France

Geography

While the main territory of France (metropolitan France; French: ''la Métropole'', or ''France métropolitaine'') is located in Western Europe, France is also constituted from territories in North America, the Caribbean, South America, the western and southern Indian Ocean, the northern and southern Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica (sovereignty claims in Antarctica are not recognised by most countries, see Antarctic Treaty System). Metropolitan France possesses a large variety of landscapes, ranging from coastal plains in the north and west, where France borders the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, to the Pyrenees mountains in the south-west and the Alps in the south-east, the latter containing the highest point in western Europe, Mont Blanc at 4810 m. In between are found other elevated regions such as the Massif Central, the Jura mountains|Jura, the Vosges mountains |Vosges, or the Ardennes which are quite rocky and forested, as well as extensive river basins such as those of the Loire River, the Rhône River, the Garonne and Seine. Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered on all oceans of the planet, France possesses the second-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world, covering 1 E13 m²|11,035,000 km² (4,260,000 mi²), just behind the EEZ of the United States (11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 mi²), but ahead of the EEZ of Australia (8,232,000 km² / 3,178,000 mi²). The EEZ of France covers approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world, whereas the land area of the French Republic is only 0.45% of the total land area of the Earth.

History

- La liberté guidant le peuple, Liberty leading the People, a symbol of the French Revolution of 1830]] The borders of modern France roughly align with those of the ancient territory of Gaul, inhabited by Celts known also as ''Gauls''. Gaul was conquered by the Romans in the first century BC, and the Gauls eventually adopted Roman languages|Roman speech and culture. History of Christianity/Jesus, pre-4th century Christianity, and syncretism|Christianity also took root in the second and third centuries AD. Gaul's eastern frontiers along the Rhine were overrun by Germanic tribes in the fourth century AD, principally the Franks, from whom the ancient name of "Francie" derived. The modern name "France" derives from the name of the feudal domain of the Capetian Kings of France around Paris. Existence as a separate entity begins with the division, in 843, of Charlemagne's Carolingian empire into eastern, central and western parts. The eastern part (which would soon unite with the central portion as the Holy Roman Empire) can roughly be regarded as the beginnings of what is now Germany, the western part, that of France. Charlemagne's descendants ruled France until 987, when Hugh Capet of France|Hugh Capet, Duke of France and Count of Paris, was crowned King of France. His descendants, the Capetian, Valois Dynasty|Valois and House of Bourbon|Bourbon dynasties unified progressively the country within the royal dominion after a sequence of wars and dynastic inheritance. The monarchy reached its height during the 17th century and the reign of Louis XIV. At this time France had a tremendous influence over the European politics, economy and culture. France was then the most populous state in Europe and the third in the World after China and India (see Demographics of France). The monarchy ruled France until 1792, when the French Revolution established the French First Republic. Napoleon I of France|Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the Republic in 1799, making himself First Consul. In the course of several wars, his armies conquered many countries and established new kingdoms, with Napoleon's family members being appointed as monarchs. Following his defeat in 1815, the French monarchy was re-established. In 1830, a French Revolution of 1830 |civil uprising established the constitutional monarchy |constitutional July Monarchy followed by the French Second Republic|Second Republic in 1848. The short-lived Second Republic ended when the late Emperor's nephew, Napoleon III of France|Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was elected President and proclaimed a Second French Empire|Second Empire in 1852. Louis-Napoléon was ultimately unseated following the Franco-Prussian war in 1870. The French Third Republic|Third Republic was then established. Although ultimately a victor in both World War I and World War II, France suffered extensive losses in its French colonial empires |empire, comparative economic status, population, and status as a dominant nation state. After World War II, the French Fourth Republic|Fourth Republic was established. In 1958, the current semi-presidential French Fifth Republic|Fifth Republic was established under the leadership of General de Gaulle. In recent decades, France's reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the political and economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of the Euro in January 1999. France has been 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, defence and security apparatus. However its population voted against ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|European Constitutional Treaty in May 2005.

