Official Name: French RepublicForm of government: RepublicCapital: ParisPopulation: 67, 092, 056Official languages: FrenchMonetary unit: EuroArea: 543,965 square kilometresMajor mountain ranges: Alps, Pyrenees, Massif CentralMajor rivers: Seine, Rhine and Rhône
French flag
Map of France
What is France Famous for?
France is famous for cheese (Camembert, Brie, Roquefort) wine, perfume(Chanel, Dior, Givenchy) and cars (Renault, Citroen, Peugeot).
France is also famous for the Tour de France and the Eiffel.
French Cheeses
More than 350 kinds of cheese are made in France.
Food
France is known for its fine food. French cooking is thought to be the best in the world. Chefs prepare dishes such as quiche, soufflés, mousse, pâté, croissants, crêpes, and French bread. Many people in France like to drink their hot chocolate from bowls and dip their bread into it.
French is the official language in France and it is also the second major language in Europe.
French is one of the Romance languages. These languages, including also Italian and Spanish, have their origins in the Latin language. Today, French is the second most studied language after English and spoken by more than 300 million people around the world as first or second language.
Try these five useful expressions in French:
The largest country in Western Europe, France has long been a gateway between the continent’s northern and southern regions.
Southeast France’s Mediterranean coast is known as the French Riviera or, in French, Côte d’Azur
France has lots of land area to provide habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals. More than 25 percent of its territory is covered with forest, and another 50 percent is countryside or farmland.
The Alps in the southeast of France are home to forests, lakes and snowcapped peaks!
There is evidence that early relatives of humans first settled in France nearly two million years ago. By 300,000 B.C., Neanderthals arose there, and by 40,000 B.C., Cro-Magnons had arrived.
Over time, Celtic tribes from central Europe moved into the region, and when the Romans occupied the territory in the second century B.C., they named it Gaul. Julius Caesar established full Roman control over Gaul in 51 B.C., but by 400 A.D. Rome was in decline. Gaul was attacked by neighbouring tribes, including Visigoths, Vandals and the Germanic Franks, from which France would eventually get its name. In 843 a treaty created the territory of West Francia, which would later become France.
Over the next thousand years, West Francia was ruled by a series of powerful kings. Several wars were fought over who would rule France, including the Hundred Years War, from 1337 to 1453. In 1789, a violent period of change called the French Revolution began, eventually ending in the overthrow of the monarchy.
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris was built to honour those who fought and died for France in the Napoleonic Wars and French Revolution
France is one of the oldest nations on Earth and the most ethnically diverse country in Europe. These deep and broad influences have made France a world leader throughout history in different aspects of culture, including cuisine, philosophy, music, art, film, fashion, literature and sport.
Over the years, France has been through many political crises. Its current government is a combination of presidential and parliamentary systems. The president is elected by the people and is head of state. A prime minister, chosen by the president, works with the elected parliament to pass laws.
Built in 1682, the Palace of Versailles was the former French royal residence and centre of government.
France is among the world’s largest economies. The country produces many items that other countries buy, including its most famous products – wine and cheese. Other exports include automobiles, electronics and clothing. Tourism is also a huge industry in France. More than 80 million people visit the country every year, more than any other country on Earth!