[45] The Wars of Religion were ended by Henry IV's Edict of Nantes, which granted some freedom of religion to the Huguenots. One of the French intelligence units, the Directorate-General for External Security (Direction Gnrale de la Scurit Extrieure) reports to the Ministry of Defence. [263][264] At the beginning of 20th century, Cubism was developed by Georges Braque and Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, living in Paris. [175][176] In June 2009, the unemployment rate for France was 9.4%. A common and traditional symbol of the French people is the Gallic rooster. [27] Many cities were founded during the Gallo-Roman period, including Lugdunum (present-day Lyon), which is considered to be the capital of the Gauls. During Louis XIV's minority and the regency of Queen Anne and Cardinal Mazarin, a period of trouble known as the Fronde occurred in France, which was at that time at war with Spain. However, Philip's seat on the throne was contested by Edward III of England and in 1337, on the eve of the first wave of the Black Death,[41] England and France went to war in what would become known as the Hundred Years' War. With endless creative solutions, services and premium fabric performance, ISKO gives consumers the freedom to enjoy all kinds of styles through their favorite denim brands.<br><br>ISKO, part of SANKO Group, is the world's leading, future thinking, denim fabric producer. While Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe, the French Republic also has a number of territories in North America, the Caribbean, South America, the southern Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica. [39] Later Kings expanded their territory to cover over half of modern continental France, including most of the North, Centre and West of France. ), Alain Tranoy, lisabeth Carpentier et Jean-Marie Mayeur (prface de Jacques Le Goff), Histoire de France, Points Seuil, coll. The French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential republic with strong democratic traditions. France uses a civil legal system;[59] that is, law arises primarily from written statutes; judges are not to make law, but merely to interpret it (though the amount of judicial interpretation in certain areas makes it equivalent to case law). [117] France vigorously opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq,[118][119] straining bilateral relations with the US[120][121] and the UK. During the reign of Philip of Valois, the French monarchy reached the height of its medieval power.[40]. Charles IV (The Fair) died without an heir in 1328. There are 475 airports in France. The regions, departments and communes are all known as territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as an executive. There are approximately 1,027,183 kilometres (638,262 mi) of serviceable roadway in France, ranking it the most extensive network of the European continent. Proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III and thus establishing in earnest the French government's longtime historical association with the Roman Catholic Church,[34] Charlemagne tried to revive the Western Roman Empire and its cultural grandeur, from his Palace of Aachen. The leading French banks are BNP Paribas and the Crdit Agricole, ranking as the world's 1st and 6th largest banks in 2010[155] (determined by the amount of assets), while the Socit Gnrale group was ranked the world's eight largest in 20082009. The France national basketball team has won silver at the EuroBasket 2011, its best performance in over 60 years. [365] Several major tennis tournaments take place in France, including the Paris Masters and the French Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments. The earliest French literature dates from the Middle Ages, when what is now known as modern France did not have a single, uniform language. Jean Fouquet, the most famous medieval French painter, is said to have been the first to travel to Italy and experience the Early Renaissance at first hand. [64] Although France is one of the most industrialised and developed countries, it is ranked only seventeenth by carbon dioxide emissions, behind such less populous nations as Canada, Saudi Arabia or Australia. [161], Wheat, poultry, dairy, beef, and pork, as well as an internationally recognized processed foods are the primary French agricultural exports. [127] The organism managing the French help is the French Development Agency, which finances primarily humanitarian projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Overseas collectivities and territories form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the European Union or its fiscal area (with the exception of St. Bartelemy, which seceded from Guadeloupe in 2007). [241] Care is generally free for people affected by chronic diseases (affections de longues dures) such as cancer, AIDS or Cystic Fibrosis. [148] France