France

France forms part of the continent of Europe, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Europe is the world's second smallest continent, it has 51 countries, with some countries belonging to both Europe and Asia. It occupies a total area of 10,180,000 km2 and forms 6.8% of the landmass of the world. France is a coastal country that stretches over a total area of approximately 640,597 km2. It is one of the largest countries by area in Europe.

The following guideline provides details on the approximate border lengths of France:
Coastline 4,668 km, Andorra 55 km, Belgium 556 km, Germany 418 km, Italy 476 km, Luxembourg 69 km, Monaco 6 km, Spain 646 km, Switzerland 525 km.

France receives a Mediterranean climate along the south coast characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Northern and central parts of mainland France tend to experience mild summers and cool winters. The geography of France can be described as having areas of flatland and hills in northern and western regions, and mountains to the southeast where the Pyrenees and Alps mountain ranges are located. France has long coastal borders in the north, west and southern regions. The names of the major rivers of France include the River Seine, Loire, Rhone, Garonne and Dordogne. The lowest point of France is the Rhone River delta at -2m, and the highest point of elevation is Mont Blanc at 4,810m.

The official language of France is French, which is spoken by the majority of the population.

The primary religion of France is Christian at approximately 64% of the population, with the major religion being Roman Catholic. Around 8% are Muslim. The remaining population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.

Natural resources can be defined as materials and substances that occur naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of resources that occur naturally in an individual country are influenced by varying factors such as the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries are very rich in natural resources, where as others have limited to none. Countries that have particularly rich resources include Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Food, construction and transport are three primary examples of uses of natural resources. The following information provides examples of these uses: fish occurs naturally in streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, and can be caught for food consumption. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests for construction purposes, i.e. to build homes and furniture. Crude oils can be refined into different kinds of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. The natural resources of France include coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land suitable for growing crops and fish.

Every country has its own unique culture, history and identity. Flags, symbols, emblems, mottos, songs, anthems and colors are used by countries worldwide to represent national pride and identity. These national symbols are forged through a nation's unique history and can represent both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a country such as animals, birds, flowers, trees, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. Here are some important facts on the symbols, songs and colors of France: