The borders of modern France closely align with those of the ancient territory of Gaul, inhabited by Celts known as Gauls. Gaul was conquered by the Romans in the first century BC, and the Gauls eventually adopted Romance speech and culture. Christianity also took root in the second and third centuries AD. Gaul's eastern frontiers along the Rhine were overrun by Germanic tribes in the fourth century AD, principally the Franks, from whom the ancient name of "Francie" derived. The modern name "France" derives from the name of the feudal domain of the Capetian Kings of France around Paris. Existence as a separate entity begins with the division, in 843, of Charlemagne's Frankish empire into eastern, central and western parts. The eastern part (which would soon unite with the central portion as the Holy Roman Empire) can be regarded as the beginnings of what is now Germany, the western part that of France. Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (from Latin Gallia, c. ... A Celtic cross. ... The Romance languages, also called Romanic languages or New Latin languages, are a subset of the Italic languages, specifically the descendants of the Latin dialects spoken by the common people in what is known as Latin Europe (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish/Catalan Europa latina, French Europe latine, Romanian Europa latină) as... This article should be merged with: History of Christianity Christianity developed in a world of highly syncretistic religion; Alexander the Great and thereby Hellenic culture had overrun much of the civilised Near Eastern world and influenced many local religions. ... The Rhine canyon (Ruinaulta) in Graubünden in Switzerland Length 1,320 km Elevation of the source Vorderrhein: approx. ... The term Germanic tribes applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... The Franks or the Frankish people were one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm (sometimes referred to as Francia) in an area that covers most of modern-day France and the region of Franconia in Germany... The direct Capetian Dynasty followed the Carolingian rulers of France from 987 to 1328. ... Charlemagne is also the name of a column in The Economist on European affairs. ... The Franks or the Frankish people were one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm (sometimes referred to as Francia) in an area that covers most of modern-day France and the region of Franconia in Germany... This page is about the Germanic empire. ...

Field of sunflowers in France

Charlemagne's descendants ruled France until 987, when Hugh Capet, Duke of France and Count of Paris, was crowned King of France. His descendants (which formed the Capetian, Valois and Bourbon dynasties) ruled France until 1792, when the French Revolution established a republic (see also First Republic), in a period of increasingly radical change that began in 1789. Download high resolution version (1024x362, 129 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x362, 129 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Hugh Capet (French: Hugues Capet) (938 – October 24, 996) was King of France from 987 to 996. ... The direct Capetian Dynasty followed the Carolingian rulers of France from 987 to 1328. ... The Valois Dynasty succeeded the Capetian Dynasty as rulers of France from 1328-1589. ... It has been suggested that France: Wars of Religion - Bourbon Dynasty be merged into this article or section. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism overthrew the absolute monarchy in France, and the French portion of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the consent of the people living in that state or country. ... The French people proclaimed Frances First Republic on 21 September 1792 as a result of the French Revolution and of the abolition of the French monarchy. ...

Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the republic in 1799, making himself First Consul. His armies engaged in several wars across Europe, conquered many countries and established new kingdoms with Napoleon's family members at the helm. Following his defeat in 1815, the French monarchy was re-established, which was then legislatively abolished and followed by a Second Republic in 1848. The Second Republic ended when the late Emperor's nephew, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was elected President and proclaimed a Second Empire in 1852. Less ambitious than his uncle, the second Napoleon was also ultimately unseated following a disastrous war with Prussia in 1870, and republican rule returned for a third time in the Third Republic (1870). Napoleon I of France, by Jacques-Louis David. ... The French Second Republic (often simply Second Republic) was the republican regime of France from February 25, 1848 to December 2, 1852. ... Napoleon III of France Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (20 April 1808, Paris, France - 9 January 1873, Chislehurst, Kent, England) was a President of France, and later, Emperor of the French. ... The Second French Empire or Second Empire was the imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France. ... A map of France under the Third Republic, featuring colonies. ...

Although ultimately a victor in both World War I and World War II, France - much like Britain - suffered extensive losses in its empire, comparative economic status, working population, and status as a dominant nation-state. After World War II, the Fourth Republic was established. In 1958, it devised a semi-presidential democracy (known as the Fifth Republic) that has not succumbed to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more parliamentary regimes. World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the... The Fourth Republic existed in France between 1946 and 1958. ... The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on October 5, 1958. ...