Government and politics

The constitution of the French Fifth Republic|Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on September 28 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to Government_of_France#The_legislative_branch|Parliament. Under the constitution of France, the President of the French Republic is elected directly by the public 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 French National Assembly|National Assembly (''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. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 6-year terms, and one half of the Senate is renewed every 3 years starting in 2007. The Senate's legislative powers are limited; the National Assembly has the last word in the event of a disagreement between the two houses, except for constitutional laws (amendments to the constitution & "lois organiques"). The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament. French politics, for the past 30 years, have been characterised by the opposition of two political groups: one Left-wing politics|left-wing, centred around the Socialist Party (France)|French Socialist Party, and one Right-wing politics|right-wing, centred around the Rally for the Republic|Rassemblement pour la République (RPR), then its successor the Union for a Popular Movement|Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP). The ''National Front (France)|Front National'' nationalist / hard right party, seizing on voters' growing concerns of their country's perceived decline, as well as 'national dissolution' brought about by immigration and globalisation, and advocating tougher law-and-order and immigration policies, has made inroads since the early 1980s, but has lately remained stable at around 16% of the votes. France's founding membership in the European Union has largely defined France's foreign policy. On May 29, 2005 the French rejected the French referendum on the European Constitution|referendum to decide whether their country should ratify the proposed Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe with approximately 55% voting no. The outcome of the vote was widely regarded as crucial for the future development of the EU, as well as for France's ability to retain its position of leadership in Europe. The French Republic is furthermore a member of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), and an associate member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). France is also a leading member of the La Francophonie|International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) which gathers 51 fully or partly French-speaking countries. France hosts the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization|UNESCO, as well as those of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures|International Bureau for Weights and Measures in charge of the international SI|metric system, and Interpol.

Administrative divisions

France has 26 ''Région in France|régions'': 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse#Politics|Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a ''région'', but is referred to as a ''région'' in common speech), 4 are overseas. The ''régions'' are further subdivided into 100 ''département in France|départements''. The departments are numbered (mainly alphabetically) and this number is used, for instance, in postal codes and vehicle number plates. The departments are further subdivided into 342 Arrondissement in France|''arrondissements'', but they have no elected assembly and serve only for the districting of state administrations. The arrondissements are further divided into 4,035 Canton in France|''cantons'', but again these serve only administrative and electoral purposes. Finally, the arrondissements are divided into 36,682 Commune in France|''communes'', which are all municipalities with an elected assembly (municipal council). The ''régions'', ''départements'', and ''communes'' are known as territorial collectivities (''collectivités territoriales''), and they possess local assemblies as well as an executive, while the ''arrondissements'' and the ''cantons'' are mere administrative divisions. Until 1940, the ''arrondissements'' were also territorial collectivities with an elected assembly (arrondissement council), but these were suspended by the Vichy France|Vichy regime and definitely abolished by the French Fourth Republic|Fourth Republic in 1946. Anciently, the ''cantons'' were also territorial collectivities with each their own elected assembly. Four of these 100 ''départements'' are overseas ''départements'', which are former colonies outside metropolitan France that now enjoy a status similar to European or metropolitan France. They are considered to be a part of France (and the European Union|EU) rather than dependent territories, and each of them is an overseas ''région'' at the same time. In addition to the 26 ''régions'' and 100 ''départements'', the French Republic is further made up of overseas territories, overseas countries, departmental collectivities, and overseas collectivities. Overseas territories and countries form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the Republic's European territory or the European Union|EU fiscal area. The Pacific ocean territories continue to use the CFP franc|French Pacific Franc as their currency, which was not replaced by the euro like the French franc was in 2002. The French Pacific Franc's value is, however, now tied to that of the euro. The overseas "départements", on the other hand, used the French franc and now use the euro. The departmental and overseas collectivities have an intermediate status between overseas ''départements'' and overseas territories. France also maintains control over a number of small non permanently inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean: Scattered_Islands_in_the_Indian_Ocean#Bassas_da_India|Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Scattered_Islands_in_the_Indian_Ocean#Europa|Europa Island, Scattered_Islands_in_the_Indian_Ocean#Glorioso|Glorioso Islands, Scattered_Islands_in_the_Indian_Ocean#Juan_de_Nova|Juan de Nova Island, Scattered_Islands_in_the_Indian_Ocean#Tromelin|Tromelin Island. See Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Economy

