France
Country statistics
AREA 551,500sq km (212,934sq mi)
POPULATION 60,181,000
CAPITAL (POPULATION) Paris (2,152,000)
GOVERNMENT Multiparty republic
ETHNIC GROUPS Celtic, Latin, Arab, Teutonic, Slavic
LANGUAGES French (official)
RELIGIONS Roman Catholic 85%, Islam 8%, others
CURRENCY Euro = 100 cents
Republic in W Europe.
France is Europe's second-largest country (after Ukraine). Almost half of its 5500km (3440mi) of frontier is sea. The Pyrenees form its SW border with Spain. The Jura Mountains and the Alps form the E and SE borders with Switzerland and Italy. Mont Blanc is W Europe's highest peak, 4807m (15,771ft). The Rhine forms part of the border with Germany. The Massif Central, between the Rhône-Saône valley and the Aquitaine basin, covers 15% of France. Lyon and Marseilles are connected to the Rhône. The Île-de-France province, W of the River Loire, includes the capital, Paris. See individual gazetteer articles
Climate
The climate in W France is mild, moderated by the effects of the Atlantic Ocean. The E experiences greater seasonal variation. The Mediterranean Sea coast has hot, dry summers and mild, moist winters. The Alps, Jura and Pyrenees have good snowfall and are popular for winter sports.
Vegetation
A patchwork of fields and meadows covers c.60% of the land. Forests occupy about 27%: beech and oak are common in the N; birch, pine, and poplar in the centre; and olive trees in the Mediterranean regions.
History
Julius Caesar completed the Roman conquest of Gaul in 51 BC. The Roman Empire began to decline in the 3rd century AD. In 486 the Franks, led by Clovis I, established the Merovingian dynasty. Following his death, the kingdom fragmented. In 687, the Carolingians reunited Gaul and Pepin III (the Short) overthrew the Merovingians (757). His son, Charlemagne, was crowned Emperor of the West (800). In 843, his grandson Charles II (the Bald) became ruler of the area of present-day France. Hugh Capet is often seen as the first king of France (987), and the Capetians gradually subdued the nobility. The Norman Conquest (1066) marked the start of a long history of Anglo-French rivalry. Philip II regained land lost through dowry to the English. In 1328, the first Valois king, Philip VI, acceded to the throne. The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was a series of battles for the French succession. By 1422, England controlled most of France. Joan of Arc helped to crush the siege of Orléans (1428) and by 1453 England had been expelled from France. Louis XI restored royal authority and crushed the Angevins.
Francis I's reign marked the beginning of the Renaissance in France and the struggle with the Habsburgs. The rise of the Huguenots led to the Wars of Religion (1562–98). The Guise faction lost, and Henry IV became the first Bourbon king (1589). Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin led France to victory in the Thirty Years' War (1618–48). Louis XIV's court at Versailles was the richest in Europe. Yet the ancien régime of Louis XVI and Louis XVI was bankrupted by war and incapable of reform.
The French Revolution (1789–99) saw the execution of the king, and Robespierre's brutal Reign of Terror. The Directory ended when Napoleon I proclaimed himself Emperor (1799). The success of the Napoleonic Wars was wiped out at Waterloo (1815). Napoleon was forced into exile and the Bourbons restored to the throne. The February Revolution (1848) established a Second Republic. Napoleon I's nephew seized power as Napoleon III (1852). His defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) led to the formation of the Third Republic (1870–1940). The Paris Commune (1871) was violently suppressed. The Dreyfus Affair polarized France.
France was the battleground for most of World War I. Clemenceau and Briand led France to peace, but Léon Blum and Édouard Daladier failed to halt the rise of Germany. In June 1940, German troops conquered France, and established the Vichy Government. Charles De Gaulle became head of a government-in-exile. Paris was liberated in August 1944, and a Fourth Republic founded in 1946. Political instability and colonial war, especially in Algeria, slowed the post-war recovery.
Charles de Gaulle became president in 1958 elections and established a Fifth Republic. De Gaulle resigned in 1969, replaced first by Georges Pompidou, then by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. François Mitterrand's presidency brought nationalization, civic rebuilding, decentralization, and advocacy of the European Union (EU). After Mitterrand's death in 1995, his rival Jacques Chirac was elected president. Chirac's welfare reforms and attempts to meet the criteria for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) resulted in strikes and unemployment and led to the election (1997) of a socialist prime minister, Lionel Jospin. Chirac was re-elected in 2002 elections that saw a swing to the far-right.
Economy
France is a leading industrialized nation (2000 GDP per capita, US$24,400). It is the world's fourth-largest manufacturer of cars. Industries include chemicals and steel. It is the leading producer of farm products in W Europe. Livestock and dairy farming are vital sectors. It is the world's second-largest producer of cheese and wine. Wheat is the principal crop. Tourism is a major industry.
