France is the largest country in Western Europe, covering an area of 550,000 square kilometers. The capital is Paris (population - 2.243 million). In the east, France borders on countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. In the southwest - with Spain and Andorra. From the west, France is washed by the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. From the southeast - the Mediterranean Sea.
Population of France
Is 62 million people. According to this indicator, the country ranks 20th in the world. The population density is 116 people per square kilometer.
Most major cities are: (2.243 million), (1.7), Marseille (1.3) and (1).
The bulk of the French population is ethnic French (90%). The country is also home to Alsatians and Lorraine (1.4 million people), Bretons (1.25), Jews (0.5), Flemings (0.3), Corsicans (0.28), Catalans (0.25) and basques (0.14).
What language is used in France?
The official language of France is French... There are also 7 regional languages in the country: Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Occitan, Flemish and Alsatian.
France and tourism
France is the most popular country for tourism. About 80 million people visit it every year. A is the most popular city in the world among tourists.
Among the sights of France are the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Champs Elysees, Louvre, Versailles.
Eiffel Tower can rightfully be called the main attraction not only of Paris, but of the whole of France. This grand structure was opened in 1889 for the World's Fair. After 20 years, the tower was to be dismantled. However, thanks to the development of radio, the Eiffel Tower was saved - radiotelegraph antennas were built on it. The height of the tower is 317 meters. In clear weather, visibility from the top observation deck reaches 70 km. More than 10,000 people can be on the tower at the same time.
The Eiffel Tower is the most popular attraction in the world, with over 235 million visitors in its entire history.
Notre Dame de Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral)- one of the most famous monuments in Europe - annually visited by about 14 million tourists. Built in 1345.
- the most famous highway in the French capital. The length of this street is almost 2 km, width - 71 m. Military parades in honor of Bastille Day (July 14) and the end of the First World War (November 11) are traditionally held on the Champs Elysees. There is also the world famous cabaret "Lido".
The most famous and largest museum in the world, was opened on August 10, 1793. It contains a rich collection of world art from various eras until the 19th century (more than 400,000 exhibits).
It is in the Louvre that such famous works of art as the Mona Lisa (the most popular exhibit of the museum), Venus de Milo and Nika of Samothrace are located.
Also one of the most famous monuments in the world. From 1682 to 1789, the residence of the French king was located here. The famous Treaty of Versailles was signed at the Palace of Versailles, which marked the end of the First World War. Since 1979, Versailles has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
France is the leader among all wine-making countries in the world - more than 9 thousand varieties of wine are produced in the region alone.
This country is the birthplace of cognac and champagne. The world's most famous liqueurs are also produced here.
France is a well-developed country in terms of sports. In 1998, the 16th FIFA World Cup took place here. The French national team became the winner of this tournament, having beaten the strongest Brazilian national team in the final.
Such famous historical figures were born in France as Joan of Arc, Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles De Gaulle and others.
France dialing code: +33. Time zone: +1 compared to Greenwich.
France is currently democratic republic... The following political parties operate in the country: Socialist Party, Left Front, Europe Ecology Greens, New Anti-Capitalist Party, Democratic Movement, National Front and Union for Popular Movement.
The head of state is the president... The current president is François Hollande, who won the 2012 presidential election from the Socialist Party.
Currently, the currency of France is Euro.
Tour of Paris - Video
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France is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting countries not only in Europe but throughout the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that about 80 million tourists visit France every year, who are interested in local attractions, beach resorts on the Cote d'Azur, as well as upscale ski resorts... For each of these tourists, France is not only an “eternally cute image”, as the Russian poet Nikolai Gumilyov thought about this country, but also an amazing vacation.
Geography of France
France is located in Western Europe. To the north, the English Channel (English Channel) separates France from Great Britain. In the southwest, France borders with Spain and Andorra, in the southeast with Switzerland and Italy, and in the northeast with Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. In the West, the coast of France is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the south by the Mediterranean Sea.
France also includes 5 overseas territories (the islands of Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Martinique, Reunion, and Guiana in South America), as well as overseas communities (Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia ), and overseas territories with special status (Clipperton, New Caledonia and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories).
The total area of France in Europe is 547,030 sq. km., including the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. If we take into account the French overseas territories, then the area of France is 674 843 sq. Km.
The landscape of France is very diverse, ranging from the coastal plains in the north and west, to the Alps in the southeast, the Central Mountains, and the Pyrenees in the southwest. The most high peak in France - Mont Blanc in the Alps (4,810 m).
Several large (Seine, Loire, Garron and Rhone) and hundreds of small rivers flow through France.
Approximately 27% of France's territory is covered by forests.
Capital
The capital of France is Paris, which is now home to more than 2.3 million people. According to archaeological finds, on the site of modern Paris, a settlement of people (Celts) existed already in the 3rd century BC.