at the "A380 Reveal" event in Toulouse on January 18, 2005.]] France's economy combines extensive private enterprise (nearly 2.5 million companies registered) with substantial (though declining) government intervention (see dirigisme). 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 1990s#Economics|1990s. The government is slowly selling off holdings in France Télécom, Air France, as well as the insurance, banking, and defence industries. A member of the G8 group of leading industrialised countries, it ranked as the fifth-largest economy in the world in 2004, behind the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. France joined 10 other European Union|EU members to launch the Euro on January 1 1999, with euro coins and euro banknotes|banknotes completely replacing the French French franc|franc in early 2002. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD, in 2004 France was the world's fifth-largest exporter of manufactured goods, behind the United States, Germany, Japan, and China, (but ahead of the United Kingdom). It was also the fourth-largest importer of manufactured goods (behind the United States, Germany, and China, but ahead of the United Kingdom and Japan). Yet according to the OECD, in 2003 France was the OECD country that received the most foreign direct investment (Luxembourg excepted, where foreign direct investment was mostly monetary transfers to banks located in that country). With 47 billion USD of foreign direct investments, France ranked above the United States (39.9 billion USD of FDI received), the United Kingdom (14.6 billion USD of FDI received), Germany (12.9 billion USD of FDI received), or Japan (6.3 billion USD of FDI received). At the same time, French companies invested 57.3 billion USD outside of France, ranking France as the second most important outward direct investor in the OECD, behind the United States (173.8 billion USD of outward FDI), but ahead of the United Kingdom (55.3 billion USD of outward FDI), Japan (28.8 billion USD of outward FDI), or Germany (2.6 billion USD of outward FDI). France is also the second most productive country in the OECD (excluding Norway and Luxembourg where productivity data are inflated by oil revenues in Norway, and by investments in off-shore banks in Luxembourg). In 2003, the GDP per hour worked in France was 47.2 USD, ranking France behind Belgium (48 USD per hour worked), but above the United States (43.5 USD per hour worked), Germany (40.6 USD per hour worked), the United Kingdom (37.7 USD per hour worked), or Japan (30.9 USD per hour worked). Despite a higher productivity than in the US, France's GDP per capita is significantly lower than the US GDP per capita, being in fact comparable to the GDP per capita of the other European countries, which is on average 30% below US level. The reason for this is because a much smaller percentage of the French population is working compared to the US, which sinks the GDP per capita of France, despite its high productivity. In fact, France has one of the lowest percentage of its population at work among the OECD countries. In 2003, 41.5% of the French population was working, compared to 50.7% in the US, and 47.3% in the UK. This phenomenon is the result of almost thirty years of massive unemployment in France, which has led to three consequences reducing the size of the working population: about 10% of the active population is without a job; students delay as long as possible their entry into labour market; and finally the French government gives various incentives to workers to retire in their early 50s, though these are now receding. As many economists have stressed repeatedly over the years, the main issue with the French economy is not an issue of productivity. In their opinion, it is an issue of structural reforms, in order to increase the size of the working population in the overall population. Liberal theory of economics|Liberal and Keynesian economics|Keynesian economists have different answers to that issue. With over 75 million foreign tourists in 2003, France is World Tourism Rankings|ranked as the first tourist destination in the world, ahead of Spain (52.5 million) and the United States (40.4 million). It features cities of high cultural interest (Paris being the foremost), beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). France has an important aerospace industry led by Airbus and is the only European power to have its own national spaceport (''Centre Spatial Guyanais''). France is also the most energy independent Western country due to heavy investment in nuclear power, which also makes France the smallest producer of Greenhouse gas|carbon dioxide among the seven most industrialised countries in the world. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and EU subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Europe. Since the end of the Second World War the government made efforts to integrate more and more with Germany, both economically and politically. Today the two countries form what is often referred to as the "core" countries in favour of greater integration of the European Union.