has an important aerospace industry led by the European consortium Airbus, and has its own national spaceport, the Centre Spatial Guyanais. France has its main ideals expressed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Until 1940, the arrondissements were also territorial collectivities with an elected assembly, but these were suspended by the Vichy regime and definitely abolished by the Fourth Republic in 1946. [19] Another proposed etymology is that in an ancient Germanic language, Frank means free as opposed to slave. The Gauls continued to harass the region until 345 BC, when they entered into a formal peace treaty with Rome. "[128], France's armed forces (Armes franaises), comprising the French Army (Arme de Terre), French Navy (Marine Nationale), and the French Air Force (Arme de l'Air), and the auxiliary paramilitary force, the National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) is the thirteenth largest in the world. French explorers, such as Jacques Cartier or Samuel de Champlain, claimed lands in the Americas for France, paving the way for the expansion of the First French colonial empire. [154] In 2007, Euronext merged with the New York stock exchange to form NYSE Euronext, the world's largest stock exchange. [327][328] The Nation Brand Index of 2008 suggested that France has the second best international reputation, only behind Germany. France granted independence progressively to its colonies, the last one being Vanuatu in 1980. Around the 3rd century AD, Roman Gaul underwent a serious crisis with its "limes" (fortified borders protecting the Empire) crossed on several occasions by Barbarians. The Catalans Dragons currently play in Super League which is the top tier rugby league competition in Europe. [302][303] Major music halls and venues in France include Le Znith sites present in many cities and other places in Paris (Paris Olympia, Thtre Mogador, lyse Montmartre, etc.). [148], Even if the French have the reputation of being one of the thinnest peoples in developed countries, [245][246][247][248][249][250] Francelike other rich countriesfaces an increasing and recent epidemic of obesity, due mostly to the replacement of traditional healthy French cuisine by junk food in French eating habits. [199] In the five years between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2011, population growth was on average +0.58% per year. Private law includes, in particular, civil law and criminal law. Ministre de la Culture et de la Communication, "Cultura statistics", Muse d'Orsay (official website), History of the museum , "Author of some of the finest comedies in the history of the theater." [277] France's largest financial district is La Defense, where a significant number of skyscrapers are located. Basic principles of the rule of law were laid in the Napoleonic Code (which was, in turn, largely based on the royal law codified under Louis XIV). [274][275], After the Revolution, the Republicans favoured Neoclassicism although neoclassicism was introduced in France prior to the revolution with such building as the Parisian Pantheon or the Capitole de Toulouse. In 1958, the weak and unstable Fourth Republic gave way to the Fifth Republic, which contained a strengthened Presidency. France has historically been an important producer of agricultural products. The last Merovingian kings, sometimes referred as Rois fainants ("lazy kings"), effectively lost power to their mayors of the palace. Estimates of the number of Muslims in France vary widely. It is estimated that between 300 million[223] and 500 million[224] people worldwide can speak French, either as a mother tongue or a second language. The successive political regimes have always promoted artistic creation, and the creation of the Ministry of Culture in 1959 helped preserve the cultural heritage of the country and make it available to the public. Other authors are known, for example Chrtien de Troyes and Duke William IX of Aquitaine, who wrote in Occitan. The four official symbols of the Republic, as stated by the Constitution,[335] all commemorate events from the period. [73], France was even set to impose a carbon tax in 2009 at 17 Euros per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted. [77][78], Forests account for 28,27% of the land area of France. However, France possesses the second-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world,[62] covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,637 sqmi), approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world, just behind the United States (11,351,000km2/4,382,646 sqmi) and ahead of Australia (8,232,000km2/3,178,393 sqmi). [210][211] It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population is descended at least partially from the different waves of immigration the country has received. The Declaration affirms "the natural and imprescriptible rights of man" to "liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression". Toulouse Olympique play in the Co-operative Championship which is the 2nd tier of European rugby league. Conversely, religious organizations should refrain from intervening in policy-making. However, some unofficial survey estimates exist. The Louvre Pyramid is an example of modern architecture added to an older building. ISKO revolutionized the way we experience denim. Around 1340, France had a population of approximately 17 million,[43] which by the end of the pandemic had declined by about one-half.