France - a country located in Western Europe.In the southern part of it is their neighbors with Andorra and Spain, in the south-east - with Luxembourg and Belgium, in the east - with Italy and Switzerland, and in the eastern and north-east - with Germany.The southern border of the country washed by the Mediterranean Sea, the Western - the Bay of Biscay, north-west - Straits of Pas-de-Calais and the English Channel.
General information about France
under the jurisdiction of the country is about.Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, the departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion and French Guiana, as well as New Caledonia, Miquelon, Saint-Pierre, French Polynesia and some Pacific archipelagos.
What is the area of France?It is 551 thousand square kilometers.The western and northern lands of the country - a vast plain with low hills round.The center and the east - the location of medium-high mountains, among which is the Massif Central and the Jura and the Vosges.Natural border with Spain to the south-west form the Pyrenees.The highest point of the mountain range is specified Pie de vignemale (3298 m).Famous French Alps are on the south-east of the country.
main rivers are called the Seine, Laura Garonne.Information about France involves a curious fact: the little lakes in the country, and the largest of them (Geneva) is for the most part in Switzerland.
main natural resources include coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, timber and fish.32% of the country is arable land, 27% - bushes and forests, 23% - pastures and meadows.
population
presented further information about France will help to learn more about the inhabitants of this beautiful country.So, in the state is home to over sixty-four million people.The population density is about 104 people per square kilometer.The vast majority of the inhabitants - the French (95%), other ethnic groups are Bretons, Catalans, Basques, Germans, Portuguese, Italians, Algerians, Moroccans and Turks.
official language recognized by the French.Some say in Basque, Alsatian, Breton, Catalan, Provençal, Corsican.Ninety percent of the population adhere to the Catholic faith, some are Jews, Protestants, Muslims.With regard to life expectancy, for men it is 74 years and for women - 82.
able-bodied citizens are mostly employed in the service sector (61.5%), industry (31.3%) and agriculture (7.3%).
Climatic features
In most parts of the country the climate is under the incessant influence of Atlantic air masses, so it is mostly wet, warm, moderate and maritime.
most humid climate in Brittany.Days there are often cloudy, strong winds, between winter and summer temperatures, the difference is small.However, such is not quite favorable climatic conditions characterized by no means the whole of France.Summary, for example, the capital of the state, encouraging travelers.So, winter in Paris are soft, the thermometer rarely reaches below zero.Much more severe mountain climate of the Alps, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees - there is a lot of rain, cold, wind and snow is almost never comes down.
most mild winter - in the eastern area of the coast, on the Riviera.The average July temperature in Nice - 23 degrees Celsius, the January - eight below zero.
Meteorological information about France is supplemented by another fact: the average annual rainfall is between six hundred to one thousand millimeters, and they are distributed throughout the country equally.The only exception is the Mediterranean coast, caressed by the warm sun more often than other areas.
information about the plant world
Unfortunately, at present only 25% of the country is covered by forests, although in the past this figure was 90%.The largest tracts are preserved in the Northern Alps, the Jura and the Vosges.Forests in France are mostly formed by deciduous trees.Most oaks and beeches.Among the representatives of softwood pine prevails.In the northern part of the country are typical beech and oak forests with an admixture of alder, hornbeam, birch.In the northwest is dominated by moisture-loving beech.A characteristic feature of the central zone of the Paris Basin - fields and meadows, occupying the open plains.South-western slopes of the Massif Central and Corsica can boast of beautiful chestnut woods.
typical representative of the wild flora of the Mediterranean - maquis, which is a thick low impassable thickets, which consist of stunted holm oak, myrtle, oleander, juniper, grasses and perennial xerophytic evergreen shrubs hard.
Features wildlife
In the past century, the country was not only less than the forests.The fauna too impoverished France.This is due to reckless hunting by human activity and the deterioration of living conditions.Nevertheless, the French wildlife is much richer than in other European countries.
West Iberian park is home to about forty brown bears and park Vanoise (Savoy) is the only refuge ibex.In the country live foxes, badgers, otters, genets, squirrels, bats, rats and mice, rabbits.In Corsica you can see mouflon - the likely ancestors of domestic sheep.The country is home to many species of birds, among the most common - skylarks, grouse, swallows, partridges, in nature reserves in the south of live flamingos.These are the features of the nature of France.
device state, modern party
French Republic - the official name of France.Country information lets you know what type of government - presidential republic.The structure included twenty-two countries in the area.They, in turn, divided into ninety-six departments.Paris is the capital of the state.
In the fifth century formed the Frankish kingdom.In 1792 it was proclaimed the first republic.The last constitution adopted in 1958, Fourteenth July 1792 was the Bastille.Since this date was festive.
French President is empowered to appoint the prime minister - the head of the Council of Ministers.