Demographics

]] Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions. Four basic European ethnic stocks - Celtic (Gallic and Breton), Aquitanian (Basque related), Latin, and Germanic (Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians, Vikings) - have blended over the centuries to make up its present population. Besides these "historic" populations, new populations have migrated to France since the 19th century: Belgians, Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Poles, Armenians, Jews from Eastern Europe and the Maghreb, Arabs and Berbers from the Maghreb, Black Africans, and Chinese, to list only the most prominent. It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population descends from these different waves of migrations, making France the most ethnically diverse country of Europe, and quite comparable to the United States or Canada, despite the still popular stereotypes of France as an essentially Gallic country. Nevertheless, the immigrants from other European countries have an easier time blending in, while the 'non-European' groups tend to assimilate at a slower pace, because of racism and cultural differences.

Population

Starting with the 19th century, the historical evolution of the population in France has been extremely atypical in the Western World. Unlike the rest of Europe, France did not experience a strong population growth in the 19th century and first half of the 20th century. On the other hand, it experienced a much stronger growth in the second half of the 20th century than the rest of Europe or indeed its own growth in the previous centuries. After 1974, France's population growth stalled, and reached its nadir in the 1990s with only 0.39% annual growth, being now more in tune with most of Europe, which has (in some nations, like Germany and the U.K.) entered demographic decline but in others, bithrates amongst citizens are now increasing (like Italy). However, first results from the 2004 French census have greatly surprised demographers. In 2004, population growth was 0.39%. France is now well ahead of most other European countries (except for the Republic of Ireland).But figures for other European countries are not available yet and may show more growth in other nations. These unexpected results bear great consequences for the future. At the moment, France is the third most populous country of Europe, behind Russia and Germany. By 2050, demographers initially thought the population of metropolitan France would be 64 million inhabitants, but they now agree that their estimates were too conservative, being based on the 1990s growth rate of population. Demographers now estimate that by 2050 metropolitan France's population will be 75 million, at which time it will be the most populated country of the European Union, above Germany (71 million), the United Kingdom (59 million), and Italy (55 million). If these estimates become reality, it may fundamentally alter the balance of power in Brussels. It would be the first time since the 1860s that France is the largest Nation of Europe (Russia excluded). In mid-2005 the EU had 460 million inhabitants, 13.6% of whom were living in France (including overseas ''départements''). By 2050 it is estimated that the population of the European Union (of the current 25 members) will have declined to 445 million inhabitants, of whom 17.5% will be living in France. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR, the number of people seeking refugee|political asylum in France rose by around 3 % between 2003 and 2004, while in the same period, the number of asylum applications submitted in the United States fell by about 29 %. France thereby replaced the United States as the world's top destination for asylum-seekers in 2004.

Languages

The sole official language of France is French language|French. However, several Languages of France|regional languages (including Alsatian language|Alsatian, Basque language|Basque, Breton language|Breton, Creole#Caribbean creole|Caribbean Creole, Catalan language|Catalan, Corsican language|Corsican, Flemish (linguistics)|Flemish, Franco-Provençal dialects, Gascon, West Central German|Lorraine German dialect, Occitan language|Occitan, and some Oïl languages|Oïl dialects - e.g., Picard language|Picard) are also occasionally understood and spoken, mostly by elderly people, but the French government and state school system discouraged the use of any of them until recently. These historical regional languages have been known as ''patois'', though this has been considered depreciative. They are now taught at some schools, though French remains the only official language in use by the government, local or national. Some languages spoken by immigrants are also frequently spoken, especially in large cities: Portuguese language|Portuguese, Maghreb Arabic, several Berber languages, several languages of Sub-Saharan Africa, Turkish language|Turkish, several Chinese spoken language|spoken variants of Chinese (most notably Wu (linguistics)|Wu, Cantonese (linguistics)|Cantonese, Min Nan, and Mandarin (linguistics)|Mandarin), Vietnamese language|Vietnamese, and Khmer language|Khmer are the most frequently spoken.

