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The '''French Republic''', or '''France''', is a ] located in western ], bordered by ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].
It is a founding member of the ].

<table border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 align=right width=300px style="margin-left:1em">
<caption><font size=+1>'''République Française'''</font></caption>
<tr><td style=background:#efefef; align=center colspan=2>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 height=110px>
<tr><td align=center width=145px>]
<td align=center width=145px>France has no national ]; see ]
<tr><td align=center width=145px>(])
</table>

<tr><td align=center colspan=2 style=border-bottom:3px solid gray;><font size=-1>''National ]: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité<br>(], Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood)''</font>
<tr><td align=center colspan=2>]</td></tr>
<tr><td>]<td>]
<tr><td>]<td>]
<tr><td>Largest City<td>]
<tr><td>] <td> ]
<tr><td>]<td> ]
<tr><td>]<br>&nbsp;- Total <br>&nbsp;- % water<td>] <br> ] '''&sup1;'''<br> 0.26%
<tr><td>]
<br>&nbsp;- Total (])
<br>&nbsp;- ] <td>]
<br> 60,180,529 '''&sup1'''
<br> 110/km&sup2;
<tr><td>]<td>]'''&sup2;''', ]
<tr><td>]<td>] +1 (])
<tr><td>]<td>]
<tr><td>]<td>.FR'''&sup1'''
<tr><td>]<td>33'''&sup1'''
<tr><td colspan=2 align=center><font size=-2>('''1''')</font> <font size=-1>Data for European (metropolitan) France</font><br><font size=-2>('''2''')</font> <font size=-1>Prior to ]: French ]</font>
</table>

== History ==
''Main article: ]''

The Gauls, as illustrated by its Roman conqueror ] who wrote a book on that war, is mostly its previous name. The actual shape make it called ''the hexagone''.
Though the French monarchy is often dated to the ], France's continuous existence as a separate entity begins with the 9th-century division of ]'s ] empire into an eastern and a western part. The eastern part can be regarded the beginnings of what is now ], the western part that of France.

Charlemagne's descendants ruled France until ], when ], Duke of France and Count of Paris, was crowned King of France. His descendants, starting with the ] dynasty, ruled France until ], when the ] established a Republic, in a period of increasingly radical change that began in ].

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars ] and ], France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Since ], it has constructed a presidential democracy (known as the ]) that has not succumbed to the instabilities experienced in earlier more parliamentary regimes.

In recent decades, France's reconciliation and cooperation with ] have proved central to the economic integration of ], including the introduction of the ] in January ].

Today, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defense and security apparatus.

It is also one of the five permanent members of the ].

== Politics ==
''Main article: ]''

The constitution of the ] was approved by public referendum on ] ]. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to Parliament. Under the constitution, the president is elected directly for a 5-year (originally 7-year) term. Presidential arbitration assures regular functioning of the public powers and the continuity of the state. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties.

The ] (''Assemblée Nationale'') is the principal legislative body. Its deputies are directly elected to 5-year terms, and all seats are voted on in each election. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 9-year terms, and one-third of the Senate is renewed every 3 years. The ]'s legislative powers are limited; the National Assembly has the last word in the event of a disagreement between the two houses.
The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament.

See also:
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

== Administrative divisions ==
''Main articles: ], ]''

France has 26 ] (]: ''région''), which are further subdivided into 100 '']s''. The departments are numbered (mainly alphabetically) and this number is used in e.g. postal codes and vehicle number plates.

<table border="0" cellpadding="2">
<tr><td>
*]
** 67 ]
** 68 ]
*]
** 24 ]
** 33 ]
** 40 ]
** 47 ]
** 64 ]
*]
** 03 ]
** 15 ]
** 43 ]
** 63 ]
*]
** 14 ]
** 50 ]
** 61 ]
*] (Burgundy)
** 21 ]
** 58 ]
** 71 ]
** 89 ]
*] (Brittany)
** 22 ]
** 29 ]
** 35 ]
** 56 ]
*]
** 18 ]
** 28 ]
** 36 ]
** 37 ]
** 41 ]
** 45 ]
*]
** 08 ]
** 10 ]
** 51 ]
** 52 ]
*] (Corsica)
** 2A ]
** 2B ]
*]
** 25 ]
** 39 ]
** 70 ]
** 90 ]
*]
** 27 ]
** 76 ]
*]
** 75 ]
** 77 ]
** 78 ]
** 91 ]
** 92 ]
** 93 ]
** 94 ]
** 95 ]
*]
** 11 ]
** 30 ]
** 34 ]
** 48 ]
** 66 ]
<td valign="top">
*]
** 19 ]
** 23 ]
** 87 ]
*]
** 54 ]
** 55 ]
** 57 ]
** 88 ]
*]
** 09 ]
** 12 ]
** 31 ]
** 32 ]
** 46 ]
** 65 ]
** 81 ]
** 82 ]
*]
** 59 ]
** 62 ]
*]
** 44 ]
** 49 ]
** 53 ]
** 72 ]
** 85 ]
*]
** 02 ]
** 60 ]
** 80 ]
*]
** 16 ]
** 17 ]
** 79 ]
** 86 ]
*]
** 04 ]
** 05 ]
** 06 ]
** 13 ]
** 83 ]
** 84 ]
*]
** 01 ]
** 07 ]
** 26 ]
** 38 ]
** 42 ]
** 69 ]
** 73 ]
** 74 ]

* ] (DOM)<br>(Overseas departments), each of them being a département and a region at the same time:
** 971 ]
** 972 ]
** 973 ]
** 974 ]

* Collectivités territoriales (Territorial Collectivities):
** 975 ]
** 976 ]

* Pays et Territoires d'outre-mer (PTOM) (Overseas Countries and Territories):
** 986 ]
** 987 ]
** 988 ] (''pays d'outre mer'' from 1998)
** ] (including France's ] claim)

</table>

<div style="float:right; margin-left:1em">
]</div>

The departments are further subdivided into 342 '']''.

