France
| French Republic | |
|---|---|
 
| |
| Motto | "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" |
| National anthem | La Marseillaise |
| Capital | Paris |
| Official language | French |
| Government type | Republic |
| President | Nicolas Sarkozy (before: Jacques Chirac) |
| Prime Minister | François Fillon (before: Dominique de Villepin) |
| Area | 674,83 km² 213,010 mi² |
| Population | 64 102 100 (20th) (2007 estimate) |
| Population density | 113/km² (89th) 293 mi² |
| HDI | 0.942 (high) (16th) (2004) |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) Summer:CEST (UTC+2) |
| Country codes | Internet TLD : fr Calling code : +33 |
France is a Western European country, officially known under the name 'French Republic'. It also comprises various overseas islands and territories located on other continents. It is a member of the European Union, the United Nations and NATO. The capital is Paris.
Geography
Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. Metropolitan France is also referred as the 'Hexagon' because of its geometric shape.
The direct neighbors of metropolitan France are :
France is also linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel.
Because of its overseas territories, France also shares land borders with Brazil and Suriname (bordering French Guiana), and the Netherlands Antilles (bordering Saint-Martin).
Politics
The French Republic is a democracy. It has a bicameral parliament which is divided into the National Assembly and the Senate. The Assembly has 577 'deputies', elected every 5 years, while the senate has 331 senators, 1/3 is elected for a 3-year term each three years.
Economy
France has a highly-developed industrial economy, one of the largest in the world. It is a member of the G8, a group of the largest and most influential industrial countries in the world.
International relations
France is a founding member of the European Union and the United Nations, as well as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.