Statistics

At the 1999 census, INSEE sampled 380,000 adult people all across Metropolitan France, and asked them questions about their family situation. One of the questions was about the languages that their parents spoke with them before the age of 5. This is the first time serious statistics were computed about the proportion of mother tongues in France. The results were published in ''Enquête familiale, Insee, 1999''. Here is a list of the nine most prominent mother tongues in France based on ''Enquête familiale''. Before trying to use these data, or analyze them, readers should peruse the Languages of France#Important notes to understand the table|notes at the Languages of France article. Given the complex nature of the subject, misunderstandings and confusions are likely if these notes are not read. If we add up people with mother tongue and people with some exposure to the language before the age of 5, then the five most important languages in metropolitan France are (note that the percentages add up to more than 100, because many people are now counted twice):

French: 42,100,000 (92%)

Oc languages: 1,670,000 (3.65%)

German and German dialects: 1,440,000 (3.15%)

Oïl languages: 1,420,000 (3.10%)

Arabic: 1,170,000 (2.55%)

Cities

's urban areas of more than 100,000 inhabitants]] The principal cities by population include: :Aix-en-Provence, Ajaccio, Albi, Amiens, Angers, Angouleme, Bastia, Belfort, Besançon, Bordeaux, Brest, France|Brest, Caen, Calais, Cannes, Carcassonne, Charleville-Mézières, Clermont-Ferrand, Colmar, Dijon, Dunkerque, Evreux, Grenoble, La Rochelle, Le Havre, Le Mans, Lille, Limoges, Lyon, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nîmes, Orléans, Paris, Perpignan, Poitiers, Quimper, Reims, Rennes, Roubaix, Rouen, Saint-Étienne, Saint-Nazaire, Strasbourg, Tarbes, Toulon, Toulouse, Tourcoing, Tours and Valence, Drôme|Valence.

Culture

Education in France

Académie française

French literature

French art

List of French people

Cuisine of France

Cinema of France

Music of France

Holidays in France

Marianne

Marianne is a symbol of the French Republic. She is an allegorical figure of liberty and the Republic and first appeared at the time of the French Revolution. The earliest representations of Marianne are of a woman wearing a Phrygian cap. The origins of the name Marianne are unknown, but Marie-Anne was a very common first name in the 18th century. Anti-revolutionaries of the time derisively called her La République. It is believed that revolutionaries from the South of France adopted the Phrygian cap as it symbolised liberty, having been worn by freed slaves in both Greece and Rome. Mediterranean seamen and convicts manning the galleys also wore a similar type of cap. Under the Third Republic, statues, and especially busts, of Marianne began to proliferate, particularly in town halls. She was represented in several different manners, depending on whether the aim was to emphasize her revolutionary nature or her "wisdom." Over time, the Phrygian cap was felt to be too seditious, and was replaced by a diadem or a crown. In recent times, famous French actresses are given the title of Marianne. recent ones are Sophie Marceau, and Laetitia Casta. She also features on everyday articles such as postage stamps and coins.

Religion

Cathedral]] Traditionally a predominantly Roman Catholic country, yet also with anticlerical leanings, France has since the 1970s been a very secular country. Freedom of religion is constitutionally a right, inspired by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The dominant concept of the relationships between the public sphere and religions is that of ''laïcité'', which implies, in theory, that the government does not intervene in religious dogma (except in certain cases, such as in public schools for instance), and that religions should refrain from intervening in policy-making. Tensions occasionally erupt about alleged or real discrimination against minorities; see Islam in France. The government does not maintain statistics as to the religion of its inhabitants. Statistics from an unspecified source and date given in the CIA World Factbook gives the following number: Roman Catholic 83 to 88%, Islam|Muslim 5 to 10%, Protestantism|Protestant 2%, Judaism|Jewish 1%. However, in a http://a1692.g.akamai.net/f/1692/2042/1h/medias.lemonde.fr/medias/pdf_obj/sondage030416.pdf41% said that the existence of God was "excluded" or "unlikely". 33% declared that "atheist" described them rather or very well, and 51% said they were "Christian". When questioned about their religion, 62% answered Roman Catholic, 6% Muslim, 2% Protestant, 1% Jewish, 2% "other religions" (except for Eastern Orthodoxy|Orthodox or Buddhism|Buddhist, which were negligible), 26% "no religion" and 1% declined to answer. A Gallup poll established that 15% of the French population attend places of worship.

