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France, officially
the French Republic
(French: R?ublique
fran?ise, IPA: , is
a country whose
metropolitan
territory is located
in Western Europe
and that also
comprises various
overseas islands and
territories located
in other continents.
Metropolitan
France extends
from the
Mediterranean Sea to
the English Channel
and the North Sea,
and from the Rhine
to the Atlantic
Ocean. French people
often refer to
Metropolitan France
as L'Hexagone (The
"Hexagon") because
of the geometric
shape of its
territory.
France is bordered
by Belgium,
Luxembourg, Germany,
Switzerland, Italy,
Monaco, Andorra, and
Spain. Due to its
overseas
departments, France
also shares land
borders with Brazil
and Suriname
(bordering French
Guiana), and the
Netherlands Antilles
(bordering
Saint-Martin).
France is also
linked to the United
Kingdom by the
Channel Tunnel,
which passes
underneath the
English Channel.
The French Republic
is a democracy that
is organised as a
unitary
semi-presidential
republic. It is a
developed country
with the
sixth-largest
economy in the
world. Its main
ideals are expressed
in the Declaration
of the Rights of Man
and of the Citizen.
France is one of
the founding members
of the European
Union, and has the
largest land area of
all members. France
is also a founding
member of the United
Nations, and a
member of the
Francophonie, the
G8, and the Latin
Union. It is one of
the five permanent
members of the
United Nations
Security Council
wielding veto power,
and it is also an
acknowledged nuclear
power. It is
considered as one of
the post World War
II great powers.
France is the most
popular
international
tourist destination
in the world,
receiving over 75
million foreign
tourists annually.
The name
France
originates from the
Franks, a Germanic
tribe that occupied
northern Europe
after the fall of
the Western Roman
Empire. More
precisely, the
region around Paris,
called
?e-de-France, was
the original French
royal demesne.
Reach family,
friends and work
colleges and make
your cheap phone
calls today to
France.
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