metropolitan France. This area stretches from the Rhine river to the Atlantic Ocean. It also reaches from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Sea. To the north, it shares borders with Belgium and Luxembourg. Germany sits to the northeast of the country. Switzerland is located to the east. To the southeast, you will find Italy and Monaco. Spain and Andorra are to the south. The United Kingdom is near the northwest coast.

EU-France (orthographic projection)
EU-France (orthographic projection)

France is made of many different parts and regions. There are 18 integral regions in total. Five of these regions are actually overseas. These far-away places include French Guiana in South America. You can also find Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic. Many islands in the Indian Ocean and Oceania belong to France too. The total area is about 632,702 square kilometers. In 2025, the population was estimated at over 68 million people. Paris is the capital city and the largest city. It is a major center for culture and money.

04-2017. París-34
04-2017. París-34

History in this land began a very long time ago. Archaic humans lived here about 1.8 million years ago. Later, Neanderthals lived in the region. They were slowly replaced by Homo sapiens around 35,000 BC. People made beautiful cave paintings in places like Lascaux.

France-002364 - Square House (15867600545)
France-002364 - Square House (15867600545)

Much later, Celtic tribes known as Gauls lived there. Rome conquered the area in 51 BC. This created a Gallo-Roman culture. In the Early Middle Ages, the Franks formed a kingdom called Francia. This became the heart of the Carolingian Empire.

Many big changes happened through the centuries. The French Revolution of 1789 changed the government. It produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789

Napoleon Bonaparte led France during the early 19th century. He built the First French Empire. Later, the country saw the Belle Époque, a time of science and culture. France fought in World War I and World War II. After the war in 1944, the country was liberated. The current system is called the Fifth Republic. It was formed in 1958 by Charles de Gaulle.

Jacques-Louis David - The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries - Google Art Project
Jacques-Louis David - The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries - Google Art Project

Today, France is a very important part of the world. It is a global center for art, science, and philosophy. It has 54 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Inauguration EYE2014 Parlement européen Strasbourg 9 mai 2014
Inauguration EYE2014 Parlement européen Strasbourg 9 mai 2014

This makes it the fourth-largest country for such sites. It is also the most visited place for tourists. In 2025, 102 million foreign visitors came to France. The economy is one of the largest in the world. France is also a member of the United Nations Security Council. It is a great power that works with many other nations.

La francophonie mapa
La francophonie mapa
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🖼️ Images & Media (42)
File:EU-France.svg
EU-France.svg
File:EU-France (orthographic projection).svg
EU-France (orthographic projection).svg
File:Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg
Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg
File:La francophonie mapa.svg
La francophonie mapa.svg
File:Flag of Andorra.svg
Flag of Andorra.svg
File:Flag of Algeria.svg
Flag of Algeria.svg
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
File:European Union main map.svg
European Union main map.svg
File:Agreement on the European Economic Area.svg
Agreement on the European Economic Area.svg
File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
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Increase Neutral.svg

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