Military

]] The French armed forces are divided into four branches:

French Army|Army (Armée de Terre)

Marine nationale|Navy (Marine Nationale)

French Air Force|Air Force (Armée de l'Air)

French Gendarmerie|Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale), a military police force which serves for the most part as a rural and general purpose police force. Military age is 17. Since the Algerian War of Independence, conscription has been steadily reduced and was abolished by the government of Jacques Chirac in 1996. Among the larger European economies, France and the United Kingdom are the only significant spenders on defence: France with 2.6% of GDP, and the United Kingdom|UK at 2.4%, according to 2003 figures from NATO. Those two countries account for 40% of EU defence spending. In most other EU countries, defence spending is less than 1.5% of GDP.

Terminology

Origin of the country's name

The name France comes from Medieval Latin ''Francia'', which literally means "land of the Franks, Frankland". Originally it applied to the whole Frankish Empire, extending from southern France to eastern Germany. At the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Frankish Empire was divided in three parts, and eventually only two: ''Francia Occidentalis'' (i.e. "Western Frankland") and ''Francia Orientalis'' (i.e. "Eastern Frankland"). The rulers of ''Francia Orientalis'', who soon claimed the imperial title and wanted to reunify the Frankish Empire, dropped the name ''Francia Orientalis'' and called their realm the Holy Roman Empire (see History of Germany). The kings of ''Francia Occidentalis'' successfully opposed this claim, and managed to preserve ''Francia Occidentalis'' as an independent kingdom, distinct from the Holy Roman Empire. The Battle of Bouvines in 1214 definitely marked the end of the efforts by the Holy Roman Empire to reunify the old Frankish Empire by conquering France. Since the name ''Francia Orientalis'' had disappeared, there arose the habit to refer to ''Francia Occidentalis'' as ''Francia'' only, from which the word France is derived. The French state has been in continuous existence since 843 (except for a brief interruption in 885-887), with an unbroken line of heads of states since the first king of ''Francia Occidentalis'' (Charles the Bald) to the current president of the French Republic (Jacques Chirac). Noticeably, in German language|German, France is still called ''Frankreich'', which literally means "''Reich'' (realm) of the Franks". In order to distinguish from the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne, France is called ''Frankreich'', while the Frankish Empire is called ''Frankenreich''. The name of the Franks itself is said to come from the Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic word

''frankon'' which means "javelin, lance". Another proposed etymology is that Frank means "the free men", based on the fact that the word ''frank'' meant "free" in the ancient Germanic languages. However, rather than the ethnic name of the Franks coming from the word ''frank'' ("free"), it is more probable that the word ''frank'' ("free") comes from the ethnic name of the Franks, the connection being that only the Franks, as the conquering class, had the status of freemen. Contrary to what many people believe, the name of the former French currency, the franc, does not come from the name of the country. Instead, the name of the currency comes from Old French ''franc'', a word which meant "free", directly borrowed from the Germanic word ''frank'' ("free"). In modern French, ''franc'' means "frank, sincere". The meaning "free" was lost, except in a few set phrases, such as ''port franc'' (i.e. "free port") or ''franc-maçon'' (i.e. "freemason"). During the Hundred Years' War, King John II of France was captured by the English at the Battle of Poitiers (1356). The English asked for a ransom to liberate the king, which amounted to twice the yearly income of France. In order to raise the money to pay the ransom, a new coinage had to be minted. These new coins were called ''francs'', because they were minted to "free" the king. Before the arrival of the Franks, France was called Gaul (Latin: ''Gallia''; French language|French: ''Gaule''). This name continued to be used for a very long time after the Franks arrived in what is now France. In fact, for as long as the cultural elites of Europe used Latin predominantly (until the 18th century), the name ''Gallia'' continued to be used alongside the name France. Today, in modern French language|French, the word ''Gaule'' has completely disappeared, and is only used in a historical context. The only current use of the word is in the title of the leader of the French bishops, the archbishop of Lyon, whose official title is Primate (religion)|Primate of the Gauls (''Primat des Gaules''). Gaul is in the plural in the title, reflecting the three Gallic entities identified by the Romans (''Gaul|Celtica'', ''Gallia Belgica|Belgica'', and ''Gascony#History|Aquitania''). The adjective ''gaulois'' (Gallic) is still sometimes used when a Frenchman wants to stress some idiosyncrasies of the French people entrenched in history, such as ''notre vieux fond gaulois querelleur'' ("the love of quarrels of our old Gallic stock"), a phrase used when denouncing French propensity for strikes or controversies. During the French Third Republic, the authorities often referred to ''notre vieille Nation gauloise'' ("our old Gallic Nation"), a case in which the adjective ''gaulois'' is used with a positive connotation. In English the word Gaul is never used in a modern context. The adjective Gallic is sometimes used to refer to French people. Note that the family name of General de Gaulle (with two "l") has nothing to do with the name Gaul (French: ''Gaule'', with one "l"). It seems that "Gaulle" comes from an old Germanic word meaning "wall", where w- evolved into g- under the influence of French (cf. William and Guillaume). Nonetheless, contemporary Frenchmen could not help noticing the striking similarity between the two names, and it added to the aura surrounding de Gaulle. In almost all the languages of the world, France is known by the word "France" or any of its derivatives. In a few languages (essentially Greek language|Greek and Breton language|Breton), France is known as "Gaul".

