The official name of the country is Republique Francaise (French Republic), location is the western part of Europe, on the coast Atlantic Ocean. The total area of the country is 547 square meters, the capital is Paris. According to 2014 data, the population is 66 million people, the state language is French, although such nationalities as Moroccans, Italians, Portuguese and others also live in the territory. The currency since 2002 is the euro, formerly the French franc.
Geographic characteristics
Geographically, France lies between 4°27'W, 8°47'E, 42°20' and 51°5'N. The total length of the country from east to west is 950 km, from north to south 975 km. In the south, the country is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the west - by the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay, in the north - by the English Channel and Pas de Calais.
The territories of France are not only on the mainland, the Atlantic and Southern Overseas Territories, French Polynesia, Futuna and Wallis Islands, New Caledonia are an integral part of the country. France also includes such overseas departments as Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, San Pierre, Mayotte, Miquelon. The total area of overseas territories is 4 thousand square meters, the population is approximately 1.8 million people.
Nature
Mountains and plains
The relief of France is very diverse, in the north and west plains and lowlands prevail, which gradually turn into high mountain ranges. The most high point falls on the Alps in the southwestern part of the country, on the border with Switzerland and Italy. This is where the highest point is Western Europe- Mount Mont Blanc with a height of 4807 m.
The southwestern part of France is characterized by mountainous terrain, it is here that the Pyrenees mountain system is located, the height of which is only slightly lower than that of the Alpine ranges. The highest point of the Pyrenees reaches 3500 m...
Rivers and lakes
France's inland water resources are diverse, with a developed river system and many lakes. Most of the rivers originate in the basins of the Atlantic Ocean and the central mountainous regions. The Loire is rightfully considered the longest with a length of 1020 km and a pool of 115,120 sq.m.
The lakes are divided into three large groups - mountain, located on the sea coast, flat. The origin of the lakes is predominantly glacial, the largest is Bourges with a total area of 45 sq.m, located in the Alps. The second largest Lake Annecy has an area of 28 square meters, it is also located in the Alps, and the deepest Lake Geneva is located on the border between Switzerland and France - in the Pre-Alpine trough ...
The seas and oceans surrounding France
Geographical position country is very profitable, France is rich in domestic water resources, on the south side it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, to the west - by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This has a positive effect on the country's climate - milder and not as dry as for many other neighboring countries of France ...
Forests
Approximately 20% of the territory is occupied by forests concentrated in the Pyrenees, the Alps, Aquitaine, in the east of the Paris Basin. The upper border of the forest belt is located at the level of 1800-2100 m above sea level in the Alps, subalpine shrubs and alpine meadows are located above. The southern part of the country is rich in sparse forests, including pine and evergreen oak, and thickets of shrubs. For the northwest, meadows and moorlands are predominantly observed ...
Plants and animals of France
The fauna of France is concentrated in the mountainous and forest regions of the country, the most common are mammals, including foxes, wild forest cats, deer, fallow deer, squirrels. Mountain goat, alpine marmot, chamois are found in mountainous and high-mountainous regions. Birds are predominantly represented by kites, snipes, hawks, hazel grouses.
The marine world is also diverse, there are sardine, flounder, cod, tuna, mackerel in the seas, trout, pike, pike perch, perch in the rivers ...
Climate of France
The climate is temperate, the main factor is the air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean. A feature of the climate is a clear zoning:
- the western part of the country has a maritime climate with mild winters without frost, rain and high humidity;
- the central part has a mild climate, but the winters are colder here, and the summers are hot, the rains are not as frequent as on the west coast;
- the northeast has a temperate continental climate with relatively mild winters with little frost;
- the south has a Mediterranean, pronounced climate, rainy winters and rather dry, hot summers.
The climate of the mountainous regions is characterized by sharp changes in daily temperatures, snowy and cold winters, hot summers....
Resources
France is considered to be the richest country in Europe in terms of resources. The leading place is occupied by reserves of niobium, uranium, tantalum, lithium, and iron. In addition, there are reserves of barite, gold, copper, tin, talc, and aluminum ores. On the territory of the country there are rich deposits of bituminous limestones, kyanite, limestone, quartz sand, andalusite, feldspar, diatomite. The geography of minerals includes such departments and districts as Puy-de-Dome, Lozère, Glomel, Pont du Chateau and others...