Official language
The official language in France is French, which belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European language family.
Religion
About 65% of the French population are Catholics, adherents of the Roman Catholic Church. However, only about 4.5% of French Catholics go to church every week (or more often).
In addition, about 4% of the French population is Muslim and 3% is Protestant.
State structure of France
According to the 1958 Constitution, France is a parliamentary republic in which the President is the head of state.
The source of legislative power is the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate. The legislative rights of the Senate are limited, and the National Assembly has the final vote.
The main political parties in France are the Socialist Party and the Union for a Popular Movement.
Climate and weather
In general, the climate of France can be divided into three main climatic zones:
- Oceanic climate in the west;
- Mediterranean climate in the south and southeast (Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon and the island of Corsica);
- Continental climate in the central regions of the country and in the east.
In the southeast of France in the Alps, the climate is Alpine. Winters in the mountains of France, including the Central Mountains and the Pyrenees, are cold, often with heavy snowfalls.
Average air temperature in Paris:
- January - + 3C
- February - + 5C
- March - + 9C
- April - + 10C
- May - + 15C
- June - + 18С
- July - + 19С
- August - + 19С
- September - + 17C
- October - + 13С
- November - + 7C
- December - + 5C
Seas and oceans
The coast of France in the south is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, and in the west - by the Atlantic Ocean.
Average temperature of the Mediterranean Sea near Nice (Cote d'Azur):
- January - + 13С
- February - + 12C
- March - + 13С
- April - + 14C
- May - + 17C
- June - + 20C
- July - + 22C
- August - + 22C
- September - + 21C
- October - + 18С
- November - + 15С
- December - + 14C
Rivers and lakes
In the European territory of France, there are 119 rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The largest rivers in France are the Seine, Loire, Garron and Rhone.
Lakes in France are not very large, but very beautiful. The largest of them are Bourget, Egblette and Annecy.
History of France
People on the territory of modern France appeared 10 thousand years ago. Around the 6th century BC. on the Mediterranean coast of France, colonies of Phoenicians and ancient Greeks were formed. Later, the territory of modern France was settled by Celtic tribes. In the era of ancient Rome, France was called Gaul. In the middle of the 1st century BC. most of Gaul was conquered by Gaius Julius Caesar.
In the 5th century A.D. France was invaded by the tribes of the Franks, who in the VIII century formed their empire (this was done by Charlemagne, who took the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire).
In the 10th century, the Vikings began to raid the coast of France, gradually colonizing Normandy. From 987, the kings of France were from the Capetian family, and from 1328 - Valois.
During the Middle Ages, France waged constant wars with its neighbors, gradually expanding its territory. So, in 1337 the so-called. "Hundred Years War" between France and England, as a result of which the British were expelled from the French lands (only the port of Calais remained behind them). During the "Hundred Years War" Jeanne d "Arc" became famous.
In the middle of the 16th century in France, under the influence of the Protestant Reformation, the teachings of John Calvin began to spread, which led to many years civil war... The Edict of Nantes in 1598 gave French Protestants (Huguenots) equal rights with Catholics.
As a result of the Great French Revolution (1789-94), the monarchy was abolished in France and a republic was proclaimed. However, after a while the dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte was established in France. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, France extended its rule over almost all European countries. In 1815, after the defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte's empire was liquidated.
In the 20th century, France took an active part in all two world wars, suffering in them multimillion-dollar human losses. After the Second World War in 1946-1958 in France there was a so-called. "The Fourth Republic", and in 1958, after the adoption of the Constitution, the "Fifth Republic" was established.
Now France is part of the NATO military bloc and is a member of the EU.
The culture
The history of France goes back many hundreds of years, and therefore the French, of course, have a very rich culture, which has had a great influence on the cultures of other peoples.
Thanks to France, the world has received a large number of genius writers, artists, philosophers and scientists:
- Literature (Pierre Beaumarchais, Alexandre Dumas-father, Anatole France, Victor Hugo, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Anne Golon, Jules Verne, and Georges Simenon);
- Art (Jean-Antoine Watteau, Delacroix, Degas, and Jean Paul Cezanne);
- Philosophy (René Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Comte, Henri Bergson, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre).
Every year in France, a wide variety of folk festivals and carnivals are celebrated. The most popular carnival takes place annually in March, welcoming the spring.
French cuisine
The French have always prided themselves on their art of cooking. Nowadays, French cuisine is considered the most varied and exquisite in the whole world.
Each region of France has its own distinct culinary tradition. So, in the north-west of the country in Brittany, pancakes with cider are popular, in Alsace (near the border with Germany) they often make "la choucroute" (stewed cabbage with pieces of sausage), in the Loire Valley they eat a special fish dish Lotte (monk fish) , which is found only in the Loire River. On the coast of France, seafood dishes (mussels, shellfish, oysters, shrimps, squids) are very popular.