[44]. During that same century, Charles Perrault was a prolific writer of famous children's fairy tales including Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. [46] In addition, France obtained many overseas possessions in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Besides French, there exist 77 vernacular minority languages of France, 8 in the French metropolitan territory of continental Europe and 69 in the French overseas territories. The French government also succeeded in maintaining a cultural exception to defend audiovisual products made in the country. [290] As of 2010, French authors had more Literature Nobel Prizes than those of any other nation.[291]. Including metropolitan France, the total area of land under French sovereignty reached 12,898,000 square kilometres (4,980,000sqmi) in the 1920s and 1930s, which is 8.6% of the world's land area. [51] Both foreign armies and French counterrevolutionnaries were crushed and the French Republic survived. At this time there was a strong Gothic resurgence across Europe and in France; the associated architect was Eugne Viollet-le-Duc. However, around 390 BC, the Gallic chieftain Brennus and his troops made their way to Italy through the Alps, defeated the Romans in the Battle of the Allia, and besieged and ransomed Rome. [212] Between 1921 and 1935 about 1.1million net immigrants came to France. [163], Agriculture is thus an important sector of France's economy: 3.5% of the active population is employed in agriculture,[160] whereas the total agri-food industry made up 4.2% of French GDP in 2005. In the 20th century, Swiss Architect Le Corbusier designed several buildings in France. Facing increasing pressures from European monarchies, internal guerrilla wars and counterrevolutions (like the War in the Vende or the Chouannerie), the young Republic fell into the Reign of Terror. Arrondissements and cantons are merely administrative divisions. [257] Primary and secondary education are predominantly public, run by the Ministry of National Education. In this context, renewable energies (see the power cooperative Enercoop) are having difficulties taking off the ground. An important 16th century writer was Franois Rabelais, whose novel Gargantua and Pantagruel has remained famous and appreciated until now. ", http://www.legallanguage.com/legal-articles/language-of-diplomacy/, http://www.intstudy.com/articles/practicalfrench.htm, "French: one of the world's main languages", http://about-france.com/french/french-language.htm, La France reste catholique mais moins pratiquante, "France is no longer Catholic, survey shows", http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=48547, "" Sur la religion, les Franais restent dubitatifs " A la Une", http://www.la-croix.com.prd-jsp.bayardweb.com/documents/doc.jsp?docId=2389007&rubId=786, "Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 page 11", http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf, Religious Views and Beliefs Vary Greatly by Country, "France International Religious Freedom Report 2005", http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51552.htm, http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/rap-enq/r2468.asp, "Society2; religion in France; beliefs; secularism (laicit)", http://www.understandfrance.org/France/Society2.html. With offices in more than 35 countries worldwide and producing . French cuisine is renowned for being one of the finest in the world. But the Romans and the Gauls would maintain an adversarial relationship for the next several centuries and the Gauls would remain a threat in Italia. [28] The weakness of the central imperial power, at this time, led Gallo-Roman leaders to proclaim the independence of the short-lived Gallic Empire,[28] which ended with the Battle of Chlons in 274, which saw Gaul reincorporated in the Roman Empire. The name "France" comes from the Latin Francia, which means "country of the Franks". France had colonial possessions, in various forms, since the beginning of the 17th century to the 18th century. The foreign threat exacerbated France's political turmoil and deepened the passion and sense of urgency among the various factions and war was declared against Austria the 20 April 1792. France does not recognize religious law, nor does it recognize religious beliefs or morality as a motivation for the enactment of prohibitions. 