Its capital, largest city and main cultural and economic centre is paris It is also a founding member of the united nations, and a member of the francophonie, the g8, nato, and the latin union. France, a country of northwestern europe, is historically and culturally among the most important countries in the western world
It has also played a highly significant role in international affairs for centuries. France was one of the first members of the european union, and has the largest land area of all members This holiday season, franceās castles and chĆ¢teaux sparkle like never before glittering lights, dazzling decorations, festive shows, towering christmas trees, and charming markets await
Today france is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among european nations Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy, resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. Visit the definitions and notes page to view a description of each topic. France in depth country profile
Unique hard to find content on france Includes customs, culture, history, geography, economy current events, photos, video, and more. The climate in mainland france is temperate, with quite significant regional differences Temperatures are relatively mild and rainfall occurs throughout the year
The ministry for europe and foreign affairs represents, defends and promotes the interests of france and french nationals worldwide. The practical travel and tourist information pages on paris, french regions, driving in france, and a whole lot more, are just part of a much wider exploration of modern france.