NationMaster - Encyclopedia: French colonialism

France has had colonial possessions, in various forms, since the beginning of the 17th century until the 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, its colonial empire was the second largest in the world behind the British Empire. At its peak between 1919 and 1939, the second French colonial empire extended over 12,347,000 km² (4,767,000 sq. miles) of land. Including metropolitan France, the total area of land under French sovereignty reached 12,898,000 km² (4,980,000 sq. miles), which is 8.6% of the world's land area. Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: French colonial empires Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: French colonial empires Categories: GFDL images ... In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distinct state (or city, in ancient times). ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... A database query syntax error has occurred. ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The term Metropolitan France ( French: la France métropolitaine, or just la Métropole) refers to the part of France in Europe, including Corsica, as opposed to the overseas departments and overseas territories, which, while integral parts of the French Republic, are regarded as Overseas France ( French: la France d...

Currently, the remnants of this large empire are tens of islands and archipelagos located in the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the South Pacific, the North Pacific, and the Antarctic Ocean, as well one mainland territory in South America, totaling altogether 123,150 km² (47,548 sq. miles), which amounts to only 1% of the pre-1939 French colonial empire's area, with 2,485,000 people living in them in 2005 (see Administrative divisions of France). All of these enjoy full political representation at the national level, as well as varying degrees of legislative autonomy. For alternative meanings, see Empire (disambiguation) An empire (also known technically, abstractly or disparagingly as an imperium, and with powers known among Romans as imperium) comprises a set of regions locally ruled by governors, viceroys or client kings in the name of an emperor. ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the worlds largest body of water. ... For other meanings of pacific, see pacific (disambiguation). ... The Southern Ocean is the body of water encircling the continent of Antarctica. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Metropolitan (i. ...

Most of the empire was controlled by the French Colonial Forces. The French Colonial Forces were the military forces that controlled much of the French colonial empire during the late 17th century and the early 1950s. ...

The first French colonial empire

The early voyages of Giovanni da Verrazano and Jacques Cartier in the early 16th century, as well as the frequent voyages of French fishermen to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland throughout that century, were the precursors to the story of France's colonial expansion. But Spain's jealous protection of its American monopoly, and the disruptions caused in France itself by the Wars of Religion in the later 16th century, prevented any consistent efforts to establish colonies. Early French attempts to found colonies in Brazil, in 1555 at Rio de Janeiro (the so-called France Antarctique) and in 1612 at São Luís (the so-called France Équinoxiale), and in Florida were unsuccessful, due to Portuguese and Spanish vigilance. Giovanni da Verrazano (his last name is also spelled Verrazzano) was born, on his familys castle, Castello Verrazzano, near Val di Greve, 30 miles south of Florence. ... Jacques Cartier (Saint-Malo, France, December 31, 1491 - January 19, 1557) was a French explorer who is popularly thought of one of the major discoverers of Canada, or more specifically, the interior region that would be part of the first area that could become that nation. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The Grand Banks are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. ... Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the north-east coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between the Catholic League and the Huguenots from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598. ... Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Finland May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ... Ipanema beach A NASA satellite image of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (meaning River of January in Portuguese) is the name of both a state and a city in southeastern Brazil. ... France Antarctique was the failed French colony south of the Equator, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1555 and 1567. ... Events January 20 - Mathias becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... São Luís is the capital of the state of Maranhão, Brazil. ... Equinoxial France was the contemporary name given to the colonization efforts of France in the 17th century in South America, around the line of Equator, before tropical had fully gained its modern meaning: Equinoctial means in Latin of equal nights, i. ... State nickname: Everglade State, Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd) - Land 137,374 km² - Water 30,486 km² (17. ...