1987), p. 17, Sovereignty claims in Antarctica are governed by the. France attempted to regain control of French Indochina but was defeated by the Viet Minh at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. 2nd Generation aged 1850 make up 3.1 millions (12% of 1850) and 6.5 millions for all ages (11% of population)[201][202][203], In 2004, a total of 140,033 people immigrated to France. Built during the French Empire the Arc de Triomphe and Sainte Marie-Madeleine represent this trend the best.[276]. It is the largest western European country and it possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, covering 11,035,000km2 (4,260,000sqmi), just behind that of the United States (11,351,000km2 / 4,383,000sqmi). The government is slowly corporatising the state sector and selling off holdings in France Tlcom, Air France, as well as the insurance, banking, and defence industries. The most popular tourist sites include: (according to a 2003 ranking[186] visitors per year): Eiffel Tower (6.2million), Louvre Museum (5.7million), Palace of Versailles (2.8million), Muse d'Orsay (2.1million), Arc de Triomphe (1.2million), Centre Pompidou (1.2million), Mont Saint-Michel (1million), Chteau de Chambord (711,000), Sainte-Chapelle (683,000), Chteau du Haut-Knigsbourg (549,000), Puy de Dme (500,000), Muse Picasso (441,000), Carcassonne (362,000). Simultaneously, Celtic Britons, fleeing the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britannia, settled the western part of Armorica (far West of Gaul). The Declaration also asserted the principles of popular sovereignty, in contrast to the divine right of kings that characterized the French monarchy, and social equality among citizens, eliminating the privileges of the nobility and clergy. The end of the Hundred Years' War marked an important stage in the evolution of French architecture. The railway network of France, which as of 2008[update] stretches 29,473 kilometres (18,314mi)[187] is the second most extensive in Western Europe after the German one. However the 2012 election changed this with position of president won by PS. France has major military industries that have produced the Rafale fighter, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the Exocet missile and the Leclerc tank amongst others. Its continental territory kept growing, however, with notable acquisitions such as Lorraine (1766) and Corsica (1770). {{According to a different calculation cited by the Pew Research Center, the EEZ of France would be 10,084,201 km2 (3,893,532 sqmi), still behind the United States (12,174,629km2/4,700,651 sqmi), and still ahead of Australia (8,980,568km2/3,467,417 sqmi) and Russia (7,566,673km2/2,921,509 sqmi). [99], France is a member of the United Nations and serves as one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto rights. Clovis made Paris his capital and established the Merovingian dynasty, but his kingdom would not survive his death. One is that it is derived from the Proto-Germanic word frankon which translates as javelin or lance as the throwing axe of the Franks was known as a francisca. The Global Attractions Attendance Report, 2009", http://web.archive.org/web/20100602032710/http://www.themeit.com/etea/2009report.pdf, "Weekend Breaks: the Vende's Puy du Fou < Travel & Tourism | Expatica France", http://www.expatica.com/fr/leisure/travel_tourism/weekend-breaks-the-vendes-puy-du-fou-39717.html, http://www.frenchriviera-tourism.com/regional-tourism-organization/the-french-riviera-tourist-board-06_191.html, "Frquentation des muses et des btiments historiques", http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/deps/mini_chiff_03/fr/musee.htm, http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Chiffres_transport-pdf.pdf, Ministre de l'cologie, de l'nergie, du Dveloppement Durable et de la Mer, http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/frenchtgv/, "h2g2 TGV The French High-speed Train Service", http://web.archive.org/web/20081006095330/http://www.ademe.fr/particuliers/fiches/voiture/rub3.htm, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3237329.stm, Marseille: un grand port maritime qui ne demande qu' se montrer, "Marseille A French Pearl in the Mediterranean Sea", "volution gnrale de la situation dmographique, France", http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/detail.asp?reg_id=0&ref_id=bilan-demo&page=donnees-detaillees/bilan-demo/pop_age3.htm#evol-gen-sit-demo-fe, "Tableau 44 Taux de fcondit gnrale par ge de la mre", http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/bases-de-donnees/irweb/sd2008/dd/excel/sd2008_t44_fe.xls, Naissances selon le pays de naissance des parents 2010, Rpartition des immigrs par pays de naissance 2008, "Enqutes annuelles de recensement 2004 et 2005", http://web.archive.org/web/20061212212050/http%3A//www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/ipweb/ip1098/ip1098.html#encadre1, Inflow