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France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. It also includes overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, giving it one of the largest discontiguous exclusive economic zones in the world. Metropolitan France shares borders with Belgium and Luxembourg to the north, Germany to the north east, Switzerland to the east, Italy and Monaco to the south east, Andorra and Spain to the south, and a maritime border with the United Kingdom to the north west. Its metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea. Its overseas territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean. Its eighteen integral regions (five of which are overseas) span a combined area of 643,801 km2 (248,573 sq mi) and have a total population of 68.4 million . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre; other major urban areas include Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Nantes, and Nice.
Metropolitan France was settled during the Iron Age by Celtic tribes known as Gauls before Rome annexed the area in 51 BC, leading to a distinct Gallo-Roman culture. In the Early Middle Ages, the Germanic Franks formed the Kingdom of Francia, which became the heartland of the Carolingian Empire. The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned the empire, with West Francia evolving into the Kingdom of France. In the High Middle Ages, France was a powerful but decentralized feudal kingdom, but from the mid-14th to the mid-15th centuries, France was plunged into a dynastic conflict with England known as the Hundred Years' War. In the 16th century, the French Renaissance saw culture flourish and a French colonial empire rise. Internally, France was dominated by the conflict with the House of Habsburg and the French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots. France was successful in the Thirty Years' War and further increased its influence during the reign of Louis XIV.
The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew the Ancien Régime and produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which expresses the nation's ideals to this day. France reached its political and military zenith in the early 19th century under Napoleon Bonaparte, subjugating part of continental Europe and establishing the First French Empire. The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars significantly shaped the course of European history. The collapse of the empire initiated a period of relative decline, in which France endured the Bourbon Restoration until the founding of the French Second Republic which was succeeded by the Second French Empire upon Napoleon III's takeover. His empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. This led to the establishment of the Third French Republic, and subsequent decades saw a period of economic prosperity and cultural and scientific flourishing known as the Belle Époque. France was one of the major participants of World War I, from which it emerged victorious at great human and economic cost. It was among the Allied powers of World War II, but it surrendered and was occupied by the Axis in 1940. Following its liberation in 1944, the short-lived Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the defeat in the Algerian War. The current Fifth Republic was formed in 1958 by Charles de Gaulle. Algeria and most French colonies became independent in the 1960s, with the majority retaining close economic and military ties with France.
France retains its centuries-long status as a global centre of art, science, and philosophy. It hosts the third-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the world's leading tourist destination, receiving over 89 million foreign visitors in 2018. France is a developed country with a high nominal per capita income globally, and its advanced economy ranks among the largest in the world. It is a great power in global affairs, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and an official nuclear-weapon state. France is a founding and leading member of the European Union and the eurozone, as well as a key member of the Group of Seven, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and Francophonie. (Full article...)
The Second Crusade (1147–1150) was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144 to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade (1096–1099) by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem in 1098. While it was the first Crusader state to be founded, it was also the first to fall.
The Second Crusade was announced by Pope Eugene III, and was the first of the crusades to be led by European kings, namely Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, with help from a number of other European nobles. The armies of the two kings marched separately across Europe. After crossing Byzantine territory into Anatolia, both armies were separately defeated by the Seljuk Turks. The main Western Christian source, Odo of Deuil, and Syriac Christian sources claim that the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos secretly hindered the crusaders' progress, particularly in Anatolia, where he is alleged to have deliberately ordered Turks to attack them. However, this alleged sabotage of the Crusade by the Byzantines was likely fabricated by Odo, who saw the Empire as an obstacle, and moreover Emperor Manuel had no political reason to do so.
Louis and Conrad and the remnants of their armies reached Jerusalem and participated in 1148 in an ill-advised attack on Damascus, which ended in their retreat. In the end, the crusade in the east was a failure for the crusaders and a victory for the Muslims. It would ultimately have a key influence on the fall of Jerusalem and give rise to the Third Crusade at the end of the 12th century. (Full article...)Due to his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society, Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature. He is renowned for his multifaceted characters, who are complex, morally ambiguous and fully human. His writing influenced many subsequent novelists such as Marcel Proust, Émile Zola, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Gustave Flaubert, Benito Pérez Galdós, Marie Corelli, Henry James, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, and Italo Calvino, and philosophers such as Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx. Many of Balzac's works have been made into or have inspired films, and they are a continuing source of inspiration for writers, filmmakers and critics.