The story of France's colonial empire truly began on July 27, 1605 with the foundation of Port Royal in the colony of Acadia in North America, in what is now Nova Scotia, Canada. A few years later, in 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec, which was to become the capital of the enormous, but sparsely settled, fur-trading colony of New France (also called Canada). July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Events April 13 - Tsar Boris Godunow dies - Feodor II accedes to the throne May 16 - Paul V becomes Pope June 1 - Russian troops in Moscow imprison Feodor II and his mother. ... This article is about the community of Port Royal, an early French colony in eastern Canada. ... There is a also a U.S. national park called Acadia National Park; For the former electoral district, see Acadia (electoral district) The national flag of Acadia, adopted in 1884. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (One defends and the other conquers) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant Governor Myra A. Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Area 55,284 km² (12th) - Land 53,338 km² - Water 1,946 km² (3. ... Events October 2 - Dutch lensmaker Hans Lippershey demonstrates the first telescope in the Dutch parliament July 3 - Quebec City founded by Samuel de Champlain. ... Samuel de Champlain by Théophile Hamel (1870) Samuel de Champlain (1567 – 1635) was a French geographer, draftsman, explorer and founder of Quebec City. ... Motto: Don de Dieu feray valoir (Gift of God shall make prosper) Area: 547. ... New France (French: la Nouvelle-France) describes the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 to the cession of New France to the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1763. ...

Although, through alliances with various Native American tribes, the French were able to exert a loose control over much of the North American continent, areas of French settlement were generally limited to the St. Lawrence River valley. Prior to the establishment of the 1663 Sovereign Council, the territories of New France was developped as mercantile colonies. It is only after the arrival of intendant Jean Talon that France gave its American colonies the proper means to develop population colonies comparable to that of the British. For most of the history of New France, even Canada was far behind the British North American colonies in both population and economic development. Acadia itself was lost to the British in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... The Saint Lawrence River (French fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a large west-to-east flowing river in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... Events July 8 - Charles II of England grants John Clarke a Royal Charter to Rhode Island. ... Jean Talon (1625-1694) was a French colonial administrator who was the first and most highly regarded Intendant of New France. ... British North America originally comprised all British colonies and territories on the North American continent, from Georgia to Labrador and Ruperts Land. ... The Treaties of Utrecht (April 11, 1713) were signed in Utrecht, a city of the United Provinces. ... Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713...

In 1699, French territorial claims in North America expanded still further with the foundation of Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Although the colony claimed control over the whole watershed of the Mississippi, effective control was only exerted in a small coastal region, near the cities of Mobile and New Orleans (founded 1718). Events January 26 - Treaty of Karlowitz signed March 30 - the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa. ... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans Governor Kathleen Blanco Official languages None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 km² (31st) - Land 112,927 km² - Water 21,455 km² (16%) Population (2000) - Population 4,468,976 (22nd) - Density 39. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge 16,200 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... Mobile and Mobile Bay from space, June 1991 Mobile is a city located in Mobile County, Alabama. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Events May 15 - James Puckle, a London lawyer, patents the worlds first machine gun. ...

As the French empire in North America expanded, the French also began to build a smaller, but more profitable empire in the West Indies. Settlement along the South American coast in what is today French Guiana began in 1624, and a colony was founded on Saint Kitts in 1627 (the island had to be shared with the English until the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, when it was ceded outright). The Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique founded colonies in Guadeloupe and Martinique in 1635, and a colony was later founded on Saint Lucia (1650). The food plantations of these colonies were built and sustained by slavery from the abduction of slaves from Africa. Local Resistance by the indigenous peoples resulted in the Carib Expulsion of 1660. The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... Events The Netherlands establish a trading colony at Kaohsiung on Taiwan. ... Saint Kitts (also/previously known as Saint Christopher) is an island in the Caribbean. ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... Events February 10 - The Académie française in Paris is expanded to become a national academy for the artistic elite. ... Events June 23 - Claimant King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland arrives in Scotland, the only of the three Kingdoms that has accepted him as ruler. ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Wiktionary has a definition of: Slavery Slavery can mean one or more related conditions which involve control of a person against his or her will, enforced by violence or... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... The word indigenous is derived from the latin word indigena, meaning nativ, indigenous, aboriginal, and has several, related meanings: The native people of a place; see the article indigenous people. ... The Carib Expulsion took place in 1660. ...

