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France is a sovereign state in Western Europe, officially known as the French Republic.
It covers an area of 643,801 square kilometres.
It also has a number of overseas regions and territories.
Paris is the country's capital and largest city.
Its official language is French.
The Euro (€) is its official currency (EUR).
Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco (a principality), Spain, and Switzerland are its eight neighbours.
There is only one stop sign in Paris.
It is legal in France to marry a deceased person.
The government of France awards the Medal of the French Family (La Médaille de La Famille Française) to parents who successfully raise several children with dignity.
According to a Durex study conducted in 2003, French people have the most sex in a year.
Pussy is a small town in the French region of Savoie.
According to studies, this country has the highest number of depressed people, making it the world's most depressed country.
The reign of King Louis XIX as ruler of France lasted only 20 minutes.
In France, there is a 70-page rule book for a traditional ball game called boules.
President Charles de Gaulle will be remembered as the person who survived the most assassination attempts in history. President Gaulle survived 32 assassination attempts, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Every road in the country begins at the same point. This point is known as Point Zero, and it is marked by a bronze star set on the pavement near the main entrance to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
France consumes the most pure alcohol (10.9 litres per person per year), followed by the United Kingdom (8.2 litres), and finally the United States (6.3 litres per person per year).
France is the most populous country in the European Union.
France has the appearance of a hexagon. As a result, it is also known as 'the hexagon.'
In France, there are over five million people of Arab and African descent.
France is the world's most visited country. In 2013, France welcomed 84 million foreign tourists. The French expect the annual figure to reach 100 million by the end of 2030.
France has the second-largest population in the EU after Germany. And urban areas are home to 85% of the country's population.
88% of the population speaks French as their first language.
Italy is located to the west of France. In France, there are a million Italian-speaking people, the majority of whom live near the Italian border.
Jeanne Calment, a Frenchwoman, holds the record for the longest confirmed human lifespan, having lived for 122 years and 164 days. Calment was born on February 21st, 1875 and died on the 4th of August, 1997. She lived several decades longer than her daughter and grandson.
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in France. France outsells all other European countries in total electric car sales. In 2013, there were 8,779 passenger electric cars registered in France.
The parachute, hot air balloon, motion picture camera, bicycle, and inflatable tyres for automobiles were all invented in France.
Famous French scientists include Marie Curie, Blaise Pascal, Pierre Curie, and Joseph Fourier.
The French adore courteous people. This is why a French coffee shop sells cheap coffee to customers who greet and say 'bonjour' before ordering their favourite coffee.
The licence plates that we see on cars today were invented in France.
It is illegal in France to name a pig "Napoleon."
France is one of the world's largest wine producers. Every year, they produce between 7-8 billion bottles. Many of these wines are expensively sold internationally, while the rest are consumed in the country.
Condom vending machines can be found in nearly 90% of French high schools.
In France, there are 12 time zones. This is the most of any country on the planet.
The French flag was plain white between 1814 and 1830. (no color, just white).
The French appreciate it when you greet them in French.
Women were not allowed to wear trousers in France until 2012.
In France, it is mandatory to obtain permission from the government as well as other retailers before opening a store larger than 300 square metres.
The French sleep the most of any developed country's population. They sleep 8.83 hours per day on average.
In Paris, there are over 1500 bike stations. You can rent a bike from any of these stations for one Euro per day and return it to any other station.
Non-nationals account for 14% of the Parisian population.
Traditional French cooking is currently on the decline in France. The vast majority of restaurants in France serve prepared meals rather than fresh cuisine.
Many of the world's most famous art pieces, such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, can be found in Paris. These works of art are on display at the Louvre Museum, one of the world's largest museums.
Champagne is a sparkling wine that can only be made in a specific "Champagne region" of France. Champagne wine would not be produced in any other region.
'Gustave Eiffel,' the tower's engineer, is remembered. Despite the fact that its construction was criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals, it is one of the most recognised structures in the world.
Every seven years, the Eiffel Tower is repainted, which requires five tonnes of paint.
The Eiffel Tower is the world's most visited paid monument. It was built in 1889.
It reaches the height of an 81-story building. For nearly 41 years, until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York City in 1930, the tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world.
Following the French Revolution, ten thousand African slaves were freed.
In 1838, the world's first true department store opened in Paris.
The French are extremely passionate about their food. It is customary to say 'Bon Appetit' before beginning a meal. This literally means "good appetite" to anyone eating with you.
France produces over 365 different types of cheese.
France is the world's second-largest agricultural exporter.
Horse and rabbit consumption is quite common in France. These dishes are easily accessible on a restaurant menu.
The French regard wine as an intellectual component of every meal.
Every year, the French consume approximately 500 million snails.
There are over 5,000 restaurants in Paris alone.
Only 15% of French women are obese, compared to 64% in the United States.
France has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
French was also the official language of England for over 300 years.
In France, it is illegal to kiss on a train.
All of the trees in Paris, France's capital, have been measured and referenced. They number 470,000 in total.
In the entire city of Paris, there is only one stop light and 1784 bakeries.
France is also home to one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Every year, the French Open is held in Paris.
Louis Pasteur was a French scientist who developed the pasteurisation process to prevent microbial growth and preserve food items such as milk.
France's wine-producing regions are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, and Provence.
In France, wine is almost always served with every meal, while beer is considered a luxury.
The Channel Tunnel, which connects Kent in the United Kingdom to Coquelles in northern France, has the world's longest undersea section. It stretches for 50.5 kilometres. This tunnel transports passenger and freight trains at a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour.
The concept of "jean" clothing originated in France. Levi Strauss imported it from the United States of America with the intention of making tough clothes for gold diggers.
France had an internet network in 1984, allowing people to shop and pay utility bills online.
Jim Haynes, a man in Paris, has been inviting complete strangers to dinner every week for the past 30 years.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris has 1665 steps and was illuminated by gaslight until 1909.
In Paris, a renter left an apartment unoccupied for 70 years. When the renter died and the apartment was unlocked, a 2.1 million Euro painting was discovered.
France also has Europe's highest wealth tax.
April Fool's Day (April 1st) is thought to have originated in France.
The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States of America as a gift by the people of France. It was built by Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower.
Nicotine is named after Jean Nico, a French diplomat.
According to the findings, at least 34% of the French population speaks English fluently.
The word “entrepreneur” was also invented by the French.
Before the introduction of the Euro, the French Franc was the official currency of France. King John II introduced the Franc in 1360.
There have been 67 Nobel Prize winners from France to date. Sully Prudhomme was the first French national to receive the prestigious award, receiving it in Literature in 1901. They have the most Nobel Prize winners in this category (literature).
As a greeting, the French kiss each other on the cheek.
70% of the music played on French radio between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. must be by French artists.
The only ingredients in a traditional French baguette are flour, yeast, and salt. Every year, the country bakes 10 billion baguettes.
Paris, France's capital, is known as the "City of Light." Bridges, churches, fountains, hotels, and national buildings are among the 296 illuminated sites in the city.
In France, at least two cookbooks are published every day.
France is the most innovative country in Europe.
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