Industry and agriculture in France
Agriculture includes large lands under state care, and medium and small farms, which occupy the main share of this sphere. In terms of agricultural production, France ranks third in the world and first among other Western European countries, offering cheese, beef, butter, and wheat.
The industry is heterogeneous, a large share falls on the automotive, aviation, electronics, space and rocket industries, petrochemistry, oil refining and energy...
culture
Peoples of France
The population of France in 2014 amounted to 66 million people, of which 63.9 million permanently reside in the country, 2.1 million - in the overseas provinces, 600 thousand - in New Caledonia. Approximately 6% of those living in the territory do not have French citizenship - this is about 3.8 million people. Another 2 million French citizens permanently reside outside the country.
Approximately 94% of the population are native French, the rest of the nationalities occupy 1-1.5% each, these are Italians, Moroccans, Algerians, Portuguese. The indigenous population is represented by Franks, Burgundians, Visigoths, about 1 million people are Bretons, 1.3 million are Alsatians, 100 thousand people are Flemings, 200 thousand are Catalans, 300 thousand are Corsicans ...
France is the largest country in Western Europe. From north to south and from west to
east France stretches for almost 1000 km after Russia, it is the largest
European country. In terms of area (551 thousand sq. km, including Corsica), it is more than
twice the size of both the UK and Germany. The capital of France is the city
Paris. France includes the island of Corsica and several other smaller
islands in the Mediterranean and the Baltic.
France consists of: overseas departments - Guadeloupe, Martinique,
Guiana, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon; overseas territories - New Islands
Caledonia, French Polynesia and others. French overseas territories
spanning four continents, bordered by four oceans. Any
overseas territory can secede from France after
the majority of the population will express such a wish.
France has possessions in America, Africa and Oceania. Their total area is 127 thousand sq.
sq. km, and the population is about 1.5 million people.
France occupies the last western part European mainland. She can be called
country of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the Rhine and the Pyrenees. On
in the northeast the country borders on Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, in the east
- with Germany, Switzerland and Italy, in the southeast - with Monaco, in the south - with
Spain and Andorra. The country's maritime borders are longer than
land. The sea border stretches for 3120 km, divided into three lanes:
Mediterranean coast, the Atlantic coastline with the Bay of Biscay and
shores of the English Channel in the North Sea. In the north, France is separated from England
narrow straits of the English Channel and Pas de Calais, in the west it is washed by waters
Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the south - the Mediterranean Sea. Many
sections of the coast, especially in Brittany and Provence, are heavily indented, have
there are many bays suitable for mooring ships. /cm. rice. 2/
Most - almost a quarter of the land border runs along the ridge
Pyrenees on the border with Spain, in the southeast the border with Italy and Switzerland
goes through the Alps and the Jura. As a result, the French themselves call their country "Hexagone" -
"hexagon". This name, on the one hand, creates the impression of her as
about a single whole, and on the other hand, it implies an extraordinary diversity.
The river serves as the Franco-West German border for a considerable length.
Rhine, only in the north of the lowlands of France imperceptibly merge with
lowlands of Belgium.
Convenience of sea and land communications, position at the crossroads of international
ways have long strengthened the economic position of France, contributed to
the development of its economy, the growth of trade and cultural relations with other
countries.
The bowels of the earth are poor in minerals - oil and gas, copper and chromium, nickel and
France has to import lead from abroad. High level of development
energy, but there is not enough fuel of its own, and it has to import more than 1/2
energy resources. The country produces only 1 million tons of oil. Its main
part has to be imported, and mainly from the countries of the Middle East.
Large reserves of bauxite in the south of the country and cheap hydroelectric power have served
an incentive for the development of the aluminum industry. Bauxite mining France
ranks second among European countries. The most important mines are
near Marseille - near Brignoles. Rapidly increasing industrial and domestic
the use of natural gas, and the country does not have enough of its own gas, and
France buys it in the Netherlands, Algeria.