The most important Caribbean colonial possession did not come until 1664, when the colony of Saint-Domingue (today's Haiti) was founded on the western half of the Spanish island of Hispaniola. In the 18th century, Saint-Domingue grew to be the richest sugar colony in the Caribbean. The eastern half of Hispaniola also came under French rule for a short period, after being given to France by Spain shortly after the loss of Saint-Domingue to France by the Haitian Revolution. Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of Britain. ... Saint-Domingue was a French colony from 1697 to 1804 that is today the independent nation of Haiti. ... Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying east of Cuba. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... This article deals with sugar as food and as an important, widely traded commodity; the word also has other uses; see Sugar (disambiguation) A sugar is a form of carbohydrate; the most commonly used sugar is a white crystalline solid, sucrose; used to alter the flavor and properties (mouthfeel, perservation... The Haitian Revolution was the first successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere and established Haiti as a free, black republic, the first of its kind. ...

French colonial expansion was not limited to the New World, however. In Senegal in West Africa, the French began to establish trading posts along the coast in 1624. In 1664 the French East India Company was established to compete for trade in the east. Colonies were established in India in Chandernagore in Bengal (1673) and Pondicherry in the Southeast (1674), and later at Yanam (1723), Mahe (1725), and Karikal (1739) (see French India). Colonies were also founded in the Indian Ocean, on the Île de Bourbon (Réunion, 1664), Île Royale (Mauritius, 1718), and the Seychelles (1756). During Napoleon's early career, Egypt was also conquered for a brief period, but French rule there only extended to the immediate area around the Nile. The New World is one of the names used for the continents of North and South America and adjacent islands collectively, in use since the 16th century. ... West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and... Events The Netherlands establish a trading colony at Kaohsiung on Taiwan. ... Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of Britain. ... The French East India Company (French Compagnie des Indes Orientales) was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies. ... East is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. ... Chandannagar, formerly known as Chandernagore or Chandernagar, is a city in India. ... For the breed of cat, see Bengal cat; for the tiger, see Bengal Tiger; for the American football franchise , see Cincinnati Bengals Bengal (Banga, Bangla, Bangadesh, or Bangladesh in Bengali) comprises a region in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, today divided between the independent country of Bangladesh and the... Events The English Test Act was passed. ... Pondicherry (पॉंडिचेरी in Hindi), currently undergoing a name change to Puduchery, is the name of a union territory and its capital in the south of India. ... Events February 19 - England and the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Westminster. ... Yanam or Yanaon is a district of the Union territory of Pondicherry and a town in that district. ... Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general. ... Categories: India geography stubs | Pondicherry ... Events February 8 - Catherine I became empress of Russia February 20 - The first reported case of white men scalping Native Americans takes place in New Hampshire colony. ... Categories: India geography stubs | Pondicherry | Cities and towns in India ... Events March 20 - Nadir Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne, including the Koh-i-Noor September 9 - Stono Rebellion erupts near Charleston September 18 - Treaty of Belgrade signed October 3 - Treaty of Nissa signed October 23 - Great Britain declares war... French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India. ... Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. ... Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of Britain. ... Events May 15 - James Puckle, a London lawyer, patents the worlds first machine gun. ... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Colonial conflict with Great Britain, 1744–1815

In the mid-18th century, a series of colonial conflicts began between France and the Kingdom of Great Britain, which would ultimately result in the demise of most of the first French colonial empire. These wars were the War of the Austrian Succession (1744–1748), the Seven Years War (1756–1763), the War of the American Revolution (1778–1783), and the French Revolutionary (1793–1802) and Napoleonic (1803-1815) Wars. Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births May 19 - Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen of George III of Great Britain (d. ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The united Kingdom of Great Britain was created by the merger of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England in 1707 (see Act of Union 1707). ... The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). ... Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births May 19 - Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen of George III of Great Britain (d. ... Events April 24 - A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle with the intent to conclude the struggle known as the War of Austrian Succession - at October 18 - The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war Adam Smith begins to deliver public lectures in Edinburgh Building of... This article is about the 1756–1763 war. ... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The French Revolutionary Wars occurred between the outbreak of war between the French Revolutionary government and Austria in 1792 and the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1802 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Although the War of the Austrian Succession was indecisive — despite French successes in India under the French Governor-General Joseph François Dupleix — the Seven Years War, after early French successes in North America, saw a catastrophic French defeat, with the British conquering not only New France, but most of France's West Indian colonies, and all of the French Indian outposts. While the peace treaty saw France's Indian outposts, and the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe restored to France, the competition for influence in India had been won by the British, and North America was entirely lost — most of New France was taken by Britain, except Louisiana which France ceded to Spain as payment for Spain's late entrance into the war (and as compensation for Britain's annexation of Spanish Florida). Also ceded to the British were Grenada and Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Joseph François Dupleix ( January 1, 1697 — November 10, 1763) was governor general of the French establishment in India, and was the great rival of Robert Clive. ...