The overseas departments are former colonies outside France that now enjoy a status similar to European or ''metropolitan'' France. They are considered to be a part of France (and the ]) rather than dependent territories, and each of them is a region at the same time.

The overseas territories and countries form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the Republic's European territory or the ] fiscal area. They continue to use the ] as their currency, which was unaffected by the French franc's replacement by the ] in ].

The territorial collectivities have an intermediate status between overseas department and overseas territory.

France also maintains control over a number of other small islands in the ] and the ], including
], ], ], ], ], ]. See ].

== Geography ==
''Main article: ]''

France possesses a large variety of landscapes, ranging from coastal plains in the north and west, where France borders the ] and the ], to the mountain ranges in the south (the ]) and the southeast (the ]), of which the latter contains the highest point of Europe, the ] at 4810 m.

In between are found other elevated regions such as the ] or the ] and extensive river basins such as those of the ], the ], the ] and ].

*]

== Economy ==
''Main article: ]''

France's economy combines extensive private enterprise with substantial, but declining, government intervention. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe.

The government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors, with majority ownership of railway, electricity, aircraft, and telecommunication firms. It has been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early ]. The government is slowly selling off holdings in ], in ], and in the insurance, banking, and defense industries.

France joined 11 other ] members to launch the ] on ] ], with ] and ] completely replacing the French ] in early ].

See also: ]

== Demographics ==
''Main article: ]''

The official language is French, with several local languages (], ], ], ], ] (]), ] (]), ]), but the French government and school system discouraged the use of any of them until recently. The regional languages are now taught at some schools, though French remains the only official language in use by the government, local or national.

==Religion==

Following from the 1789 ], ] guarantees ] as a constitutional right. A 1905 law instituted the ] and prohibited the government from recognizing, salarying or subsidizing any ]. In the preceding situation, established ]-] of the ], the State used to support the ], the ], the ] and the ] religion and provided for public religious educations in those religions (for historical reasons, this situation is still current in ]).

The French government does not keep statistics as to religion.

The 2003 ] lists the religion of France as:
] 83-88%, ] 2%, ] 1%, ] (North African workers) 5-10%, unaffiliated 4%.

However, in a 41% said that the existence of ] was "excluded" or "unlikely". 33% declared that "atheist" described them rather or very well, and 51% for "Christian". When interrogated about their religion, 62% answered ], 6% ], 2% ], 1% ], 2% "other religions" (except for ] or ], which were negligible), 26% "no religion" and 1% declined to answer. The discrepancy between the number of "atheists" and the number of "without religion" may be attributed to people who nominally belong to a religion, perhaps out of social pressure or custom, but do not actually believe in it.

See also: ]

== Culture ==
''Main article: ]''


*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

<TABLE border=1 align=center cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0>
<CAPTION><font size=+1>'''Holidays'''</font></caption>
<TR style=background:#efefef;>
<th>Date
<th>English Name
<th>Local Name
<th>Remarks
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Jour de l'An<td>&nbsp;
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>F&#234te des Rois<td>&nbsp;
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>La Chandeleur<td>&nbsp;

<tr><td>-<td>]<td>Pâques<td>Sunday, date varies
<tr><td>-<td>Easter ]<td>Lundi de Pâques<td>Monday after ]
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Fête du Travail<td>&nbsp;
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Victoire 1945<td>End of WWII
<tr><td>-<td>]<td>Ascension<td>Thursday, 40 days after ]
<tr><td>-<td>]<td>Pentecôte<td>Seventh Sunday after ]
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Fête Nationale<td>National Day
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Assomption<td>&nbsp;
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Toussaint<td>&nbsp;
<tr><td>]<td>]<br />]<br />]<td>Armistice 1918<td>End of WWI
<tr><td>]<td>]<td>Noël<td>&nbsp;

</TABLE>

== Miscellaneous topics ==
''Description of the flag:'' three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the ''drapeau ]'' (Tricolor Flag); the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of ], ], ], ], and ]; the official flag for all French dependent areas

The foundation of France may be dated to
486 (unified by ]).

The national holiday is the ''Fête Nationale''
(National Day), celebrating the Taking of the ], ] (]), often referred to as ] in English.

The capital and most populous city, ], is home to the ], a tower of girdered steel constructed in 1889.

The ] is the number one tourist destination in France followed by the great ] of the ].

Principal cities include:

:], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

See also ].

== See also ==

* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

== International rankings ==


* ], 2003: 17th (out of 175)
* Rank 11 out of 139 countries

== External links ==

* - The Elysée Palace
* - Main governmental site
* - The French National Assembly
* - The French Senate
* - Contains many links to various administrations and institutions
* first flight, first powered flight, first powered heavier-than-air flight

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{{msg:NATO}}

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Revision as of 09:34, 27 February 2004