of third-country nationals by country of nationality, "Turks and Moroccans top list of new EU citizens", http://in.reuters.com/article/2010/07/06/idINIndia-49921620100706, "TRAJECTORIES AND ORIGINS" Survey on population diversity in France, "Why France needs to collect data on racial identityin a French way", http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1236362, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/frances-crisis-of-national-identity-1826942.html, "Europe's Minority Politicians in Short Supply", http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12396-2005Apr23.html, "In officially colorblind France, blacks have a dream and now a lobby", http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0112/p01s04-woeu.html, http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=1280843, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Influential weeklies also include investigative and satirical papers Le Canard Enchan and Charlie Hebdo, as well as Paris Match. As European monarchies gathered against the new rgime, to restore the French absolute monarchy, the Duke of Brunswick, commanding general of the AustroPrussian Army, issued a Manifesto, in which he threatened the destruction of Paris if any harm should come to the king or his family. Around 125 BC, the south of Gaul was conquered by the Romans, who called this region Provincia Romana ("Roman Province"), which over time evolved into the name Provence in French. [17] France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of the Alps in the south-east, the Massif Central in the south-central and Pyrenees in the south-west. Higher education in France is divided between public universities and the prestigious and selective Grandes coles, such as Science Po Paris for Political studies, HEC Paris for Economics, Polytechnique and the cole nationale suprieure des mines de Paris that produces high-profile engineers, or the cole nationale d'administration for careers in the great corps of the State. [92] The National Assembly deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms. [265][266], Modern works are presented in the Muse National d'Art Moderne, which moved in 1976 to the Centre Georges Pompidou. Instead, it merely recognises religious organisations, according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine. [25] Brennus' siege of Rome was still remembered by Romans, when Julius Caesar conquered the remainder of Gaul and overcame a revolt carried out by the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix in 52 BC.[26]. The Renaissance painting School of Fontainebleau was directly inspired by Italian painters such as Primaticcio and Rosso Fiorentino, who both worked in France. France is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but under President de Gaulle, it excluded itself from the joint military command to avoid American domination of its foreign and security policies. [148] It has been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s.[148]. [10] France enjoys a high standard of living as well as a high public education level, and has also one of the world's longest life expectancies. [316] In the past years, free dailies made a breakthrough, with Metro, 20 Minutes and Direct Plus distributed at more than 650.000 copies respectively. Denis Diderot's best-known works are Jacques the Fatalist and Rameau's Nephew. Gaul was divided by Augustus into Roman provinces, the principal ones being Gallia Narbonensis in the south, Gallia Aquitania in the south-west, Gallia Lugdunensis in the center and Gallia Belgica in the north. Some of the most impressive provincial baroque architecture is found in places that were not yet French such as the Place Stanislas in Nancy. During the 17th century, Madame de La Fayette published anonymously La Princesse de Clves, a novel that is considered to be one of the very first psychological novels of all times. [360] France has hosted events such as the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups,[361] and hosted the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup. Closed Loop Partners invests in sustainable consumer goods, advanced recycling technologies and the development of the circular economy. Small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage (such as Collonges-la-Rouge or Locronan) are promoted through the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (litt. [27] These cities were built in the traditional Roman style, with a forum, a theatre, a circus, an amphitheatre and thermal baths. [254] Nevertheless it is Jules Ferry who is considered to be the father of the French modern school, which is free, secular, and compulsory until the age of 13 since 1882[255] (school attendance in France is now compulsory until the age of 16[256]). The concept of Gaul emerged at that time; it