Some recovery was made during the French intervention in the American Revolution, with Saint Lucia being returned to France by the Treaty of Paris in 1783, but not nearly as much as had been hoped for at the time of French intervention. True disaster came to what remained of France's colonial empire in 1791 when Saint Domingue, France's richest and most important colony, was riven by a massive slave revolt, caused partly by the divisions among the islands elite resulting from the French Revolution of 1789. The slaves, led eventually by Toussaint l'Ouverture and then, following his capture by the French in 1801, by Jean-Jacques Dessalines, held their own against French, Spanish, and British opponents, and ultimately achieved independence as Haiti in 1804. In the meanwhile, the newly resumed war with Britain resulted in British capture of practically all remaining French colonies. These were restored at the Peace of Amiens in 1802, but when war resumed in 1803, the British soon recaptured them. France's repurchase of Louisiana in 1800 came to nothing, as the final success of the Haitian revolt convinced Bonaparte that holding it would not be worth the cost, leading to its sale to the United States in 1803 (the Louisiana Purchase). Nor was the French attempt to establish a colony in Egypt in 1798–1801 successful. Painting by Benjamin West depicting John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... 1791 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The word slave has at least two meanings: People who are owned by others, and live to serve them without pay. ... The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... François-Dominique Toussaint LOuverture, also Toussaint-Louverture (1743 - April 7, 1803) was one of the leaders of the Haitian slave revolt of 1791 and a major figure in the struggles that followed. ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jean-Jacques Dessalines (September 20, 1758 - October 17, 1806) was a leader of the Haitian slave rebellion and an Emperor of Haiti (1804 - 1806 under the name of Jacques I). ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Treaty of Amiens was signed on March 25, 1802 (Germinal 4, year X in the French Revolutionary Calendar) by Joseph Bonaparte and the Marquis Cornwallis as a Definitive Treaty of Peace between France and Britain. ... 1802 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

The second French colonial empire

At the close of the Napoleonic Wars, most of France's colonies were restored to it by Britain, notably Guadeloupe and Martinique in the West Indies, French Guiana on the coast of South America, various trading posts in Senegal, the Île de Bourbon (Réunion) in the Indian Ocean, and France's tiny Indian possessions. Britain finally annexed Saint Lucia, Tobago, the Seychelles, and the Île Royale (Mauritius), however. Tobago is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, part of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago. ...

The true beginnings of the second French colonial empire, however, were laid in 1830 with the French invasion of Algeria, which was conquered over the next 17 years (see French rule in Algeria). During the time of Napoleon III, an attempt was made to establish a colonial-type protectorate in Mexico, but this came to little, and the French were forced to abandon the experiment after the end of the American Civil War. Napoleon also established French control over Cochin-China (the southernmost part of modern Vietnam, including Saigon), as well as a protectorate over Cambodia. 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... French rule in Algeria, 1830–1962 Most of Frances actions in Algeria, not least the invasion of Algiers, were propelled by contradictory impulses. ... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell See The Protectorate. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... Cochin China (also known as Cochinchina or in French, Cochinchine) was the southernmost part of Vietnam beside Cambodia. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam and, as Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn), was the capital of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1976. ...