Meanings of the name France

The name "France" (and its adjective "French") can have four different meanings which it is important to distinguish in order to avoid ambiguities. In a first meaning, "France" refers to the whole French Republic. In a second meaning, it refers to metropolitan France only. This is the most common meaning. In a third meaning, "France" refers specifically to the provinces of France|province of Île-de-France (province)|Île-de-France (with Paris at its centre) which historically was the heart of the royal demesne. This meaning is found in some geographic names, such as French Brie (''Brie française'') and French Vexin (''Vexin français''). French Brie, the area where the famous Brie cheese is produced, is the part of Brie that was annexed to the royal demesne, as opposed to Champagne Brie (''Brie champenoise'') which was annexed by Champagne (province)|Champagne. Likewise, French Vexin was the part of Vexin inside Île-de-France, as opposed to Normandy Vexin (''Vexin normand'') which was inside Normandy. This meaning is also found in the name of the French language (''langue française''), whose literal meaning is "language of Île-de-France". It is not until the 19th and 20th centuries that the language of Île-de-France indeed became the language of the whole country France. In modern French, the French language is called ''le français'', while the old language of Île-de-France is called ''le francien''. In a fourth meaning, "France" refers only to the ''Pays de France'', one of the many ''pays'' (Latin: ''pagi'', singular ''pagus'') of Île-de-France. French provinces are traditionally made up of several ''pays'', which are the direct continuation of the ''pagi'' set up by the Roman administration during Antiquity. The province of Île-de-France is thus made up of several ''pays'': ''Pays de France'', Parisis, Hurepoix, French Vexin, and so on. ''Pays de France'' is the extremely fertile plain located immediately north of Paris which supported one of the most productive agriculture during the Middle Ages and was responsible for the tremendous wealth of the kingdom of France before the Hundred Years' War, making possible the emergence of Gothic architecture|Gothic art and architecture which spread all over western Europe. ''Pays de France'' is also called ''Plaine de France'' (i.e. "Plain of France"). Its historic main town is Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Denis, where the first gothic cathedral in the world was built in the 12th century, and inside which the kings of France are buried. ''Pays de France'' is now almost entirely built up, being but the northern extension of the Paris suburbs. This fourth meaning is found in many place names, such as the town of Roissy-en-France, on whose territory is located Charles de Gaulle International Airport. The name of the town literally means "Roissy in the ''Pays de France''", and not "Roissy in the country France", as many people wrongly believe. Another example of the use of France in this meaning is the new ''Stade de France'', which was built near Saint-Denis for the Football World Cup 1998|1998 Football World Cup. It was decided to call the stadium after the ''Pays de France'', to give it a local touch. In particular, the mayor of Saint-Denis made it very clear that he wanted the new stadium to be a stadium of the northern suburbs of Paris, and not just a national stadium which happens to be located in the northern suburbs. The name reflected this. However, most people, both inside and outside France, are not aware of this, and assume that the stadium was called after the country France.

Miscellaneous topics

]] , the most visited tourist site in France]] ]]

''Description of the flag:'' three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red became the flag during the French Revolution and made popular by Marquis de Lafayette; known as the ''Flag_of_France|drapeau tricolore'' (Tricolour Flag).