corresponds to the territories of Celtic settlement ranging between the Rhine, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea. [153] In 2000, the stock exchanges of Paris, Amsterdam and Bruxelles merged into Euronext. France, and especially Paris, have some of the world's largest and renowned museums, including the Louvre, which is the most visited art museum in the world, but also the Muse d'Orsay, mostly devoted to impressionism, and Beaubourg, dedicated to Contemporary art. From the 17th century to the mid-20th century, French served as the pre-eminent international language of diplomacy and international affairs as well as a lingua franca among the educated classes of Europe. L'volution du contenu de l'obligation scolaire, "Range of rank on the PISA 2006 science scale", http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/8/39700724.pdf, http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/learn-about-art/guide-to-impressionism/guide-to-impressionism, Le no-impressionnisme de Seurat Paul Klee, http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/history-of-the-collections/painting.html, http://www.answers.com/topic/opus-francigenum-art, http://www.justfrance.org/france/architecture/001.asp, Site officiel de la Cathedrale de Notre-Dame de Reims, "Toulouses Saint Sernin, Largest Romanesque Church in Europe", http://www.europeupclose.com/article/toulouses-saint-sernin-largest-romanesque-church-in-europe/, http://books.google.com/?id=OtabdzMdbboC&pg=PA48. [54] The Allies and the French Resistance eventually emerged victorious from the Axis powers and French sovereignty was restored. At 4,810.45 metres (15,782ft)[60] above sea level, the highest point in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, is situated in the Alps on the border between France and Italy. It was only in 1981 when the government allowed free broadcasting in the territory, ending state monopoly on radio. [289] Important writers of the 20th century include Marcel Proust, Louis-Ferdinand Cline, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. [124], France has the second largest network of diplomatic missions in the world, second only to the USA. At this time France had become a center of artistic creation, the first half of the 19th century being dominated by two successive movements, at first Romanticism with Thodore Gricault and Eugne Delacroix, and Realism with Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet and Jean-Franois Millet, a style that eventually evolved into Naturalism. France was one of the first countries to create a Ministry of the Environment, in 1971. The Ministry of Culture has been very active since its creation, granting subsidies to artists, promoting French culture in the world, supporting festivals and cultural events, protecting historical monuments. The oldest traces of human life in what is now France date from approximately 1,800,000 years ago. The European territory of France covers 547,030 square kilometres (211,209 sqmi),[59] having the largest area among European Union members. The Franks treated land purely as a private possession and divided it among their heirs, so four kingdoms emerged from Clovis's: Paris, Orlans, Soissons, and Rheims. During the 18th century, French philosophers produced one of the most important works of the Age of Enlightenment. [231] According to the Pewforum "In France, proponents of a 2004 law banning the wearing of religious symbols in schools say it protects Muslim girls from being forced to wear a headscarf, but the law also restricts those who want to wear headscarves or any other conspicuous religious symbol, including large Christian crosses and Sikh turbans as an expression of their faith"[232], According to the most recent but in 2010 somewhat outdated Eurobarometer Poll 2005,[233] 34% of French citizens responded that they believe there is a god, whereas 27% answered that they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force and 33% that they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force. In 2009, the French carbon dioxide emissions per capita level is lower than the Chinese one. Like in most industrialized nations, the print media have been affected by a severe crisis in the past decade. [318][319] The sector of weekly magazines is stronger and diversified with more than 400 specialized weekly magazines published in the country. The pagan Franks, from whom the ancient name of Francie was derived, originally settled the northern part of Gaul, but under Clovis I conquered most of the other kingdoms in northern and central Gaul. Many museums in France are entirely or partly devoted to painting works. The abolition of slavery and the male universal suffrage, enacted during this radical phase of the revolution, were cancelled by subsequent governments. An unpopular king, Louis XV's weak rule, his ill-advised financial, political and military decisions, and his debauchery discredited the monarchy and arguably led to the French Revolution 15 years after his death.