DETAILS OF FRANCE
OFFICIAL NAME: French Republic
FRENCH CAPITAL: Paris
NATIONAL FLAG: Tricolour
NATIONAL ANTHEM: La Marseillaise
GOVERNMENT: Multiparty Republic
AREA: 549,183 Sq Km (212,041 Sq Mi)
POPULATION (est. 2000): 59,047,000
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY:
France is located in West Europe and the territory includes the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea as well as various other overseas departments and territories. It is bound by Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the north and northeast, Switzerland, Italy and Monaco to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the southeast, Spain and Andorra to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. France is distinguished topographically by the four Hercynian Massifs.
1) The Ardennes in the western tip.
2) The Vosges to the south.
3) The Armorican which protects the Paris Basin to the west
4) Te Central Massif which separates the north and south of France.
All of these massifs are composed of granite, sandstone or shale. Between the massifs lie undulating floors of lowland corridors which include the Paris Basin, the Poiteau Gate, the Basin of Aquitaine, the Garonne Basin and the coastal plain. Beyond these lowland corridors rise the walls of the Jura Mountains, the Alps and the Pyrenees which form the frontiers of France.
The drainage system of France is based on its five major rivers
The Loire
The Garonne
The Rhone
The Rhine
The Seine.
Major Cities (pop. est.)
Paris (metropolitan area) 9,060,000,
Marseille 1,231,100, Lyon 1.262,200,
Toulouse 608,400, Nice 475,500,
Strasbourg 338,500,
Nantes 492,300 (1990).
Land Use (1993)
forested 27%
pastures 20%
agricultural-cultivated 35%
other 18%
Click the links below for more details on France , it's history and regions.
French cuisine is regionally diverse and culturally rich. Each region has a rich palette of tastes and flavours to surprise and delight the gastronome. To celebrate each region we hold regional cuisine nights for the discerning foodie. Below are a few facts about France the Republic, and links to other pages on the site which may be of interest. 
