Metropolitan France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges in the south-east (the Alps) and the south-west (the Pyrenees)。   The French Alps contain the highest point in western Europe, Mont Blanc at 4,810 metres (15,781 ft)。 There are several other elevated regions such as the Massif Central, the Jura, the Vosges, and the Ardennes which are quite rocky and forested。   France also has extensive river systems such as the Loire, the Rhône, the Garonne and the Seine。

Due to its overseas departments and territories scattered on all oceans of the planet, France possesses the second-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world, covering 11,035,000 km² (4,260,000 mi²), just behind the EEZ of the United States (11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 mi²), but ahead of the EEZ of Australia (8,232,000 km² / 3,178,000 mi²)。  [3] The EEZ of France covers approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world, whereas the land area of the French Republic is only 0。  45% of the total land area on Earth。

[edit] History Main article: History of France The borders of modern France are roughly the same as those of ancient Gaul, which was inhabited by Celtic Gauls。   Gaul was conquered by Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC, and the Gauls eventually adopted Roman speech (Latin, which evolved into the French language) and Roman culture。   Christianity took root in the 2nd century and 3rd century AD, and became so firmly established by the fourth and fifth centuries that St。   Jerome wrote that Gaul was the only region free from heresy。 In the Middle Ages, the French would adopt this as a justification for calling themselves "the Most-Christian Kingdom of France"。  

In the 4th century AD, Gaul's eastern frontier along the Rhine was overrun by Germanic tribes, principally the Franks, from whom the ancient name of "Francie" was derived。   The modern name "France" derives from the name of the feudal domain of the Capetian Kings of France around Paris。 Existence as a separate entity began with the Treaty of Verdun (843), with the division of Charlemagne's Carolingian empire into East Francia, Middle Francia and Western Francia。   Western Francia approximated the area occupied by modern France。

The Carolingians ruled France until 987, when Hugh Capet, Duke of France and Count of Paris, was crowned King of France。   His descendants, the Capetian, Valois and Bourbon dynasties progressively unified the country through a series of wars and dynastic inheritance。   The monarchy reached its height during the 17th century and the reign of Louis XIV。 At this time France had a tremendous influence over European politics, economy and culture and possessed the largest population in Europe (see Demographics of France)。  

The monarchy ruled France until 1792, when the French Revolution established the First Republic。 Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the Republic in 1799, making himself First Consul, and later Emperor of what is now known as the First French Empire (1804-1814)。   In the course of several wars, his armies conquered many countries, with members of the Bonaparte family being appointed as monarchs of newly established kingdoms。  

Following Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the French monarchy was re-established。 In 1830, a civil uprising established the constitutional July Monarchy followed by the Second Republic in 1848。   The short-lived Second Republic ended in 1852 when Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte proclaimed the Second French Empire。 Louis-Napoléon was unseated following the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 to be replaced by the Third Republic。  

Eugène Delacroix - La liberté guidant le peuple, Liberty leading the People, a symbol of the French Revolution of 1830France had colonial possessions, in various forms, since the beginning of the 17th century until the 1960s。   In the 19th and 20th centuries, its global colonial empire was the second largest in the world behind the British Empire。   At its peak, between 1919 and 1939, the second French colonial empire extended over 12,347,000 km² (4,767,000 sq。 miles) of land。   Including metropolitan France, the total area of land under French sovereignty reached 12,898,000 km² (4,980,000 sq。 miles) in the 1920s and 1930s, which is 8。  6% of the world's land area。

France's ultimate victory in World War I and World War II after initially being invaded and partly occupied by German forces did not prevent the loss of the colonial empire, the comparative economic status, population and status as a dominant nation state。   The Fourth Republic was established after World War II, to be replaced in 1958 by the current semi-presidential Fifth Republic established under General Charles de Gaulle。  

Almost immediately after World War II, France had to engage in suppressing a bitter independence struggle in Indochina。   When this ended with French defeat and withdrawal in 1954, the French almost immediately became involved in a new, and even harsher conflict in their oldest major colony, Algeria。   Charles de Gaulle's accession to power in 1958 ultimately led to independence for Algeria in 1962 after the Algerian War of Independence。  

In recent decades, France's reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the political and economic integration of the evolving European Union, including the introduction of the euro in January 1999。   France has been at the forefront of European Union member states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to create a more unified and capable European Union based political, defence and security apparatus。   However the French electorate voted against ratification of the European Constitutional Treaty in May 2005。

[edit] Government and politics

Symbol of the French government The basic principles that the French Republic must respect are found in the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen。  Main articles: Government of France and Politics of France The constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on September 28, 1958。   It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to Parliament。

Under the constitution, the President of the French Republic is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 5-year (originally 7-year) term。   Presidential arbitration assures regular functioning of the public powers and the continuity of the state。 The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties。  

The French parliament is a bicameral legislature comprising a National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) and a Senate。   The National Assembly deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms。 The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government。   Senators are chosen by electoral college for 6-year terms (originally 9-year terms), and one half of the seats are submitted to election every 3 years starting in September 2008。  [4]

The Senate's legislative powers are limited; in the event of disagreement between the two chambers, the National assembly has the final say, except for constitutional laws (amendments to the constitution & "lois organiques")。   The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament。

For the past thirty years, French politics has been characterised by the two politically opposed groupings: one left-wing, centred around the French Socialist Party, and the other right-wing, centred around the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR) and its successor the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP)。   The right-wing Front National party made significant inroads in the early 1980's, seized on voter concern about the perceived decline of France and 'national dissolution' as a result of immigration and globalisation, by advocating tougher law-and-order and immigration policies。   Lately its share of the votes has remained stable at approximately 16%。

French foreign policy has been largely shaped by membership of the European Union。   On May 29, 2005 the French electorate voted in the referendum with about 55% against ratification of the proposed Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe。   The outcome of the vote was widely regarded as crucial for the future development of the EU, as well as for France's ability to retain leadership in Europe。  

France is also a member of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), an associate member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and a leading member of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF) of fifty-one fully or partly French-speaking countries。  

France hosts the headquarters of the OECD, UNESCO, Interpol, and the International Bureau for Weights and Measures in charge of the international metric system。  

See also: Constitution of France, President of France, List of Prime Ministers of France, List of Foreign Ministers of France, and Foreign relations of France [edit] Administrative divisions

The 22 régions and 96 départements of metropolitan France。  Main article: Administrative divisions of France France is divided into 26 administrative régions: 22 are in metropolitan France (21 are on the continental part of metropolitan France; one is the "territorial collectivity" of Corse, on the island of Corsica, commonly referred to as a région in common。   附件：300px-Départements_et_régions_de_France。svg。