It was only after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 that most of France's later colonial possessions were acquired. From their base in Cochin-China, the French took over Tonkin and Annam (in modern Vietnam) in 1883. These, together with Cambodia and Cochin-China, formed French Indochina (to which Laos was added in 1893 and Kwang-Chou-Wan in 1900). In 1849, French concession in Shanghai was established, which existed until 1946. The French also expanded their influence in North Africa, establishing a protectorate on Tunisia in 1881. Gradually, French control was established over much of Northern, Western, and Central Africa by the turn of the century (including the modern nations of Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo), as well as the east African coastal enclave of Djibouti (French Somaliland). In 1911, Morocco became a protectorate. The Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870 – May 10, 1871) was fought between France and Prussia (backed by the North German Confederation) allied with the south German states of Baden, Bavaria and Württemberg. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Tonkin, also spelled Tongkin or Tongking, is the northernmost part of Vietnam, south of Chinas Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, east of northern Laos, and west of the Gulf of Tonkin. ... Annam is also the name of the Father of all Giants, according to the mythology of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. ... 1883 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Indochina, or French Indochina, was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in south-east Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... Kwang-Chou-Wan was a small enclave of France on the south coast of China. ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: ; Shanghainese IPA: ) is Chinas largest city and is situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta. ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Côte dIvoire (often called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. ... The Republic of Djibouti (جيبوتي) is a country in eastern Africa, located in the Horn of Africa. ... A database query syntax error has occurred. ...

The French made their last major colonial gains after the First World War, when they gained mandates over the former Turkish territories that make up what is now Syria and Lebanon, as well as most of the former German colonies of Togo and Cameroon. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Collapse of the empire

The French colonial empire began to fall apart during the Second World War, when various parts of their empire were occupied by foreign powers (Japan in Indochina, Britain in Syria and Lebanon, the US and Britain in Morocco and Algeria, Germany in Tunisia). Although France's colonies were restored in 1945, France had almost immediately to engage in suppressing a bitter independence struggle in Indochina. When this ended with French defeat and withdrawal in 1954, the French almost immediately became involved in a new, and even harsher conflict in their oldest major colony, Algeria (see Algerian War of Independence, Nationalism and resistance in Algeria). Algeria was particularly problematic due to the large number of European settlers (or pied-noir) who had settled there in the century and a quarter of French rule; in addition, a sizeable Jewish community feared that independence would expose them to retribution by the Muslim majority. Charles de Gaulle's accession to power in 1958 ultimately led to independence for Algeria in 1962. Most of the other French African colonies had already been granted independence in 1960, following local referendums. Some colonies chose instead to remain part of France, under the statuses of oversea département or oversea territory. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Algerian War of Independence ( 1954– 62) was a period of guerrilla strikes, maquis fighting, terrorism against civilians on both sides, and riots between the French army and colonists in Algeria and the FLN (Front de Libération Nationale) and other pro-independence Algerians. ... Algerian Nationalism A new generation of Muslim leadership emerged in Algeria at the time of World War I and grew to maturity during the 1920s and 1930s. ... Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (November 22, 1890 – November 9, 1970), in France commonly referred to as général de Gaulle, was a French military leader and statesman. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

After independence, some of France's former colonies continued to participate in the French Union, and later in the French Community, nurturing to varying extents political, economic and cultural ties with their former colonial power. Established by the French constitution of October 27, 1946, the French Union (French: Union Française) was a political entity created to replace the old French colonial system, the French Empire (Empire français). ...

Extent of the French colonial empires

Here is a list of all the countries that were part of the French colonial empires in the last 500 years, either entirely or in part. When only a part of the country was under French sovereignty, that part is listed in parenthesis after the country. When there are no parenthesis, it means the whole country was formerly part of any of the French colonial empires. Countries listed here are those where French sovereignty applied effectively. Areas that were only claimed but not effectively controlled (such as Manhattan or Western Australia) are not listed. Manhattan is an island bordering the lower Hudson River. ... Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) (not included on official coat of arms) Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Governor HE Lieutenant General John Sanderson Premier Dr Geoff Gallop (ALP) Area 2,645,615 km² (1st) - Land 2,529,875 km² - Water 115,740 km² (4. ...

"1st" means the country/territory was part of the first French colonial empire. "2nd" means the country/territory was part of the second French colonial empire. "Now" means this is a territory still part of the French Republic today.

North America

Canada (most of eastern and central Canada) -- 1st
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon -- 1st, 2nd, & now
United States (entire basin of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, Great Lakes) -- 1st

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon ( French Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge 16,200 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... The Missouri River and its tributaries N.P. Dodge Park, Omaha, Nebraska Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River in South Dakota The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ...