An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac had trouble adapting to the teaching style of his grammar school. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. When he finished school, Balzac was an apprentice in a law office, but he turned his back on the study of law after wearying of its inhumanity and banal routine. Before and during his career as a writer, he attempted to be a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; he failed in all of these efforts. La Comédie humaine reflects his real-life difficulties, and includes scenes from his own experience.
Selected fare or cuisine –
The National Rugby Union teams of France and New Zealand (the All Blacks) have been playing each other for over a century. The first encounter, during the historic 1905–1906 All Blacks tour of Europe and North America, which was also France's first Test, took place in Paris in January 1906 and was won by New Zealand 38–8. It was not until their third meeting, in 1954, that France secured their first win over New Zealand 3-0.
France first toured New Zealand in 1961 before any of the Home Nations and the All Blacks won all three Tests. The All Blacks first full tour of France was in 1977,[i] when they won one of the two tests. France first defeated the All Blacks in New Zealand on Bastille Day 1979. France achieved a first series win in New Zealand in 1994, when they won both Tests. Since 2000, the two teams have contested the Dave Gallaher Trophy. (Full article...)Featured pictures
In the news
- 30 June 2024 – 2024 French legislative election
- Thousands of left-wing protesters gather in cities across France to protest the National Rally's lead in election polls, while showing support for the New Popular Front left-wing alliance. (France 24) (Le Figaro)
- French citizens vote in the first round of legislative elections for the 17th National Assembly of the Fifth French Republic. (AP)
- 30 June 2024 – 2024 FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League
- France win their second Volleyball Nations League title after defeating Japan in four sets in the final at Atlas Arena in Łódź, Poland. (One Sports)
- 29 June 2024 – 2024 French protests against the far-right
- Several hundred people march in Paris, France, to honour Nahel Merzouk and protest against police brutality and far-right parties. (Al Jazeera)
Did you know –
- ...that Pierre-François Palloy (pictured) began the demolition of the Bastille on the same day that it was attacked?
- ...that the Printemps department store on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris is home to a Jugendstil stained glass cupola?
- ...that Farewell, My Queen, a 2012 film adapted from the Chantal Thomas novel, opened the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival?
Topics
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Main Category - France, List of basic France topics
- Historic Periods - Prehistoric France - Celtic Gaul - Roman Gaul - Frankish Empire - Medieval France - Early Modern France - Nineteenth century France - Twentieth century France
- Major Events - Hundred Years' War - French Renaissance - Wars of Religion - French Revolution - Franco-Prussian War - Dreyfus Affair - World War I - World War II - Vichy France - Algerian War - Military history
- Dynasties and Regimes - Merovingians - Carolingians - Capetian Dynasty - Valois Dynasty - Bourbon Dynasty - Ancien Régime in France - First Empire - Second Empire - Third Republic - Fourth Republic - Fifth Republic
- Monarchs of France - List of French monarchs - Charlemagne - Louis I the Pious - Charles II the Bald - Louis II the Stammerer - Louis III - Carloman - Charles III the Fat - Eudes (Odo) - Charles III the Simple - Robert I - Raoul (Rudolph) of Burgundy - Louis IV d'outremer - Lothair - Louis V the Indolent - Hugh Capet - Robert II the Pious - Henri I - Philippe I - Louis VI the Fat - Louis VII the Young - Philippe II Augustus - Louis VIII the Lion - Louis IX Saint Louis - Philippe III the Bold - Philippe IV the Fair - Louis X the Quarreller - Jean I the Posthumous - Philippe V the Tall - Charles IV the Fair - Philip VI of Valois - Jean II the Good - Charles V - Charles VI - Charles VII - Louis XI - Charles VIII - Louis XII - François I - Henri II - François II - Charles IX - Henri III - Henri IV - Louis XIII - Louis XIV - Louis XV - Louis XVI - Napoleon I - Napoleon II - Louis XVIII - Charles X - Louis-Philippe - Napoleon III
