This is a part of France.
It sits in Europe.
It has many islands near the sea.
It is shaped like a hexagon.
It is a very big place.
Would you like to go there?
This is a part of France in Europe.
It is often called the Hexagon. This is because of its shape.
The land has many islands nearby. Some are in the sea. Some are in the ocean.
Most people in France live here. It is a very large area.
It is a very special place to see.
Metropolitan France is part of the country of France.
It sits in Europe. This area includes the main land. It also includes the island of Corsica. There are other French islands nearby. These sit in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Many people call this area "the Hexagon." This is because the land has a six-sided shape.
Most people in France live in this part. It holds 95.9% of the total population. This area covers 82.0% of the land in the French Republic.
Some people call it the European territory of France. This is because of the history of the country. In the past, France had many colonies. Today, the overseas lands are still part of the same republic. They have the same status as the lands in Europe. The borders in the east have not changed much since 1962.
Metropolitan France is a special part of the French Republic.
It is located in the continent of Europe. This area includes the main land of France and the island of Corsica. It also includes other French islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. People often call the main land "the Hexagon." This name comes from the six-sided shape of the country.
The borders in the east have stayed mostly the same since 1962.
This region is very large and holds most of the people.
It covers 82.0% of the total land in the French Republic. Most people live here, which is about 95.9% of the population. In January 2026, about 66,793,000 people lived in Metropolitan France. The rest of the people live in overseas France. This includes places like Mayotte and New Caledonia. These overseas lands are also part of the same republic.
The name "metropolitan" has a long history. It comes from the Greek words for "mother city."
Long ago, France had many colonies in other parts of the world. During that time, the main country was called the "metropolis." This helped people tell the difference between the main land and the colonies. Today, some people do not like using this old term. They prefer to call it the "European territory of France." This is how the European Union describes it in its treaties.
There are many ways to count the people and land of France. One group called INSEE uses the term "la France entière." This means "the whole of France."
This term includes the five overseas departments. It does not include every single overseas territory. Other groups, like the Ministry of the Interior, have different rules. They use the term to mean the entire French Republic. The World Bank also uses the name "France" to talk about the whole area. They include both the metropolitan lands and the overseas departments.
Metropolitan France is a very important part of the world. It is part of the Schengen Area, which helps people move across borders.
The land is shaped by many different features. The coastlines touch the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, the Pyrenees mountains form a border with Spain. In the east, the Alps and Jura mountains are found. These landmarks help define the unique shape of the Hexagon.
Metropolitan France, also called European France, is a specific part of the French Republic.
It is located on the continent of Europe. This region includes mainland France and the island of Corsica. It also contains several French islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, and the Mediterranean Sea. While the term is common in daily life, it has no official administrative meaning. This is because overseas regions in France hold the same administrative status as metropolitan regions. However, only Metropolitan France is part of the Schengen Area.
The geography of this area is often described by its shape. Many people call the mainland "the Hexagon" or "l'Hexagone."
This name refers to the six-sided shape of the continental landmass. The sides of this hexagon include the Channel coast and the Atlantic coast. The Pyrenees mountains form the southern border with Spain. The Mediterranean coast lies to the south and southeast. To the east, the borders include the Alps, the Jura, and the Upper Rhine. The northeastern border includes the German Rhineland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. This shape first appeared in French geography books during the 1850s.
The term "metropolitan" has a deep history rooted in the colonial era. From the 16th to the 20th centuries, France had many colonies and protectorates. During this time, the main country was called the "metropolis." This distinguished the home nation from its overseas territories. The word comes from the Ancient Greek term "metropolis." This Greek phrase means "mother city." In ancient times, a metropolis was a city-state that created colonies across the Mediterranean. Over time, the word came to mean a "motherland" or a central nation.
Today, the use of this term is a subject of debate. Some people living in Overseas France object to the word "metropolitan." They feel it carries too much colonial history. Instead, they prefer the term "the European territory of France." This is the phrasing used in the Treaties of the European Union. In the mainland, people from the islands are sometimes called "les continentaux." In 2023, legislators even voted to use the name "l'Hexagone" more often. They did this to move away from language linked to the colonial past.
Metropolitan France holds a massive portion of the French Republic's resources. It covers 551,695 square kilometers of land. This represents 82.0% of the total land territory of the entire republic. It also accounts for 95.9% of the total population. According to INSEE, 66,793,000 people lived in Metropolitan France as of January 2026. In contrast, only 2,891,000 people lived in Overseas France at that time. At sea, Metropolitan France holds an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 1,115,140 square kilometers. This is 3.3% of the total EEZ for the French Republic.
Different organizations use different names to describe the whole country. INSEE uses the term "la France entière," which means "the whole of France." This term includes Metropolitan France and the five overseas departments. These five departments include Mayotte, which was added to the figures in the mid-2010s. However, "la France entière" does not include all overseas collectivities. The Ministry of the Interior uses the term differently. For them, it refers to the entire French Republic, including all overseas France. The World Bank simply uses the name "France" to include both parts.
Political representation is also concentrated in the metropolitan region. The French National Assembly consists of 577 deputies. Of these, 539 deputies, or 93.4%, are elected in Metropolitan France. Only 27 deputies, or 4.7%, are elected in Overseas France. The remaining 11 deputies are elected by French citizens living in foreign countries. This shows how the majority of the political system is centered in Europe. Even though the overseas territories are equal in status, the population and political weight remain largely in the Hexagon.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (3)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.