The foundation of France is traditionally dated 496 (baptism of Clovis I). In reality, however, the legal founding of France is 843, date of the Treaty of Verdun, which divided the Frankish Empire and created the kingdom of Francia Occidentalis (“Western Frankland”), from which France is descended. The French state has been in continuous existence since 843, among the oldest states in existence in the world.

France's motto "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" was first used as the rebels' motto during the French Revolution.

The national holiday of France since 1880 is the ''Fête Nationale'' (National Holiday), colloquially known as ''le 14 juillet'', celebrating the ''Fête de la Fédération'' (July 14, 1790) and ''not'' the storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789) as is often mistakenly believed, even by a majority of French people, and is the reason why the holiday is referred to as Bastille Day in English language|English. On the occasion of the ''Fête de la Fédération'', celebrated exactly one year after the storming of the Bastille, all the representatives of the provinces of France gathered on the Champ de Mars in Paris in presence of the king Louis XVI and proclaimed the national unity of France. They vowed to remain faithful to "the Nation, the Law, the King". :This day is considered by French Republicans as the real birth of France: France is no more a country made up of provinces conquered by kings, but a country of provinces and men who freely agree to form a common Nation. This concept of a Nation agreed upon is opposed to the German concept of a Nation based on ethnicity and race, and it was responsible for much of the conflicts between France and Germany in the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Germany considered that Alsace was a German land that had been annexed by the conquest of the French kings, while France considered that although Alsace had indeed been a conquered province in the first place, it had legitimately and freely become a part of France by the oath of July 14, 1790. It is thus no surprise that the 14th of July was proclaimed the National Holiday of France in 1880, 9 years after Germany had detached Alsace-Lorraine from France. :Despite being associated with the ''Fête de la Fédération'', the 14th of July irked many French monarchists, to whom it recalled the bloody memory of the storming of the Bastille. French monarchists used to wear a black armband each 14th of July, in defiance of the National Holiday.

The capital and most populous city, Paris, is considered by many to be one of the most famous and beautiful cities in the world. Paris is also home to numerous historical buildings and monuments.

The Mont-Saint-Michel is the most visited tourist site in France. Other very popular and well-known tourist sites include: Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, Disneyland Resort Paris, the Chateau|châteaux of the Loire Valley, the ski resorts of the French Alps, Tahiti and the lagoons of French Polynesia, etc.

International rankings

Total Gross domestic product|GDP, 2004: 5th (out of 184) (World Bank data)

Total value of foreign trade (imports and exports), 2002: 4th (out of 185)

Human Development Index, 2004: 16th (out of 177)

Reporters Without Borders world-wide press freedom index 2004: Rank 19 out of 167 countries

http://http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2005/2005.10.18.cpi.en.html- 18th of 159 countries

Notes and references

# For more information, see :Category:French overseas departments, territories and collectivities # List of countries by GDP (nominal)|Rank by nominal GDP: 5 (2004); List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita|Rank by GDP per capita: 16 (2005); List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|Rank by GDP at purchasing power parity per capita: 21 (2005). # According to a different calculation cited by the http://pewresearch.org/ the EEZ of France would be 1 E13 m²|10,084,201 km² (3,893,532 mi²), still behind the United States (12,174,629 km² / 4,700,651 mi²), and still ahead of Australia (8,980,568 km² / 3,467,416 mi²) and Russia (7,566,673 km² / 2,921,508 mi²). # ''page in French without apparent English version available''

External links

Directories

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/fr.html

http://www.mediatico.com/en/newspapers/europe/france

http://www.service-public.fr/etranger/english.html- Contains many links to various administrations and institutions

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pb.cgi?lang=en- Residential phone numbers from France Télécom (does not include other operators)

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en- Business phone numbers from France Télécom

http://www.phonebookoffrance.com- City, Residential and Business Phonenumbers from Phonebook of the World

http://www.dover-to-calais.com

http://www.parks.it/world/FR/Eindex.html- National parks, nature parks, reserves and other protected areas in France

http://www.windowtofrance.com

Getting Around France

http://www.sncf.co.uk

http://www.raileurope.co.uk

Maps and travel guides

http://www.map-of-france.co.uk- Maps of France and its ''régions''