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France flag
French Republic
République française
   France has been one of the countries that has most influenced history and culture in recent centuries, and it still maintains a great importance within Europe. The territory is quite varied as we have plains, hilly areas, mountain ranges (Alps and Pyrenees above all); the coasts are quite extensive and embrace the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Government type Semi-presidential republic
Area 551,695 km² (213,011 sq mi)
Population 64,639,000 inh. (2017)
Population 66,143,000 inh. (2024 est.)
Population density 120 inh/km² (311 inh/mi²)
Capital Paris (2,088,000 pop., 11,108,000 urban aggl.)
Currency Euro
Human development index 0.903 (28th place)
Languages French (official), Alsatian, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Gaulish, Occitan (regional)
Life expectancy M 80 years, F 86 years
 
Overseas Departments French Guiana (83,534 km² - 32,253 sq mi, 301,000 pop.)
Overseas Departments Guadeloupe (1,628 km² - 629 sq mi, 376,000 pop.)
Overseas Departments Martinique (1,128 km² - 436 sq mi, 348,000 pop.)
Overseas Departments Mayotte (376 km² - 145 sq mi, 321,000 pop.)
Overseas Departments Réunion (2,512 km² - 970 sq mi, 886,000 pop.)
Overseas Collectivities French Polynesia (4,167 km² - 1,609 sq mi, 279,000 pop.)
Overseas Collectivities Saint Barthélemy (24 km² - 9 sq mi, 11,000 pop.)
Overseas Collectivities Saint Martin (54 km² - 21 sq mi, 32,300 pop.)
Overseas Collectivities Saint Pierre and Miquelon (242 km² - 93 sq mi, 6,000 pop.)
Overseas Collectivities Wallis and Futuna (142 km² - 55 sq mi, 11,200 pop.)
Sui generis Collectivity New Caledonia (18,576 km² - 7,172 sq mi, 277,000 pop.)
Uninhabited Overseas Territories French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Saint-Paul ed Amsterdam Islands, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean and Adélie Land in Antarctica - 7,677 km² - 2,964 sq mi, 439,677 km² - 169,760 sq mi including the Adélie Land)
Location in Europe

Boundaries:

Spain, Andorra and Monaco SOUTH
Italy, Switzerland and Germany EAST
Luxembourg and Belgium NORTH-EAST
Mediterranean Sea SOUTH
Atlantic Ocean WEST and NORTH
North Sea NORTH

GEOGRAPHY DATA OF FRANCE


Largest cities
Paris 2,088,000 pop., 11,108,000 urban aggl.
Marseille 873,000 pop., 1,406,000 urban aggl.
Lyon 522,000 pop., 1,424,000 urban aggl.
Toulouse 504,000 pop., 946,000 urban aggl.
Nice 348,000 pop., 871,000 urban aggl.
Nantes 323,000 pop., 578,000 urban aggl.
Montpellier 302,000 pop.
Strasbourg 291,000 pop.
Bordeaux 262,000 pop., 827,000 urban aggl.
Lille 237,000 pop., 1,315,000 urban aggl.
Highest mountains
Mont Blanc 4,809 m (15,778 ft)
Grandes Jorasses 4,208 m (13,806 ft)
Longest rivers
Rhine 1,320 km (820 mi) total, 184 km (114 mi) in France
Loire 1,006 km (625 mi)
Meuse 925 km (575 mi) total, 486 km (302 mi) in France
Rhône 812 km (505 mi) total, 553 km (344 mi) in France
Seine 777 km (483 mi)
Garonne 647 km (402 mi) total, 522 km (324 mi) in France
Moselle 545 km (339 mi) total, 152 km (94 mi) in France
Marne 514 km (319 mi)
Largest lakes
Geneva 580 km² (224 sq mi) total, 235 km² (91 sq mi) in France
Etang de Berre 155 km² (60 sq mi)
Lac du Bourget 44.5 km² (17 sq mi)
Largest islands
Corsica 8,680 km² (3,351 sq mi)
Île d'Oléron 174 km² (67 sq mi)
Belle-Île-en-Mer 86 km² (33.2 sq mi)
Île de Ré 85 km² (32.8 sq mi)

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS OF FRANCE

   After the 2014 reform, the regions decreased from 22 to 13 (excluding the 5 overseas departments); Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie, both in the south-western part of France, are the two largest regions, while Île-de-France, which includes the urban area of Paris, is the most populated, despite being the second smallest after Corse (Corsica).

   The capital Paris is the only city with over 1 million inhabitants, while Marseille and Lyon exceed the limit of 500,000 people; in all there are 40 cities with at least 100,000 inhabitants, of which 29 between this range and 200,000 inhabitants; the population is well distributed among the various regions, since there are always at least 2 major urban centers, apart from Corsica, as can be seen clearly from the last map.






Paris



Photos


(click to enlarge)

Paris
Paris

Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel

Verdon Gorge
Verdon Gorge

» See the full album
(21 photos)