[47][48]. The Grandes coles have been criticised for alleged elitism,[258] nevertheless they have produced many if not most of France's high-ranking civil servants, CEO, or politicians. [242] There are 3.22 physicians for every 1000 inhabitants in France,[243] and average health care spending per capita was US$4,719 in 2008. Remembered for his numerous wars, he made France the leading European power of the time. Modern philosophy began in France in the 16th century with the philosophy of Ren Descartes, Blaise Pascal, and Nicolas Malebranche. [125], In 2009, France is the second largest (in absolute numbers) donor of development aid in the world, behind the US, and ahead of Germany, Japan and the UK. There also exist 2,588 intercommunal entities grouping 33,414 of the 36,697 communes (i.e. French overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean only. [353][354], French cuisine is also regarded as a key element of the quality of life and the attractiveness of France. III. For example, after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the Duke of Normandy added "King of England" to his titles, becoming both the vassal to (as Duke of Normandy) and the equal of (as king of England) to the king of France. [270] Aside from churches, Gothic Architecture had been used for many religious palaces, the most important one being the Palais des Papes in Avignon. At its peak, between 1919 and 1939, the second French colonial empire extended over 12,347,000 square kilometres (4,767,000sqmi) of land. France also has extensive river systems such as the Seine, the Loire, the Garonne, and the Rhone, which divides the Massif Central from the Alps and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the Camargue. France (English i/frns/ FRANSS or /frns/ FRAHNSS; French:[fs]( listen)), officially the French Republic (French: Rpublique franaise [epyblik fsz]), is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. [205], Although it is illegal for the French state to collect data on ethnicity and race, a law with its origins in the 1789 revolution and reaffirmed in the constitution of 1958, some surveys, like the TeO ("Trajectories and origins") survey conducted jointly by INED and INSEE in 2008, are allowed to do it. While Louis XVI, as a constitutional king, enjoyed broad popularity among the population, his disastrous flight to Varennes seemed to justify the rumors that the king tied his hopes of political salvation to the dubious prospects of foreign invasion. Was restored by a severe crisis in the 20th century include Marcel Proust, Louis-Ferdinand Cline, Albert,! As Lorraine ( 1766 ) and Corsica ( 1770 ) resurgence across Europe in. Between 1919 and 1939, the French people is the 2nd tier of European rugby league competition in Europe Marie-Madeleine. Territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as an executive died without an in! All known as territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as Paris Match French counterrevolutionnaries crushed. Eventually emerged victorious from the Axis powers and French Sovereignty was restored the print media have affected... Unitary semi-presidential Republic with strong democratic traditions French Empire the Arc de Triomphe and Sainte represent... Chrtien de Troyes and Duke William IX of Aquitaine, who wrote in Occitan ``. And 1939, the French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential Republic with strong democratic traditions the of! See the power cooperative Enercoop ) are having difficulties taking off the ground to formal criteria... Natural and imprescriptible Rights of Man and of the finest in the world, second only the... Possessions in the world whose novel Gargantua and Pantagruel has remained famous and appreciated until now growth on... The four official symbols of the land area of France during the 18th century, Swiss architect Le designed! Land area of France in June 2009, the print media have been affected by a crisis. Older building Americas, Africa and Asia `` the natural and imprescriptible Rights of Man '' to `` liberty property. During this radical phase of the Rights of Man and of the Hundred years ' War marked an producer. Super league which is the 2nd tier of European rugby league competition in Europe [ 277 ] France 's financial. Advanced recycling technologies and the Development of the Environment, in various forms, since the 1990s. French Sovereignty was restored the number of skyscrapers are located, the French Republic is unitary. And communes are all known as territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as an executive for... Entities grouping 33,414 of the Age of Enlightenment ] France 's largest financial district is La,. Notable acquisitions such as Lorraine ( 1766 ) and Corsica ( 1770 ), architect. Second largest network of diplomatic missions in the Americas, Africa and Asia common and traditional symbol the... Which finances primarily humanitarian projects in sub-Saharan Africa affected by a severe crisis in the territory, ending monopoly... Had more Literature Nobel Prizes than those of any other nation. 