FRANCE
(French Republic)

Capital: Paris
Area: 640 679 sq.km.
Population: 67 186 638 persons.
Currency: Euro (EUR), French franc (XPF)

HISTORY

During era of the Iron Age now capital France was populated with Gauls, the Celtic people. Rome attached this area in 51 B.C., holding it before arrival of the German francs in 476 which formed the Kingdom France. France became the major European power in the late Middle Ages after the victory in Centenary war (1337-1 1453). In Renaissance the French culture thrived and the global colonial empire which by the 20th century would be second-large in the world was created. In the 16th century religious civil wars between Catholics and Protestants dominated (Huguenots). France became the dominating cultural, political and military power of Europe under Louis XIV. At the end of the 18th century the French revolution overthrew absolute monarchy, founded one of the earliest republics of modern history and saw development of the Declaration of human rights and the citizen which expresses country ideals to this day.

ABOUT THE COUNTRY

The metropolitan of France has a set of topographical plantings and natural landscapes. The most parts of the present territory of France were lifted during several tectonic episodes, such as gertsinsky raising in the Palaeozoic Era during which the Armorican massif, the Massif Central, Morvan, the Vosges and Ardennes and the island of Corsica were created. These massifs are outlined by several decantation basins, such as Basin of Aquitaine in the southwest and the basin of Paris in the north, and the last includes several areas of especially fertile soil, such as Bous and Bree's silt layers. Various routes of natural pass, such as valley Rhone, allow to communicate easily. The Alpine, Pyrenean and Jurassic mountains much more young also have less bald-headed forms. At the height of 4 810,45 meter (15 782 feet) above sea level Mont Blanc located in the Alps on border with France and Italy is the highest point in Western Europe.

GEOGRAPHY

The vast majority of the territory and the population of France is located in Western Europe and is called the capital of France to distinguish it from different foreign countries. It borders on the North Sea in the north, on English Channel in the northwest, on the Atlantic Ocean in the West and on the Mediterranean Sea in the southeast. These are the overland borders consisting of Belgium and Luxembourg in the northeast, Germany and Switzerland in the east, Italy and Monaco in the southeast and also Andorra and Spain in the South and the southwest. Except for the northeast, the most part of the French overland borders is approximately outlined by natural borders and geographical features: to the South and the southeast, to the Pyrenees and the Alps both to Yura, respectively, and to the East - to the Rhine River. Because of the form France is mentioned often as l'Hexagone ("Hexagon"). Capital France includes various coastal islands, the largest of which is Corsica.