Websites
World Encyclopedia. Philip's, 2005
AREA 551,500sq km (212,934sq mi)
POPULATION 60,181,000
CAPITAL (POPULATION) Paris (2,152,000)
GOVERNMENT Multiparty republic
ETHNIC GROUPS Celtic, Latin, Arab, Teutonic, Slavic
LANGUAGES French (official)
RELIGIONS Roman Catholic 85%, Islam 8%, others
CURRENCY Euro = 100 cents
Republic in W Europe.
France is Europe's second-largest country (after Ukraine). Almost half of its 5500km (3440mi) of frontier is sea. The Pyrenees form its SW border with Spain. The Jura Mountains and the Alps form the E and SE borders with Switzerland and Italy. Mont Blanc is W Europe's highest peak, 4807m (15,771ft). The Rhine forms part of the border with Germany. The Massif Central, between the Rhône-Saône valley and the Aquitaine basin, covers 15% of France. Lyon and Marseilles are connected to the Rhône. The Île-de-France province, W of the River Loire, includes the capital, Paris. See individual gazetteer articles
Climate
The climate in W France is mild, moderated by the effects of the Atlantic Ocean. The E experiences greater seasonal variation. The Mediterranean Sea coast has hot, dry summers and mild, moist winters. The Alps, Jura and Pyrenees have good snowfall and are popular for winter sports.
Vegetation
A patchwork of fields and meadows covers c.60% of the land. Forests occupy about 27%: beech and oak are common in the N; birch, pine, and poplar in the centre; and olive trees in the Mediterranean regions.
History
Julius Caesar completed the Roman conquest of Gaul in 51 BC. The Roman Empire began to decline in the 3rd century AD. In 486 the Franks, led by Clovis I, established the Merovingian dynasty. Following his death, the kingdom fragmented. In 687, the Carolingians reunited Gaul and Pepin III (the Short) overthrew the Merovingians (757). His son, Charlemagne, was crowned Emperor of the West (800). In 843, his grandson Charles II (the Bald) became ruler of the area of present-day France. Hugh Capet is often seen as the first king of France (987), and the Capetians gradually subdued the nobility. The Norman Conquest (1066) marked the start of a long history of Anglo-French rivalry. Philip II regained land lost through dowry to the English. In 1328, the first Valois king, Philip VI, acceded to the throne. The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was a series of battles for the French succession. By 1422, England controlled most of France. Joan of Arc helped to crush the siege of Orléans (1428) and by 1453 England had been expelled from France. Louis XI restored royal authority and crushed the Angevins.
Francis I's reign marked the beginning of the Renaissance in France and the struggle with the Habsburgs. The rise of the Huguenots led to the Wars of Religion (1562–98). The Guise faction lost, and Henry IV became the first Bourbon king (1589). Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin led France to victory in the Thirty Years' War (1618–48). Louis XIV's court at Versailles was the richest in Europe. Yet the ancien régime of Louis XVI and Louis XVI was bankrupted by war and incapable of reform.
The French Revolution (1789–99) saw the execution of the king, and Robespierre's brutal Reign of Terror. The Directory ended when Napoleon I proclaimed himself Emperor (1799). The success of the Napoleonic Wars was wiped out at Waterloo (1815). Napoleon was forced into exile and the Bourbons restored to the throne. The February Revolution (1848) established a Second Republic. Napoleon I's nephew seized power as Napoleon III (1852). His defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) led to the formation of the Third Republic (1870–1940). The Paris Commune (1871) was violently suppressed. The Dreyfus Affair polarized France.
France was the battleground for most of World War I. Clemenceau and Briand led France to peace, but Léon Blum and Édouard Daladier failed to halt the rise of Germany. In June 1940, German troops conquered France, and established the Vichy Government. Charles De Gaulle became head of a government-in-exile. Paris was liberated in August 1944, and a Fourth Republic founded in 1946. Political instability and colonial war, especially in Algeria, slowed the post-war recovery.
Charles de Gaulle became president in 1958 elections and established a Fifth Republic. De Gaulle resigned in 1969, replaced first by Georges Pompidou, then by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. François Mitterrand's presidency brought nationalization, civic rebuilding, decentralization, and advocacy of the European Union (EU). After Mitterrand's death in 1995, his rival Jacques Chirac was elected president. Chirac's welfare reforms and attempts to meet the criteria for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) resulted in strikes and unemployment and led to the election (1997) of a socialist prime minister, Lionel Jospin. Chirac was re-elected in 2002 elections that saw a swing to the far-right.
Economy
France is a leading industrialized nation (2000 GDP per capita, US$24,400). It is the world's fourth-largest manufacturer of cars. Industries include chemicals and steel. It is the leading producer of farm products in W Europe. Livestock and dairy farming are vital sectors. It is the world's second-largest producer of cheese and wine. Wheat is the principal crop. Tourism is a major industry.
Websites
World Encyclopedia. Philip's, 2005
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