France is a nation in Western Europe.  It is the third largest Eurpean nation.

France was part of the Celitic territory know as Gaul or Gallia. Since the 17th Century, France has played a major rolein Europe and world events.  This nation has experieced numerous crisis, incuding the devastation of two world wars, and the loss of a large empire  in Indochina, Algeria, and west and Equatorial Africa.  France however, was an imortant world supplier of agricultural and industrial products during World War II.

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and Englsh Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK.

Area: 574,030 sq km

Climate: Generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean.

Population: 60,424,213 (July 2004)

Governmet Type: Republic

Head of State: Jacques Chirac

Capital: Paris

Natinal Holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, atimony, arsenic, otash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

Agriculture Products: wheat, cereal, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes, beef, dairy products, fish