Caribbean

Anguilla (briefly) -- 1st
Antigua and Barbuda (briefly) -- 1st
Dominica -- 1st
Dominican Republic -- 1st
Grenada -- 1st
Guadeloupe -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Haiti -- 1st
Martinique -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Montserrat (briefly) -- 1st
Saint Martin (northern half only) -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Saint-Barthélemy -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Saint Lucia -- 1st
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -- 1st
Sint Eustatius (briefly) -- 1st
St Kitts and Nevis (St Kitts, but not Nevis) -- 1st
Trinidad and Tobago (Tobago only) -- 1st
US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix only) -- 1st

St. ... St. ... Map showing location of Sint Eustatius relative to Saba and Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Sint Eustatius (also Saint Eustace and Statia), pop. ... Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island nation in the Caribbean. ... Nevis is an island in the Caribbean, whose name is derived from an original Spanish name given by Christopher Columbus. ... Tobago is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, part of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago. ... A separate article treats the several rivers known as the St. ...

South America

Brazil (Rio de Janeiro briefly, and São Luís briefly) -- 1st

(see France Antarctique and France Équinoxiale) Ipanema beach A NASA satellite image of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (meaning River of January in Portuguese) is the name of both a state and a city in southeastern Brazil. ... São Luís is the capital of the state of Maranhão, Brazil. ... France Antarctique was the failed French colony south of the Equator, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1555 and 1567. ... Equinoxial France was the contemporary name given to the colonization efforts of France in the 17th century in South America, around the line of Equator, before tropical had fully gained its modern meaning: Equinoctial means in Latin of equal nights, i. ...

French Guiana -- 1st, 2nd, & now

North Africa

Morocco (89% of Morocco) -- 2nd
Algeria -- 2nd
Tunisia -- 2nd

Sub-saharan Africa

Benin -- 2nd
Burkina Faso -- 2nd
Cameroon (91% of Cameroon) -- 2nd
Central African Republic -- 2nd
Chad -- 2nd
Republic of the Congo -- 2nd
Gabon -- 2nd
Guinea -- 2nd
Ivory Coast -- 2nd
Mali -- 2nd
Mauritania -- 2nd
Niger -- 2nd
Senegal -- 1st & 2nd
Togo -- 2nd

Côte dIvoire (often called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. ...

Red Sea

Djibouti -- 2nd
Yemen (Cheik-Saïd peninsula) -- 2nd

Indian Ocean

Comoros -- 2nd
Madagascar -- 2nd
Mauritius -- 1st
Mayotte - 2nd & now
Réunion -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean - 2nd & now
Seychelles -- 1st
Tanzania (Zanzibar, briefly) -- 2nd

Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. ... The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (in French Îles éparses de locéan indien) are five islands of the Indian Ocean with no permanent population, Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin. ... Map of Zanzibars main island Zanzibar, Tanzania, comprises a pair of islands off the east coast of Africa called Zanzibar (Unguja) (1994 est. ...

Middle East

Lebanon -- 2nd
Syria -- 2nd
Turkey (Sanjak of Alexandretta, now called Hatay province) -- 2nd

Hatay is a province of southern Turkey, situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and Syria to the south and east. ...

South Asia

India
- half of India -- 1st
- only Pondicherry, Karikal, Yanaon, Mahé, and Chandernagore -- 2nd

Pondicherry (पॉंडिचेरी in Hindi), currently undergoing a name change to Puduchery, is the name of a union territory and its capital in the south of India. ... Categories: India geography stubs | Pondicherry | Cities and towns in India ... Yanam or Yanaon is a district of the Union territory of Pondicherry and a town in that district. ... Mahé, also known as Mayyazhi, is a former French colony in India. ... Chandannagar, formerly known as Chandernagore or Chandernagar, is a city in India. ...