- Other Major Historical Figures - Catherine de Medicis - Cardinal Richelieu - Mazarin - Jean-Baptiste Colbert - Jacques Necker - Jean Jaurès
- Heads of State of France since 1871 - President of the French Republic
- Third Republic: Adolphe Thiers • Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta • Jules Grévy • Marie François Sadi Carnot • Jean Casimir-Perier • Félix Faure • Émile Loubet • Armand Fallières • Raymond Poincaré • Paul Deschanel • Alexandre Millerand • Gaston Doumergue • Paul Doumer • Albert Lebrun
- Vichy France: Philippe Pétain
- Free France: Charles de Gaulle
- Provisional Government: Charles de Gaulle • Félix Gouin • Georges Bidault • Léon Blum
- Fourth Republic: Vincent Auriol • René Coty
- Fifth Republic: Charles de Gaulle • Georges Pompidou • Valéry Giscard d'Estaing • François Mitterrand • Jacques Chirac • Nicolas Sarkozy • François Hollande • Emmanuel Macron
- Heads of Government of France since 1871 - Prime Minister of France
- Third Republic: Dufaure • de Broglie • de Cissey • Buffet • Dufaure • Simon • de Broglie • de Rochebouët • Dufaure • Waddington • de Freycinet • Ferry • Gambetta • de Freycinet • Duclerc • Fallières • Ferry • Brisson • de Freycinet • Goblet • Rouvier • Tirard • Floquet • Tirard • de Freycinet • Loubet • Ribot • Dupuy • Casimir-Perier • Dupuy • Ribot • Bourgeois • Méline • Brisson • Dupuy • Waldeck-Rousseau • Combes • Rouvier • Sarrien • Clemenceau • Briand • Monis • Caillaux • Poincaré • Briand • Barthou • Doumergue • Ribot • Viviani • Briand • Ribot • Painlevé • Clemenceau • Millerand • Leygues • Briand • Poincaré • François-Marsal • Herriot • Painlevé • Briand • Herriot • Poincaré • Briand • Tardieu • Chautemps • Tardieu • Steeg • Laval • Tardieu • Herriot • Paul-Boncour • Daladier • Sarraut • Chautemps • Daladier • Doumergue • Flandin • Bouisson • Laval • Sarraut • Blum • Chautemps • Blum • Daladier • Reynaud • Pétain
- Vichy France: Pétain • Laval
- Provisional Government: de Gaulle • Gouin • Bidault • Blum
- Fourth Republic: Ramadier • Schuman • Marie • Schuman • Queuille • Bidault • Queuille • Pleven • Queuille • Pleven • Faure • Pinay • Mayer • Laniel • Mendès-France • Faure • Mollet • Bourgès-Maunoury • Gaillard • Pflimlin • de Gaulle
- Fifth Republic: Debré • Pompidou • Couve de Murville • Chaban-Delmas • Messmer • Chirac • Barre • Mauroy • Fabius • Chirac • Rocard • Cresson • Bérégovoy • Balladur • Juppé • Jospin • Raffarin • de Villepin • Fillon • Ayrault • Valls • Cazeneuve • Philippe • Castex
- Third Republic: Dufaure • de Broglie • de Cissey • Buffet • Dufaure • Simon • de Broglie • de Rochebouët • Dufaure • Waddington • de Freycinet • Ferry • Gambetta • de Freycinet • Duclerc • Fallières • Ferry • Brisson • de Freycinet • Goblet • Rouvier • Tirard • Floquet • Tirard • de Freycinet • Loubet • Ribot • Dupuy • Casimir-Perier • Dupuy • Ribot • Bourgeois • Méline • Brisson • Dupuy • Waldeck-Rousseau • Combes • Rouvier • Sarrien • Clemenceau • Briand • Monis • Caillaux • Poincaré • Briand • Barthou • Doumergue • Ribot • Viviani • Briand • Ribot • Painlevé • Clemenceau • Millerand • Leygues • Briand • Poincaré • François-Marsal • Herriot • Painlevé • Briand • Herriot • Poincaré • Briand • Tardieu • Chautemps • Tardieu • Steeg • Laval • Tardieu • Herriot • Paul-Boncour • Daladier • Sarraut • Chautemps • Daladier • Doumergue • Flandin • Bouisson • Laval • Sarraut • Blum • Chautemps • Blum • Daladier • Reynaud • Pétain
- Historic periods: French Renaissance - French Baroque and Classicism - French Rococo and Neoclassicism - French art of the 19th century - French art of the 20th century
- Artistic Schools: Impressionism - Cubism - Surrealism
- Art museums and galleries: Louvre - Palace of Versailles - Musée d'Orsay - Centre Georges Pompidou - Musée Picasso - Musée Rodin
- Historic periods: Medieval French literature - French Renaissance literature - French literature of the 17th century - French literature of the 18th century - French literature of the 19th century - French literature of the 20th century
- Football (Soccer): French football clubs - French footballers - Football in France
- Rugby (union): Clubs in France - French rugbymen - Rugby union in France
- Tennis: French Open
- Cycling: Tour de France
- Motorsport: 24 Hours of Le Mans - French Grand Prix
- Ski resorts: Chamonix - Tignes - Val Thorens - Les Trois Vallées - La Plagne - Les Arcs - Courchevel - Méribel - Val d'Isère - Les Deux Alpes - Megève
History of France - History of France
