France is a country part of Western Europe. The capital is Paris, and the official language is French. France welcomes around 83 million tourists each year, which is more than any country in the world! France was originally called Gault and was controlled by the Celts, which was a large group of tribes in Europe. After, the Romans took control of Gaul in the first century B.C.. After the famous fall of the Roman Empire, the Franks, Germanic tribes, conquered the country in the fifth century. France became independent in the ninth century.
We may ask ourselves why the country was named France after all these years. To resume quickly, the word France derives from the Latin word Francia, which means land of the Franks. Later in history, Francia became France.
Quick facts
As of today, France is ranked as the first tourist destination in the world. The country received around 83 millions tourists in 2012! France is known for its art and culture. In fact, it has the world’s largest museum: The Louvre.
On the country’s economic side, France is a member of the G8, the World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as part of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). France has as a population of approximately 66 million people, with an unemployment rate of plus minus 10%.
François Hollande was/is the prime minister of the French Republic. He was elected in 2012, and only completed one mandate of 4 years. Its major cities by population are
| Cities | Population |
|---|---|
| Paris | 2,241,346 |
| Marseilles | 852,516 |
| Lyon | 506,615 |
| Lille Toulouse | 466,297 |
| Bordeaux | 246 586 |
• Paris • Marseilles • Lyon • Lille Toulouse • Bordeaux