At a Glance

Official Name: French Republic

Continent: Europe

Area: 210,668 square miles (545,630 sq km)

Population: 59,551,227

Capital City: Paris

Largest City: Paris (2,152,423)

Unit of Money: French franc

Major Languages: French (official)

Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, timber, fish

The Place

France is in western Europe and is the third-largest country on the continent. France can be divided into ten main regions. The Brittany-Normandy Hills are in the northwest. These rolling plains have some fertile soil along the coast and support orchards. To the east, the fertile Northern France Plains have some hills and plateaus. The wooded Northeastern Plateaus are home to half of the Ardennes Mountains. Some crops grow on the slopes. The Rhine Valley, near the northeast border, has very fertile soil and many farms.

The Aquitanian Lowlands lie along the southwestern coast and extend into interior France. There are beaches on the coast, turning to forests and plains inland. The Central Highlands are in the middle of the country and have very poor soil. The Loire, France's longest river, begins here. To the southeast, the French Alps and the Jura Mountains are home to Mont Blanc, the country's highest point at 15,771 feet (4,807 m).

The southern part of France includes the Mediterranean Lowlands. There are many farms near the fertile Rhone Valley of the region. In the southwest, the Pyrenees Mountain have peaks more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) tall. Corsica, located about 100 miles (160 km) off the mainland, also belongs to France. It has steep hills and a rocky coastline, but crops grow in the valleys.

The People

About 75% of the French population lives in urban areas. Many city dwellers live in fancy old apartments. As a result of strict regulations on traffic, noise, and construction, city living is mostly enjoyable but also expensive. Most large cities are free of crime and slums, but these common urban problems do exist on city outskirts and in suburbs.

Many rural residents are farmers who live in single-family houses on their own land or in villages. While farmers earn their main income from agriculture, many times other family members must work in another profession to supplement income. Workers generally earn about 20,000 a year.

About 8% of the French population, or about 5 million people, are immigrants. Some of the largest groups include Algerians, Italians, Moroccans, and Portuguese. France also has the second-highest Jewish population in Europe. Some immigrants have a hard time finding work and live in the poorer neighborhoods.

The national health care system in France pays for most of the population's coverage. The average life expectancy is 79 years of age.

Education

French children between the ages of 2 and 6 may attend a free preschool to prepare for elementary school. The majority of children attend public schools, but Roman Catholic Churches also run private schools. From ages 6 to 11, children are required to attend elementary school. After elementary school, they go on to a college—a four-year school similar to junior high. By age 15, most students enter a lycée, which is either a high school or vocational school. Vocational schools prepare students to enter the workforce. High schools prepare children for the university. France has about 75 universities.

Popular Culture/Daily Life

The French love sports. The most popular sport is soccer. Many local regions have their own teams. Other favorite sports include skiing, swimming, ice skating, tennis, and rugby (a type of football). The Tour de France, a grueling bicycle race, is the country's largest and most famous sporting event.

Planning and taking vacations is a large part of French culture—each worker is entitled to five weeks paid vacation every year. There are hundreds of resorts in the country, and many people also have vacation homes.