Culture and People - Culture of France - Culture of France - Museums in France - French people - Health in France - Education in France - Education in France - Religion in France - Languages of France - Languages of France - French language - French cuisine - French cuisine - French wine - Archaeology of France - Basque culture - Culture of Brittany
Politics and Government - Government of France - Government of France - French National Assembly - French Senate - Law of France - French politics - Politics of France - Military of France - Foreign relations of France - Flags of France
Economy, Industry and Media - Economy of France - Economy of France - Economic history of France - French businesspeople - Companies of France - French trade unions - Communications in France - Mass media in France - French space program - French airlines
Visual and Plastic Arts - French art - French artists - French architecture - French art
Literature - French literature - French writers - French literature - French poetry
Music - French music - French composers - French musicians - Music of France - French folk music - French rock - French hip hop and rap
Cinema - Cinema of France - Cinema of France - French actors - French film directors - French film producers - César Award winners - Cannes Film Festival
Theater - French theatre - French dramatists and playwrights - Theatres in France - Avignon Festival - Comédie française
Sports- Sport in France - French sportspeople - France at the Olympics -
Geographic topics
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Main Category - France
- Coastlines: Atlantic Ocean - Bay of Biscay ("Golfe de Gascogne") – Mediterranean Sea (Golfe du Lion) - Côte d'Azur ("French Riviera") – English Channel
- Islands: Belle Île – Corsica – Île d'Oléron – Ouessant – Île de Ré – Île d'Yeu - Réunion - Martinique - Guadeloupe - Saint Barthélemy - Saint Martin - Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Rivers and streams:
- Major rivers: Loire – Rhine – Rhône – Seine – Garonne - Gironde estuary - Dordogne – Meuse – Escaut – Saône – Marne – Moselle
- Other rivers: Adour – Charente - Aulne – Blavet – Erdre – Hérault – Odet – Orb – Orne – Rance – Sèvre Nantaise – Sèvre Niortaise – Var - Aisne – Allier – Ariège – Aube – Cher – Doubs – Durance – Indre – Ill – Isère – Lot – Maine – Mayenne – Meurthe – Oise - Somme - Tarn – Verdon – Vienne – Vire – Yonne
- Canals: Canal du Midi – Canal de Nantes à Brest – Canal Saint-Martin – Briare Canal – Canal of Burgundy – Grand Canal d'Alsace – Sambre–Oise Canal
- Lakes: Lake Annecy – Lac du Bourget – Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) – Étang de Thau – Étang de Berre
- Mountains:
- Major Mountain ranges: Alps – French Prealps – Pyrénées – Massif Central – Jura – Vosges
- Other Mountain ranges: Aravis Range – Bauges – Belledonne – Chartreuse Mountains – Massif des Écrins – Vercors
- Mountain peaks: Mont Blanc – Aiguille du Midi – Barre des Écrins – Ballon d'Alsace – Crêt de la Neige – Grandes Jorasses – Meije – Mont Aigoual – Mont Ventoux – Pic du Midi - Mont Pelvoux – Puy de Dôme – Puy de Sancy
- Forests: Forest of Fontainebleau – Forest of Compiègne – Paimpont forest – Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
- National parks and natural regions: Cévennes National Park – Écrins National Park – Mercantour National Park – Port-Cros National Park – Pyrénées National Park – Vanoise National Park – Boulonnais – Bresse – Beaujolais – Camargue – Pays de Bray – Sundgau – Vexin
- Major cities: Paris (Paris) – Marseille – Lyon – Lille – Toulouse – Nice – Nantes – Strasbourg – Montpellier – Bordeaux – Rennes – Douai – Le Havre – Reims – Lens – Saint-Étienne – Toulon – Grenoble – Angers – Brest – Le Mans – Dijon – Clermont-Ferrand – Aix-en-Provence – Amiens – Nîmes – Tours – Limoges – Metz – Besançon – Caen – Orléans - Mulhouse – Perpignan - Boulogne-Billancourt – Rouen – Dunkirk – Nancy – Villeneuve-d'Ascq – Saint-Denis, Réunion
- Other: Gardens in France - Cemeteries in France - Transport in France - Tourism in France - Nature conservation in France
- Ski resorts: Chamonix - Tignes - Val Thorens - Les Trois Vallées - La Plagne - Les Arcs - Courchevel - Méribel - Val-d'Isère - Les Deux Alpes - Megève
Geography - Geography of France - Geography of France - Regions of France - Provinces of France - Subdivisions of France - Subdivisions of France - Overseas France
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