East Asia

Cambodia - 2nd
China
- Kwang-Chou-Wan (廣州灣) leased territory, now the city of Zhanjiang (Guangdong province) -- 2nd
- French settlements (concessions) in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and Hankou -- 2nd
- French zone of influence officially recognized by China over the provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan, and Guangdong -- 2nd
Laos - 2nd
Vietnam - 2nd

Kwang-Chou-Wan was a small enclave of France on the south coast of China. ... Zhanjiang (湛江) is a city in Guangdong province, in southeast China. ... Guangdong (Simplified Chinese: 广东; Traditional Chinese: 廣東; pinyin: Guǎngdōng; Wade-Giles: Kuang-tung; Kwangtung in older transliteration; Cantonese: gwong2 dung1), is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: ; Shanghainese IPA: ) is Chinas largest city and is situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta. ... Location within China CITIC Plaza Guangzhou fireworks display at night Guangzhou (Simplified Chinese: 广州; Traditional Chinese: 廣州; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kuang-chou; Jyutping: Gwong2zau1; Yale: Gwóngjaū) is the capital of the Guangdong Province in southern China. ... Location within China Tianjin (Chinese: 天津; pinyin: ; Postal System Pinyin: Tientsin) is a harbour municipality in China on the Hai He River (from Beijing) and [[]] of the Yellow Sea (Pacific Ocean). ... Hankou (漢口; pinyin: Hànkǒu; Wade-Giles: Hankow) is one of the three towns, together with Wuchang and Hanyang, which are included in modern day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, in China. ... Yunnan (Simplified Chinese: 云南; Traditional Chinese: 雲南; pinyin: Yúnnán) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the far southwestern corner of the country. ... Guangxi (Simplified Chinese: 广西; Traditional Chinese: 廣西; pinyin: Guǎngxī; Wade-Giles: Kuang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kwangsi) is an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Not to be confused with the unrelated provinces of Henan and Hunan Hainan (海南; pinyin: Hǎinán) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located at the southern end of the country. ... Guangdong (Simplified Chinese: 广东; Traditional Chinese: 廣東; pinyin: Guǎngdōng; Wade-Giles: Kuang-tung; Kwangtung in older transliteration; Cantonese: gwong2 dung1), is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Oceania

Clipperton - 2nd & now
New Caledonia -- 2nd & now
French Polynesia -- 2nd & now
Vanuatu (condominium shared with the British Empire) -- 2nd
Wallis and Futuna -- 2nd & now

Clipperton Island (locally known as Île Clipperton and sometimes Île de la Passion) is an uninhabited seven-square-kilometer coral atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,300 km southwest of France administered from French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic; its defense is the responsibility of France. ... A database query syntax error has occurred. ...

Antarctic Ocean

French Southern and Antarctic Lands -- 2nd & now

Territories where French colonization was checked

These are countries or territories where France had many economic and political interests, but which she was prevented from incorporating into her colonial empire due to active British opposition.

Thailand
Egypt
Sudan
Ethiopia
Palestine
northern Iraq (oil fields of Mosul and Kirkuk)
Tangiers

The term Palestine may refer to: Palestine: A geographical region in the Middle East, centered on Jerusalem. ... Mosūl ( Kurdish: Mûsil, Arabic: موصل, al Mawsil) or Nineveh ( Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ) is a city in northern Iraq/Central Assyria. ... Kirkuk (كركوك) is an ancient city in Iraq, sitting near the Hasa River on the ruins of a 3,000-year-old settlement. ... Tangier (in Berber and Arabic Tanja, in Spanish Tánger and in French Tanger) is a city of northern Morocco with a population of 350,000, or 550,000 including suburbs. ...

External link

Threats to the national independence of Thailand (http://www.mfa.go.th/web/120.php), from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Categories: Colonialism | French history | Former French colonies A foreign minister is a cabinet minister that helps to form foreign policy for sovereign nations. ...

Results from FactBites:

French colonisation of the Americas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1029 words)
	The French were very interested in the fur trade, and purchased fur from and formed alliances with Native American tribes, such as the Huron and Ottawa.
	French Huguenots established self-governing colonies beyond the control of the French state: for example, Huguenot refugees founded New Paltz, New York in the 1660's, part of a large Huguenot migration to the nominally Dutch New Netherlands.
	The French were able to briefly regain some of their former possessions in North America from the Spanish in 1800, during the Napoleonic Era, under the Treaty of San Ildefonse.

More results at FactBites »

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