France | History, Maps, Flag, Population, Cities, Capital, & Facts (2024)

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Also known as: French Republic, République Française

Written by

Jean F.P. Blondel Professor of Political Science, European University Institute, Florence. Author of Comparative Government and others.

Jean F.P. Blondel,

Gabriel Fournier Professor of Medieval History, University of Clermont-Ferrand, France. Author of Les Mérovingiens and others.

Gabriel FournierAll

Fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Last Updated: Article History

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France, country of northwestern Europe. Historically and culturally among the most important nations in the Western world, France has also played a highly significant role in international affairs, with former colonies in every corner of the globe. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps and the Pyrenees, France has long provided a geographic, economic, and linguistic bridge joining northern and southern Europe. It is Europe’s most important agricultural producer and one of the world’s leading industrial powers.

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Officially:
French Republic
French:
France or République Française
Head Of Government:
Prime minister: Gabriel Attal
Capital:
Paris
Population:
(2024 est.) 66,147,000
Currency Exchange Rate:
1 USD equals 0.937 euro
Head Of State:
President: Emmanuel Macron

France is among the globe’s oldest nations, the product of an alliance of duchies and principalities under a single ruler in the Middle Ages. Today, as in that era, central authority is vested in the state, even though a measure of autonomy has been granted to the country’s régions in recent decades. The French people look to the state as the primary guardian of liberty, and the state in turn provides a generous program of amenities for its citizens, from free education to health care and pension plans. Even so, this centralist tendency is often at odds with another long-standing theme of the French nation: the insistence on the supremacy of the individual. On this matter historian Jules Michelet remarked, “England is an empire, Germany is a nation, a race, France is a person.” Statesman Charles de Gaulle, too, famously complained, “Only peril can bring the French together. One can’t impose unity out of the blue on a country that has 265 kinds of cheese.”

This tendency toward individualism joins with a pluralist outlook and a great interest in the larger world. Even though its imperialist stage was driven by the impulse to civilize that world according to French standards (la mission civilisatrice), the French still note approvingly the words of writer Gustave Flaubert:

I am no more modern than I am ancient, no more French than Chinese; and the idea of la patrie, the fatherland—that is, the obligation to live on a bit of earth coloured red or blue on a map, and to detest the other bits coloured green or black—has always seemed to me narrow, restricted, and ferociously stupid.

Britannica QuizThe Country Quiz

At once universal and particular, French culture has spread far and greatly influenced the development of art and science, particularly anthropology, philosophy, and sociology.

France has also been influential in government and civil affairs, giving the world important democratic ideals in the age of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution and inspiring the growth of reformist and even revolutionary movements for generations. The present Fifth Republic has, however, enjoyed notable stability since its promulgation on September 28, 1958, marked by a tremendous growth in private initiative and the rise of centrist politics. Although France has engaged in long-running disputes with other European powers (and, from time to time, with the United States, its longtime ally), it emerged as a leading member in the European Union (EU) and its predecessors. From 1966 to 1995 France did not participate in the integrated military structure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), retaining full control over its own air, ground, and naval forces; beginning in 1995, however, France was represented on the NATO Military Committee, and in 2009 French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that the country would rejoin the organization’s military command. As one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—together with the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and China—France has the right to veto decisions put to the council.

France | History, Maps, Flag, Population, Cities, Capital, & Facts (7)

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The capital and by far the most important city of France is Paris, one of the world’s preeminent cultural and commercial centres. A majestic city known as the ville lumière, or “city of light,” Paris has often been remade, most famously in the mid-19th century under the command of Georges-Eugène, Baron Haussman, who was committed to Napoleon III’s vision of a modern city free of the choleric swamps and congested alleys of old, with broad avenues and a regular plan. Paris is now a sprawling metropolis, one of Europe’s largest conurbations, but its historic heart can still be traversed in an evening’s walk. Confident that their city stood at the very centre of the world, Parisians were once given to referring to their country as having two parts, Paris and le désert, the wasteland beyond it. Metropolitan Paris has now extended far beyond its ancient suburbs into the countryside, however, and nearly every French town and village now numbers a retiree or two driven from the city by the high cost of living, so that, in a sense, Paris has come to embrace the desert and the desert Paris.