Due to the competition of oil, gas and imports of quality coal and coke from the US and
Germany's own coal production in France is declining. Main mining areas
coal - Northern region and Lorraine; coal is mined in the eastern
parts of the Central Massif. France ranks first in iron ore production
place in capitalist Europe, 5 in the world.
France is one of the most economically developed countries and
ranks fourth in the list of the richest countries in the world.
With how many countries? This question is not as trivial as it seems. This country is large, approximately equal in area to Ukraine. And who are her neighbors? And where, in fact, is such a state as France? To say that in Western Europe would be true. But this answer is incomplete. After all, France still has the so-called overseas territories, which used to be nothing more than colonies. And if you take into account these countries and islands, then the number of neighbors will increase.
The answer to the question of whom France borders on also depends on whether we take into account the sea cordons of this power or only the land ones. Indeed, in the first case, Great Britain is included in the number of neighbors. Paris and London are connected by an underground road and rail tunnel across the English Channel. And this already allows us to call France and its old rival Great Britain close neighbors. And with whom else does this country border? Read about it in our article.
Geographical position
In terms of territory, France is the largest state in Western Europe. Its area is 551.5 thousand square meters. km. France is usually divided into the "central part", that which is located in the Old World, that is, in Western Europe, and "overseas territories". The first includes a large one lying near the coast of the country in the Mediterranean Sea. But even without taking into account its and overseas territories, mainland "central" (or "old") France still leads in terms of area among Western European states. Its territory on the continent is 545,630 square kilometers. A quick glance at the map gives us an idea that France is bordered by three countries: Germany and Italy to the east, and Spain to the southwest. But this opinion is wrong.
Watch out for the "dwarfs"!
Next to the giant countries, such as Germany and Spain (which are slightly inferior to France in terms of territory), very small states also took refuge. This is primarily Switzerland. It, unlike France, is not a member of the European Union, it retains its own currency. But Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. In the northeast, in close proximity to France, is Belgium. This country is included in the EU, and in the Schengen agreement, and in the distribution zone of the euro currency. In the east, France borders on Germany. But one dwarf state squeezed between them - Luxembourg. Not far from the Franco-Italian border there is another tiny principality - Monaco. The Principality is an enclave, as it is surrounded on all sides by France. However, Monaco has its own private access to the sea. In the southwest, between France and Spain, another "dwarf" wedged. This is Andorra. The Principality is interesting because its co-rulers are equally (according to the medieval treaty of paréage) the Republic of France and the King of Spain. Andorra is not part of the Schengen area. Therefore, in order to come to this Iberian principality, which does not have airports, you theoretically need a multiple entry visa.
Who borders France on the European continent
Let's summarize. So, land borders make France a neighbor of seven European countries. These are Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Monaco on the east side and Spain and Andorra on the southwest side. If we take into account the sea cordons, then the UK also falls into this list. It is separated from France by the English Channel, the smallest width of which (between Calais and Dover) is only thirty-two kilometers.
The longest is the border with Spain. It runs through the Pyrenees from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of this border is 623 kilometers. Only 3 km shorter cordon with Belgium. This is followed by Switzerland (573), Italy (488), Germany (451 kilometers). The length of cordons with dwarf countries is small due to the miniaturization of the latter. Among the small but independent principalities, Luxembourg has the longest border with France - 73 kilometers. Andorra (60 km) and Monaco (only four and a half kilometers) close the list.
Maritime frontiers
From the west, France is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, the state has no close neighbors on the other side of the world. We have already found out with whom France borders in the north. Across the English Channel lies the United Kingdom of Great Britain. In the Mediterranean Sea, French Corsica is closely adjacent to Sardinia, which is located to the south of it. This island belongs to Italy. However, France also has land borders with this Apennine state. If we add up all the maritime cordons of the republic, we get a fairly solid figure - five and a half thousand kilometers.
overseas territories
France has long been a metropolis and owned colonies. Now these territories are called differently. Nevertheless, they significantly expand the list of those countries with which France borders. Some of these territories are departments, that is, their inhabitants are considered full French citizens. These are: Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Martinique Reunion and Guiana.