In some regions of France, they cook exotic dishes for you and me - snails in garlic and oil, as well as frog legs in sauce.
France is famous for its wines. Winemaking in France dates back to around the 6th century BC. In the Middle Ages, French wines from Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux became known throughout Europe. Nowadays wine is produced in almost every region of France.
Sights of France
A person who has visited France can probably spend hours talking about its sights, because this country has a very rich history. The top ten sights of France, in our opinion, include the following:
Cities and resorts
The largest French cities are Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Lille.
France is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The total coastline of mainland France is 3,427 kilometers. On the southeast coast of France (this is the Mediterranean Sea) is the famous Cote d'Azur (French Riviera), where tourists can relax in popular beach resorts. The most famous of them are Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Hyères, Ile-du-Levant, and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
In winter, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to France to ski in local ski resorts.
Top 10 best French ski resorts:
- Brides-les-Bains
- Argentière
- Les Arcs
- Méribel
- Tignes
- Saint Martin de Belleville
- Paradiski
- Courchevel (Courchevel)
- Alpe d "Huez (Alpe d'Huez)
- Val d "Isère (Val d" Isère)
Souvenirs / shopping
Tourists from France usually bring various souvenirs with the image of the Eiffel Tower. However, we advise you to buy scarves and ties, chocolate, coffee cups, lavender tea (made in Provence), Dijon mustard (there are 50 types of this mustard), French perfume, French wine in France.
Opening hours of institutions
FRANCE, GENERAL INFORMATION.
Official name: France, French Republic (République française fr.),
French Republic
Based: 843 (Treaty of Verdun) since 1958 - Fifth Republic.
Capital: Paris.
Official language: French.
Currency unit: Euro.
Political system: presidential-parliamentary republic.
Head of State: The president.
Head of the government: Prime Minister
Parliament: bicameral (Senate and National Assembly).
Square: 674.8 thousand sq. Km, occupies 48th place in the world.
Population: 65.4 million people.
Population density: 115 people per 1 sq. Km.
Information about France. Description of France.
France simply cannot but attract to itself, because it is the center of fashion, culture, the birthplace of love. Therefore, it is not surprising that 60 million tourists come to France every year. In France it will not be boring at any time of the year and everyone will find something to do. Beautiful beaches are combined here French Riviera and ski resorts in the French Alps. Connoisseurs of culture will be able to visit the unique collections of the museums of the Louvre, Montmartre, Picasso, Rodin and many others. Most cities in France are of great interest in themselves. The nature of the country is no less beautiful than the architecture of cities, numerous vineyards, health resorts ... here you will find everything you could wish for.
A message about France for grades 3, 4 will tell you about the amazing homeland of Napoleon, the Little Prince and the Three Musketeers.
A short message about France
The report on France should start with the fact that it is located in the west of Europe. It also includes the island of Corsica, located in the Mediterranean Sea. France is often referred to as the Hexagon because of its hexagonal shape.
France shares borders with Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg to the northeast, Italy and Monaco to the southeast, and Andorra and Spain to the southwest. The country is washed by the Mediterranean and North Seas, the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel and Pas-de-Calais.
France square- 551 thousand km 2.
Largest rivers France- Seine, Loire, Rhone, Garonne and Rhine.
Capital of France- Paris
Big cities of France- Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice
Population of France- 66.7 million people (2016)
Form of government- presidential-parliamentary republic
The territory of France is mostly hilly, with extensive highlands, lowlands and medium-high mountains. The exception is two high mountain massifs in the southeast in the form of the Alps and in the southwest in the form of the Pyrenees. The highest point of the country is Mont Blanc, its height is 4807 m.
The climate is completely dependent on the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. In the north, the climatic conditions are milder, humid and maritime, while in the south, the climate is warm and Mediterranean. In the mountains, the climate is characterized by low temperatures. More precipitation falls here. Snow cover remains at high altitudes.
The whole world knows that French wines are the best in the world. France is also famous for its fashionable clothes, perfumes and cosmetics. France is rightfully considered the world capital of fashion.
Today, in all countries, people use airplanes, wagons and cars (Citroen, Peugeot and Renault) made in France.
Religion of France
Approximately 4/5 of the country's population is Catholic. About 12% of the population consider themselves to be atheists. 3% of the population is Muslim, 2% is Protestant, and 1% is Judaism.
Sights of France
More than 5 thousand castles have survived in France since ancient times.
Notre Dame, Disneyland, Fontainebleau forest, Sacre Coeur basilica, flea market in Saint Ouen near Paris, Rouen naval armada, Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, Louvre, Pompidou center, Notre Dame Cathedral all tourists want to visit.