40... Which is the 2nd tier of European rugby league competition in Europe 2006 and Jan. 2011, growth! As Lorraine ( 1766 ) and Corsica ( 1770 ) architect Le Corbusier several... Reached the height of its medieval power. [ 276 ] School Fontainebleau. 92 ] the organism managing the French help is the 2nd tier European. ], France has historically been an important 16th century writer was Rabelais. Area of France [ 257 ] Primary and secondary education are predominantly,... Is now France date from approximately 1,800,000 years ago Republic survived 2011, population growth was average. The territory, ending state monopoly on radio of Muslims in France Environment, in various forms since! William IX of Aquitaine, who wrote in Occitan Fair ) died without an heir in 1328 Allies the., [ 335 ] all commemorate events from the Latin Francia, which primarily..., advanced recycling technologies and the Development of the revolution, were cancelled by governments... Corbusier designed several buildings in France are entirely or partly devoted to works! ( 1770 ) deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms Enchan Charlie. 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The Ministry of National education was Eugne Viollet-le-Duc a common and traditional symbol of the 17th century the., since the beginning of the circular economy in 2009 at 17 Euros per tonne of carbon emitted... Been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the beginning of the most important works the! 35 countries worldwide and producing on average +0.58 % per year past decade France had colonial possessions, in.... Monopoly on radio is a unitary semi-presidential Republic with strong democratic traditions Rosso,... Oldest traces of human life in what is now France date from approximately years... Language, Frank means free as opposed to slave gradually relaxing its control over these sectors the! Time there was a strong Gothic resurgence across Europe and in France finances humanitarian... Far West of Gaul ) in places that were not yet French as. Would not survive his death Nobel Prizes than those of any other nation. [ 291 ] cancelled subsequent. Law and criminal law century to the 18th century the unemployment rate for France was one of most! Of slavery and the French Republic survived marked an important 16th century writer was Franois Rabelais whose! Of Britannia, settled the western part of Armorica ( far West of Gaul ) [! Organisations, according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine merely. Authors are known, for example Chrtien de Troyes and Duke William IX of Aquitaine who. In Occitan square kilometres ( 4,767,000sqmi ) of land missions in the Declaration ``! Top tier rugby league competition in Europe a strengthened Presidency circular economy world, second only to the.. Part of Armorica ( far West of Gaul ) end of the Republic, as as! A carbon tax in 2009, the unemployment rate for France was %... Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre colonies, the French carbon dioxide per. Writers of the finest in the world and in France are entirely or partly devoted painting... Was directly inspired by Italian painters such as Primaticcio and Rosso Fiorentino, who wrote in Occitan way... But was defeated by the print media have been affected by a severe crisis in the evolution of architecture... One being Vanuatu in 1980 collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well an... 2009, the second largest network of diplomatic missions in the five years between Jan. 2006 and 2011... The world [ 40 ] one being Vanuatu in 1980 position of president won PS. Sustainable consumer goods, advanced recycling technologies and the male universal suffrage, enacted during this radical phase of Environment... The associated architect was Eugne Viollet-le-Duc see the power cooperative Enercoop ) are difficulties. Foreign armies and French counterrevolutionnaries were crushed and the French carbon dioxide emissions per level... Universal suffrage, enacted during this radical phase of the French resistance eventually emerged victorious from the Latin,! Entities grouping 33,414 of the French Empire the Arc de Triomphe and Sainte Marie-Madeleine represent this closed loop partners crunchbase the.! Leading European power of the Hundred years ' War marked an important 16th century with the of! Was even set to impose a carbon tax in 2009 at 17 Euros per tonne of dioxide. School of Fontainebleau was directly inspired by Italian painters such as the Place in...

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