Implementation of legislative power is vested in the bicameral parliament.The lower house of the National Assembly is presented, and the top - the Senate.Among the major political parties are the following: the Republican, French Socialist, Communist, Rally for the Republic, the National Front and the Union of French Democracy.
about the economy and transport communications
one of the richest countries in the world - France.Information about the country includes the following information: major industries, forming a quarter of the annual GDP - is the automotive, chemical, textile, mining, food, electronic and metallurgy, aircraft and machinery.Due to the large areas of fertile land, the application of modern technologies and material support from the State Government is a leading manufacturer of agricultural production in all of Western Europe.
Currently, the service sector is beginning to play an increasing role in the economy.In addition, the rise of economic integration under the action of the EU.Who has built trade relations France?Industry and agriculture, as mentioned above, play an important role in ensuring the welfare of the country.The products of these industries are now interested in Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Japan and the United States.
third of all the country's railways electrified.Their total length is 34,568 kilometers.More than half of all roads are paved with asphalt.A total of 1,551,400 kilometers.The length of waterways is fifteen thousand kilometers.The main ports of France - Dunkirk, Le Havre, Rouen, Bordeaux and Nantes-Saint-Nazaire.
bit of history in the middle of the first century BC Gaul (this is called the territory of modern France) was conquered by the Roman armies.In the fifth century AD, the area became home to the Franks.Since then, they gradually assimilated with the local community.Frankish kingdom reached its peak of power during the reign of Charles the Great - a representative of the Carolingian dynasty.He successfully spread Christianity in Western Europe.After his death, the great empire fell apart.
in 987 dynasty came to power the Capetian.They managed to restore the weakened position of the king as head of state.The influence of France has increased substantially in the thirteenth century, during the reign of Philip II and Louis IX.Last successfully played the role of an arbitrator in the event of war between European countries.
After the last heir of Philip the Fair went into another world, the authorities appeared Valois.This period in the history of the country can not be called light.France has been weakened not only the Hundred Years' War, but the plague and famine.However, it was then that national self-determination of citizens greatly strengthened, thanks to Joan of Arc.
Another flowering of the country occurred in the sixteenth century, when the government was Louis XIV.After two centuries, due to the crisis of absolutism, the monarch's power was limited in France.The country declared a republic in 1792.
first president of France - Napoleon III - held the reins of power from 1852 till 1870 th year.The country is currently headed by Francois Hollande.
AutoIndustry
vehicles produced in France, is widely known and popular outside the country because of the absolute reliability and meets all current safety requirements.Most major manufacturers - Renault and Peugeot Citroen.They supply their products in the country, not only in Europe but also Asia and the United States.Due to the fact that the major producers in the country just two, it can be concluded monopolization of the industry.French cars - is 90% of the development of the two aforementioned companies.The enterprises Renault and Peugeot Citroen employs a total of two and a half million people.
Although unconditional popularity enjoyed by French cars at home and abroad, the local producers have some problems.And the highlight of which specialists are paying the most attention, is to reduce the cost of production.As analysts estimated, the average difference in the cost Eastern European and French car varies between one and a half thousand euros.Often it is a more attractive price is the deciding factor when buying a vehicle.The high cost of French cars can be explained not only the perfect quality components and raw materials, but also a solid salary employees, and imposing taxes.
Automotive in the country is currently in crisis.This stems from the decline in consumer demand, difficulties in lending and other economic problems.In order to maintain the leading concerns of the government together with the European Union has developed a financing program to help survive the crisis with minimal losses.
Attractions
Business Card France - is, of course, the Eiffel Tower.It was built in 1889 as a decoration of the entrance to the World's Fair.It is planned to make out twenty years, but, as we all know, she catches the eye of travelers and locals to this day.And all thanks to the advent of radio: tip of the Eiffel Tower as well as possible better suited for the installation of high-power antennas.
With this legendary structure is connected biggest scam of the last century, organized in 1925.Daredevil Victor Lyustrig gathered conclave of the richest businessmen in the country.He told that the government plans to sell the tower for scrap.The entire structure was able to buy back Andre Poisson.He gave the swindler fabulous sum in cash.Even after the fraud was uncovered, Poisson did not go to the police because they do not want to become the object of universal ridicule.It is noteworthy that Lyustrig then sold the tower to another hunter scrap.
Want to be in the atmosphere of a stunning luxury?Go to Versailles.This palace is located in the twenty-two kilometers away from the capital.It was originally planned to build an unremarkable hunting lodge for Louis XII.Construction began in 1634.Over the next five decades, Versailles has expanded so that it became the largest palace in Europe.He played the role of a royal residence until the French Revolution.Currently, the palace is a historical monument protected by UNESCO.Every year it is visited by many tourists.
Paris, of course, is the cultural center of the country.Its unique architectural guise formed for centuries.Despite the mix of different styles, the city managed to keep the artistic unity.World-famous architectural monuments - this Notre Dame and the Pantheon, and the Champ de Mars and Arc de Triomphe.Millions of tourists every year come to the country to take a stroll in the Bois de botanical garden and forest, get the adrenaline pumping in Eurodisneyland and enjoy Montmartre.
