France

**__France!__**



Cool Facts!
Pets outnumber children in France. An aggressive handshake is considered impolite.

History:
Flag: It features 3 vertical stripes- blue, white, and red- the colors of the French Revoltion. Red and blue symbolize Paris, where the main revolution was fought and white is the color of royalty.

Timeline: **Geography**   France is the second largest country in Europe.
 * < 1789  ||< The French Revolution ends rule of monarchy going back to 9th century; followed by the establishment of First Republic. ||
 * < 1804-1814  ||< Napoleon crowns himself the emperor of First French Empire; series of military successes brings most of continental Europe under his control. ||
 * < 1815  ||< Napoleon is defeated in Battle of Waterloo ||
 * < 1848  ||< Fall of King Louis-Philippe; Louis-Napoleon nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, proclaimed president of Second Republic. ||
 * < 1852-1870  ||< Louis-Napoleon takes title of Napoleon III during Second Empire. ||
 * < 1870-1871  ||< Franco-Prussian war ending in French defeat; end of Second Empire. ||
 * < 1914-1918  ||< World War I ||
 * < 1919  ||< Treaty of Versailles ||
 * < 1939-1945  ||< World War II- Germany occupies much of France. ||
 * < 1944  ||< De Gaulle sets up provisional government. ||
 * < 1946  ||< De Gaulle resigns as provisional president, replaced by socialist Felix Gouin. ||
 * < 1958  ||< De Gaulle returns to power; founds Fifth Republic. ||
 * < 1962  ||< Algeria granted independence from French colonial rule. ||
 * < 1969  ||< De Gaulle leaves office. Georges Pompidou elected president. ||
 * < 1970  ||< De Gaulle dies of stroke ||
 * < 1974  ||< Pompidou dies, succeeded by Valery Giscard d’Estaing. ||
 * < 1981  ||< Socialist candidate Francois Mitterrand elected president. ||
 * < 1992  ||< France signs Maasticht Treaty on European Union. ||
 * < 1995  ||< Jacques Chirac elected president, ending14 years of socialist presidency. ||
 * < 1997  ||< Lionel Jospin becomes prime minister. ||
 * < 2001  ||< Compulsory military service abolished. ||
 * < 2002  ||< Euro replaces franc. ||
 * < 2002  ||< Jacques Chirac re-elected president. ||
 * < 2004  ||< Headscarf ban (ban on religious symbols) ||

Climate

There are 3 types of climate in France oceanic, continental, and mediterranean. Oceanic climate: Found in the western part of the country, it has a small temperature range, ample rainfall, cool summers, and cool but rarely very cold winters. Continental climate: Found over much of eastern and central France, it has warmer summers and colder winters than the areas farther west; rainfall is ample and winters tend to be snowy. Mediterranean climate: Found in southern France, it has cool winters, hot summers and not much rainfall.

**Capital and Major Cities**

Capital: Paris Major cities: Marseilles, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, Nantes, Strasbourg, Montpellier, and Bordeaux


 * Economy **
 * High unemployment and budget deficits are ongoing challenges.
 * Unit of Currency:** Euro
 * Exports:** machinery and transport equipment, steel products, and agricultural goods
 * Major Industries:** steel, motor vehicles, aircraft textiles, chemicals, and food processing

Culture
 * Major Languages spoken:** French, German, and English
 * Population:** 65.3 million


 * Religion:** 85% Roman Catholic, 10% Islamic, 4% No religion, 1% Jewish

"France." //CultureGrams Online Edition//. ProQuest, 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2011.
 * Bibliography:**

"France." //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.