There are also overseas communities. As a rule, they are located on the islands. These are French Polynesia, and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna. Among the territories owned by the Republic is New Caledonia, an administrative-territorial entity with a special status.
Saint Helena is owned by Great Britain. But the place of exile of Napoleon and the valley in which the emperor is buried belongs to France. The Republic also staked out Adélie Land in Antarctica. But this is contrary to UN rules, and claims to this territory are considered unfounded.
States bordering France "over the sea"
Based on the foregoing, the list of neighbors of the European state has expanded. Even if we do not take into account the islands and Adélie Land, the extent of land borders increases significantly. The longest is the cordon with Brazil - 730 kilometers. Suriname, which is adjacent to the west, has a common border with it 510 km. The shortest cordon in the overseas territories is on the island of Saint Martin. Its length is ten and a half kilometers. But this border divides a tiny piece of land into two halves. The southern part - Sint Maarten - is part of the Netherlands Antilles.
History of France
In epochs far from us, France was sometimes a monarchy, sometimes a republican state, which was composed of "pieces" of medieval provinces.
The revolution and Napoleon rebuilt it, then appeared railways, industry and war. Well, before there was a completely different France, where more than a hundred years ago for the majority of the population French was a stranger.
Serious accounts of the past describe a country with ancient tribalism and pre-Christian beliefs, and anthropologists and historians call it "Gaul".
France's first modern cartographer was a young Parisian in the early 1740s who set off on a journey through the country. The traveler's name has not survived, but the main goal was to lay the groundwork for the first reliable and complete map of France.
At a distance of 350 miles from Paris there is a mountain - Gerbier-de-Jonque, which means "Stack of reeds." From the top of this mountain, one could look over several small areas, the inhabitants of which did not know about the existence of each other and spoke completely different dialects.
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Before the revolution, France was a country that included several feudal provinces, many of which had been part of France for at least four hundred years. At its core, the country was a vast but not yet fully colonized continent.
Many small towns and villages during the revolution declared themselves independent and did not want to become part of a large society, since all the changes threatened them with disaster or starvation.
Remark 1
The revolution for France is not just a hurricane that has arrived, it is an earthquake that has pushed apart the already existing cracks. When in 1793 the country was in danger of falling into the abyss of anarchy, the republican army again began to conquer for the country such cities as Brest, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and after the victory treated them like rebellious colonies.
Work on creating a map of France slowed down Seven Years' War(1756-1763), the state could not finance the work on their creation. The first sheet of the map was published in 1750 as an advertising brochure, in the central part of which Paris was depicted with quarters and their boundaries.
The state showed little or no interest in mapping its territory and expropriated the map of France. The outskirts of the country were the concern of military surveyors. The cartographers of the 18th century knew perfectly well that to make a discovery does not at all mean to know. Many parts of France in our twenty-first century are still undiscovered.
Modern France on the world map
Remark 2
On the map of Western Europe, France is the largest state in terms of area, official name which the French Republic.
In 2014, 66 million people lived in the country. Official language- French, although representatives of other nationalities also live here - Moroccans, Italians, Portuguese, etc.
Previously, the currency was the French franc, and since 2002 - the euro. The capital of France is the city of Paris. Its state border runs in the north-east - with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, in the east - with Germany and Switzerland, the south-eastern border goes with Monaco and Italy, and in the south-west France borders on Spain and Andorra.
In the north, its territory is limited by the 42nd and 51st parallels, in the west by the 4th meridian, and in the east by the 8th. The state is stretched from north to south for 975 km, and from west to east its length is 950 km.
The northern shores of France are washed by two straits of the North Sea - the Pas de Calais and the English Channel. The Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean washes the country in the west, and from the south the territory goes to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
The maritime border has a length of 3120 km. The land border accounts for about 2,892.4 km. The longest length state border country falls on Spain and is 623 km.
The territory of France occupies 1/5 of the European Union. The area of its mainland is 547 thousand square meters. km.
An integral part of the country are the Atlantic and Southern Overseas Territories,
- French polynesia,
- Futuna Islands,
- wallis,
- New Caledonia.
Of the overseas departments, France includes6
- Martinique,
- Guadeloupe,
- French Guiana,
- San Pierre, Mayotte,
- Miquelon.
