France

The French Republic or France ({{ll|French}}: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents.{{ref|overseasholdings}}

Geography

While the main territory of France (metropolitan France; French: la Métropole, or France métropolitaine) is located in Western Europe, France is also constituted from territories in North America, the Caribbean, South America, the western and southern Indian Ocean, the northern and southern Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica (sovereignty claims in Antarctica are not recognised by most countries, see Antarctic Treaty System).

Related Topics:
Metropolitan France - North America - Caribbean - South America - Indian Ocean - Pacific Ocean - Antarctica - Antarctic Treaty System

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Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Sea, and from the Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean; it is bordered by the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. The French Republic also shares land borders overseas with Brazil, Suriname, and the Netherlands. Because of its shape, it is sometimes refered as an Hexagon.

Related Topics:
Mediterranean Sea - North Sea - Rhine River - Atlantic Ocean - United Kingdom - Belgium - Luxembourg - Germany - Switzerland - Italy - Monaco - Andorra - Spain - Brazil - Suriname - Netherlands

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France possesses a large variety of landscapes, ranging from coastal plains in the north and west, where France borders the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, to the mountain ranges in the south (the Pyrenees) and the south-east (the Alps), the latter containing the highest point in western Europe, Mont Blanc at 4810 m. In between are found other elevated regions such as the Massif Central or the Vosges mountains and extensive river basins such as those of the Loire River, the Rhône River, the Garonne and Seine.

Related Topics:
North Sea - Atlantic Ocean - Pyrenees - Alps - Mont Blanc - Massif Central - Vosges mountains - Loire River - Rhône River - Garonne - Seine

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Maritime territory (EEZ)

Due to its numerous 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).{{ref|EEZ}} 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 of the Earth.

Related Topics:
Exclusive Economic Zone - 11,035,000 - United States - Australia

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