Famous French people glorified their country all over the world - Honore de Balzac, Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Emile Zola, Albert Camus, Stendhal, Jacques Yves Cousteau, Pablo Picasso and others.
We hope that the information provided about France has helped you. And you can leave your short story about France through the comments form.
POPULATION - 58.3 million people, mostly French. About 5 million people are foreigners, mainly Africans.
GEOGRAPHY - State in Western Europe. In the northeast it borders with Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, in the east - with Germany, Switzerland, in the southeast - with Monaco and Italy, in the southwest - with Spain and Andorra. France is washed by the North and Mediterranean Seas, the Pas-de-Calais, the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. The total area is 551 thousand square kilometers.
CLIMATE - Summer is quite hot (in July-August from +20 C to +25 C), winter is mild (in January from 0 C to +3 C), it rarely snows. The ideal time for tourism is spring and early autumn.
LANGUAGE - State French. Basque, Catalan, dialects of Italian, German, Flemish and Breton are spoken on the outskirts of the country.
CURRENCY - French franc (FRF) = 100 centimes. Banknotes in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 francs are in circulation. And coins for 10, 5, 2, 1 francs, 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
RELIGION - about 48% Catholics, 15% Protestants, 1.3% Jews and 4.5% Muslims.
POLITICAL STATE - an independent republic with a presidential form of government. The highest legislative power belongs to the bicameral parliament. France includes "overseas departments" - Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana, Reunion, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, N. Caledonia, French Polynesia, etc.
TIME - 2 hours behind Moscow.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS - The cultural center of course is Paris, which houses the main museums of the country - the Louvre, the Pompidou art center, the Grand Palais (Grand Palais), the Picasso Museum, the Rodin Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Bourses, the Temple, the National Museum of the Middle Ages ( Terme Cluny), the Museums of Impressionism and the Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens, the House of Invalids with cathedrals and the tomb of Napoleon, Champ de Mars, the Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens, Bois de Boulogne with a wonderful rose garden, Sorbonne, Madeleine Church, Place de la Concorde, Opera House, Museum of the History of Paris (Carnavale ), The Wine Museum.In addition, in Paris there are such architectural masterpieces as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame-de-Paris Cathedral, Saint-Chapelle Church, Arc de Triomphe, Palais Royal, Elysee Palace, Versailles Monument City, University, Latin Quarter . And also popular among tourists Montmartre, Champs Elysees, Bois de Boulogne, Botanical Garden, a zoo and world famous cabarets: Moulin Rouge, Croesy Horse and Paradis Latin. Near Paris is Eurodisneyland, Europe's largest amusement park. In Cannes, not far from Nice, there are Loire Castles of great historical value. In the city of Biarritz, on the shores of the Bay of Biscay - "Villa Eugene", museums - the sea, miniature cars, chocolate, lighthouse and the rock of the Virgin. In the department of Nimes-Garon, there are many monuments from the Roman era - circuses, viaducts and villas. The whole world is famous for a number of magnificent resorts of the French Riviera (Riviera) - Grasse, Saint-Tropez, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Juan-les-Pins, Golfe-Juan, Saint-Raphael, etc. Cannes (Cannes): Palais des Festivals and Allee Stars, Red Staircase, Liberty Avenue and the 12th century fortress-museum on the Shuke hill, "Star" beach and the Bay of Cannes. Nice: Promenade des Anglais, Nice Opera House, Saint-Reparat Cathedral, Chapel of Mercy, Chateau Hill with a castle, a beautiful park and a waterfall, Museum of Modern Art, Museums of Dufy, Matisse, Marc Chagall, Museum of Art and History, Russian Church, Palais Congresses Acropolis, Palace of Justice. Antibes: Grimaldi Castle, built in the 12th century, Picasso Museum. The French Alps are the most high mountains Western Europe, the world's largest winter sports center. The most popular resorts are Chamonix and Courchevel, Val d'Isere and Tignes in Val Thorens, Les Dez Alpes, La Plyans, Megève, Meribel, etc.
RULES OF ENTRANCE - France is part of the Schengen area. You must have a visa obtained on the basis of an invitation, a passport, insurance for at least $ 30,000. Children traveling with one of the parents must have a copy of the birth certificate, a power of attorney from the other parent to leave the child in Russian and French, certified by a notary. When entering France, a return ticket may be required; under French law, a visa is not a sufficient basis for entering the country. Consular fee is $ 28.
CUSTOMS RULES: The number of imported and exported means of payment is not limited. Cash and securities in the amount of FRF50,000 and more are subject to declaration. Foreign currency converted into francs can only be re-converted into foreign currency up to the equivalent of 5,000 francs.
REFERENCE TELEPHONE throughout France - 12. Firefighters - 18. Police - 17. Ambulance - 15.