As part of France, the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea.
The population of the island part is 1.8 million people.
Thus, together with the island part, the territory of the country has an area of 643.4 thousand square meters. km.
The largest European rivers flow through France - Seine, Loire, Garonne, Rhone, and the longest is the Loire, which is 1000 km long.
In the mouths of the rivers, as a rule, there are large ports of the country - Le Havre, Nantes, Bordeaux, Marseille.
The relief of the country is represented by mountains, rabbis and ancient plateaus. France is separated from Spain by the high Pyrenees. In the southwest are the most high mountains Europe - the Alps, with the top of Mont Blanc (4807 m.)
Capital of France
Paris is one of the most beautiful and oldest cities in Europe. Its area is relatively small and is only 105 square meters. km. Together with the suburbs, the capital forms an urban agglomeration - Greater Paris, the territory of which is already growing to 1700 square meters. km.
The city is located in the center of the Paris Basin, which is crossed by the Seine and its tributaries. In the middle of the 19th century, the border of the city appeared, within which more than 2 million people live.
Greater Paris is inhabited by about 10 million; the share of native French in our time accounts for only 60% of the population.
Citizens of Paris by religion are divided into Catholics - 90% of the population, Muslims - 6%, Protestants - 2%, Jews - 1%, Orthodox Christians - 0.5%.
Paris is first mentioned by Gaius Julius Caesar in his Notes on the Gallic War. At that time, the city was a small settlement on an island in the Seine River. The Romans, who captured it in 52 BC. They named him Lutetia.
The city occupied a convenient geographical position and made it possible to build roads on flat plains. In order to strengthen and expand the monarchy, the capital, at the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th century, underwent changes many times.
Abbeys were created, churches, hospitals, schools were built. The city strengthened a powerful shaft, outside of which the Louvre fortress was erected.
With the support of large French landowners, in 1419 Paris was captured by English troops, although their dominion was short. In 1436 the city again became the residence of the French kings.
The process of political centralization early XIX century ended, which had a positive impact on the industrial development of the city. Its population was growing, the working class and the bourgeoisie were being formed.
Remark 3
Paris, at the beginning of the 20th century, becomes a financial and industrial center, an important transport hub. The first metro line appeared here in 1900, and by 1920 the population of the capital had grown to a record number of 3 million people. Today, Paris is the center of international diplomacy and public life. The city hosts international congresses, conferences, high-level meetings.
We offer excursion tours to France in 2020. Here you will find weekly tours to Paris with departure from Moscow and other cities for a week or a weekend. We also offer a variety of excursions in and around Paris. But our main difference is that we specialize in sightseeing tours in the provinces of France.
Here you will find weekly sightseeing tours "Visit to Paris" and the author's tour "Paris - Normandy - Brittany" (on Saturdays and Sundays), the author's tour "Exclusive journey through Normandy - Brittany" (several times a year), a wonderful excursion tour " Paris - Champagne - Burgundy - Alsace" (held once a month), as well as the author's tour "Colors of Provence" and other interesting tours in the South of France.
In our tours you are waiting for the Provinces of France: Normandy, Brittany, Provence, Cote d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, Aquitaine, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace.
Our tours in France are designed for tourists from different cities. In each tour, in the "Transport" section, there is information on flights and transfers.
In the South of France we offer a tour "Colors of Provence"- a region that we know and love well, there is a wonderful exclusive program "Journey through the Southern Provinces of France" for 8 days and its older brother "Great trip to the Southern provinces of France + Colors of Provence" for 12 days. This is indeed a Great Journey, full of impressions, but not tiring, despite the duration and abundance of visited cities and attractions. All tours, of course, can be combined with an extension of your stay in Nice or a vacation in other resort cities of the Cote d'Azur of France.
Perhaps it is worth mentioning another program "Spain - France - Catalonia". It is good to combine it with a holiday on the Spanish Costa Brava.
Programs are carried out on our comfortable buses with experienced drivers and guides. Our own transport allows us not only to provide a high class of service, but also to guarantee all the declared dates of the tours. We wish you bright impressions from your travels in France.
