France

History

France, officially the French Republic, is a country primarily located in Western Europe. Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic in North America, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean. Metropolitan France shares borders with Belgium and Luxembourg to the north; Germany to the northeast; Switzerland to the east; Italy and Monaco to the southeast; Andorra and Spain to the south, a maritime border with the United Kingdom to the northwest, and including Overseas France, it also borders Suriname and Brazil through French Guiana in South America, and the Netherlands through Saint Martin in the Caribbean. Its metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea. Its 18 integral regions—five of which are overseas—span a combined area of 632,702 km2 (244,288 sq mi), with a total population estimated at 69.1 million in 2026. Its capital, largest city and main cultural and economic centre is Paris. Metropolitan France was settled during the Iron Age by Celtic tribes known as Gauls before Rome... Summary adapted from the English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). The live article includes citations, maps, and updates.

Colors

Blue, White, Red

The three colours represent liberty (blue), equality (white), and fraternity (red) — the motto of the French Republic.

Symbols

Vertical tricolour

The tricolour was adopted during the Revolution, combining the blue and red of Paris with the royal white.