Among France’s other major cities are Lyon, located along an ancient Rhône valley trade route linking the North Sea and the Mediterranean; Marseille, a multiethnic port on the Mediterranean founded as an entrepôt for Greek and Carthaginian traders in the 6th century bce; Nantes, an industrial centre and deepwater harbour along the Atlantic coast; and Bordeaux, located in southwestern France along the Garonne River.

France | History, Maps, Flag, Population, Cities, Capital, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

What is the capital and population of France? ›

Its eighteen integral regions (five of which are overseas) span a combined area of 643,801 km2 (248,573 sq mi) and have a total population of 68.4 million as of January 2024. France is a semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.

What is the population of France fact? ›

The current population of France is 66,566,449 as of Tuesday, September 3, 2024, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.

What are some facts about France's history? ›

10 SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT FRENCH HISTORY
  • Emperor Charlemagne sat on the throne for over 400 years. ...
  • A French King once believed he was made of glass… ...
  • The city of Marseille is older than Socrates… ...
  • The French cavalry captured 14 Dutch ships… ...
  • France is one of the oldest nations in the world!
Dec 1, 2023

What is the capital city of France on the world map? ›

Paris, city and capital of France, situated in the north-central part of the country. People were living on the site of the present-day city, located along the Seine River some 233 miles (375 km) upstream from the river's mouth on the English Channel (La Manche), by about 7600 bce.

What was the original capital of France? ›

Metz. Pepin the Short constructed a palace in Aachen, the exact year is not known and Aachen became the Seat of the King in the 8th century. Pepin the Short was the first King to centralize government and did so in the nearby city of Metz (250 km from Aachen). This is considered to be the first capital.

What is the population of cities in France? ›

Download Table Data
City2024 Population
Paris2,138,551
Marseille794,811
Lyon472,317
Toulouse433,055
236 more rows

What flag is France? ›

The "tricolore" (three-colour) flag is an emblem of the Fifth Republic. It had its origins in the union, at the time of the French Revolution, of the colours of the King (white) and the City of Paris (blue and red).

What is the history of the population of France? ›

During the eighteenth century, it is estimated that France's population grew by roughly fifty percent, from 19.7 million in 1700, to 29 million by 1800. In France itself, the 1700s are remembered for the end of King Louis XIV's reign in 1715, the Age of Enlightenment, and the French Revolution.

What is the old name of France? ›

France was originally called Gaul during Roman times. It was also called Frankia when it was first conquered by the Franks in the 5th century AD.

What city in France has the most history? ›

A wealth of historic sites in Paris

The birthplace of Gothic architecture and the European capital of fashion, Paris has also seen revolutions and been the epicentre for huge cultural shifts like the Enlightenment. A delve into its past is always well-rewarded.

Is France a city or a capital? ›

Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. Situated on the Seine River, in the north of the country, it is in the centre of the Île-de-France region, also known as the région parisienne, "Paris Region".

What is the number one city in France? ›

France Capital

Revered for its cultural treasures, Paris is a global center for art, fashion, and gastronomy. It is also the most populated city in France. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral are iconic landmarks that draw millions of visitors each year.

What language does France speak? ›

While French remains the sole national language of France, there are dozens of regional languages that are officially recognized by the government. These include Alsatian, Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Francoprovençal, Occitan, and the langues d'oïl, a dialect continuum composed of several northern dialects.

What is the population of France right now? ›

The current population of France in 2024 is 64,881,830, a 0.19% increase from 2023. The population of France in 2023 was 64,756,584, a 0.2% increase from 2022. The population of France in 2022 was 64,626,628, a 0.15% increase from 2021. The population of France in 2021 was 64,531,444, a 0.08% increase from 2020.

What is the capital of France today? ›

Paris is the capital of France, the largest country of Europe with 550 000 km2 (65 millions inhabitants).

What is the population and population density of France? ›

The population density of France in 2022 was 117.70 people per square kilometer, a 0.15% increase from 2021. The population density of France in 2021 was 117.52 people per square kilometer, a 0.08% increase from 2020.

Is New York City bigger than Paris France? ›

City Size & Population

New York in terms of land area and population. As of 2022, New York City has a population of 8.3 million and the population of Paris tops in at 2.1 million people in the famous Île de la Cité or Île de France region.

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