France
Europe Β· Capital: Paris
How it is run: France is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
France is home to 68.7 million people in Western Europe, where people speak French.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
68.7 million people
That is 0.8% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
551,695 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 125 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
4th most people in Europe
3rd largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
French
π° Money
Euro (β¬)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
83 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$48,986
A high-income country: most families can afford cars, travel and new technology.
π’ Living in cities
78.8% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
16.2% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+33
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.fr
π§ People here are called
French
π·οΈ Name at home
France
Also written: French Republic, République française.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Western European and Others Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
France touches 8 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Francia
French
France
Arabic
ΩΨ±ΩΨ³Ψ§
Chinese
ζ³ε½
Japanese
γγ©γ³γΉ
Russian
Π€ΡΠ°Π½ΡΠΈΡ
Portuguese
França
German
Frankreich
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 2.1Γ as many people as France.
- France covers roughly 5,254 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in France lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 34,360 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch France change.
Royal banner
Golden fleurs-de-lis on blue stood for the kings of France.
Revolutionary tricolour
Blue and red were Paris' colours, white was the king's β revolution put them side by side.
Modern tricolour
Same three bands, slightly different blue β liberty, equality, fraternity.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: France is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
π·οΈ Official name
French Republic
ποΈ Capital
Paris
π Region
Europe Β· Western Europe
π€ Country code
FR
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about France π
The Eiffel Tower
Built for the 1889 World's Fair out of 18,000 iron pieces, many Parisians hated it at first and wanted it torn down after 20 years. Today it is the most visited paid monument on Earth.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
46.0Β° N, 2.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+0 β when it is noon in London it is about 12:00 in Paris.
- The capital of France is Paris β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- France sits in Western Europe, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- France is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- France is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- France sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- France has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- France can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If France spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of France?
Paris
Which money do people spend in France?
Euro (β¬)
How many countries share a land border with France?
8 β Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland.
Roughly how many people live in France?
68.7 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.