In recent decades, France's reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the political and economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of the Euro in January 1999. World map showing Europe (geographically) When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... The euro (€; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, collectively known as the Eurozone. ...

France has been at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defence and security apparatus. However its population voted against ratification of the European Constitutional Treaty in May 2005. The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ... 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in May May 26: Eddie Albert May 25: Ismail Merchant May 25: Sunil Dutt May 25: Graham Kennedy May 22: Thurl Ravenscroft May 21: Howard Morris May 21: Subodh Mukherjee May 21: Stephen Elliott May 20...

It is also one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and holds nuclear weapons. UN Security Council chamber in New York The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... France is said to have an arsenal of 350 nuclear weapons stockpiled as of 2002 [1]. The weapons are part of the national Force de frappe. ...

Government and Politics

Main articles: Government of France, Politics of France

Symbol of the French government

The constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to Parliament. Symbol of the French government In its Constitution, France declares itself to be an indivisible, laïque (roughly secular), democratic, and social republic. ... // French politics under the Fifth Republic After Charles de Gaulle had the constitution of the French Fifth Republic adopted in 1958, France was ruled by successive right-wing administrations until 1981. ... Image File history File links The official emblem of the Government of the French Republic. ... Image File history File links The official emblem of the Government of the French Republic. ... The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on October 5, 1958. ... 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. ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Symbol of the French government In its Constitution, France declares itself to be an indivisible, laïque (roughly secular), democratic, and social republic. ...

Under the constitution of France, the President of France is elected directly by the public for a 5-year (originally 7-year) term. Presidential arbitration assures regular functioning of the public powers and the continuity of the state. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties. The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958, and has been amended 17 times, most recently on March 28, 2003. ... French_Government The President of the French Republic (French: Président de la République française) colloquially referred to as President of France, is Frances elected Head of State and also the ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. ...

The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) is the principal legislative body. Its deputies are directly elected to 5-year terms, and all seats are voted on in each election. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 6-year terms, and one half of the Senate is renewed every 3 years starting in 2007.^[4] The Senate's legislative powers are limited; the National Assembly has the last word in the event of a disagreement between the two houses, except for constitutional laws (amendments to the constitution & "lois organiques"). The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament. The Palais Bourbon, front The French National Assembly (French: Assemblée nationale) is one of the two houses of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

French politics, for the past 30 years, have been characterised by the opposition of two political groups: one left-wing, centred around the French Socialist Party, and one right-wing, centred around the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR), then its successor the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP). The Front National nationalist / hard right party, seizing on voters' growing concerns of their country's perceived decline, as well as 'national dissolution' brought about by immigration and globalisation, and advocating tougher law-and-order and immigration policies, has made inroads since the early 1980s, but has lately remained stable at around 16% of the votes. In politics, left-wing or leftism are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word), or with opposition to right-wing politics. ... The Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste or PS), founded in 1969, is the main opposition party in France. ... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the Right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... The Rally for the Republic, also known by its French acronym RPR (Rassemblement pour la République), was a French political party. ... The Union for a Popular Movement, initially named the Union for a Presidential Majority, and in both cases also known by its French acronym UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire and Union pour la Majorité Présidentielle, respectively) is a French right-wing, conservative political party. ... This article is about the French political party, not the WWII French resistance movement Front National. ...

See also:

• Constitution of France
• President of France
• List of Prime Ministers of France
• List of Foreign Ministers of France
• Foreign relations of France

The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958, and has been amended 17 times, most recently on March 28, 2003. ... The President of France, known officially as the President of the Republic (Président de la République in French), is Frances elected Head of State. ... This page is a list of French prime ministers. ... In 1589, the four French Secretaries of State became specialized, with one of the secretaries responsible for foreign affairs. ... A charter member of the United Nations, France holds one of the permanent seats in the Security Council and is a member of most of its specialized and related agencies. ...

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of France

France's founding membership in the European Union has largely defined France's foreign policy. On May 29, 2005 the French rejected the referendum to decide whether their country should ratify the proposed Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe with approximately 55% voting no. The outcome of the vote was widely regarded as crucial for the future development of the EU, as well as for France's ability to retain its position of leadership in Europe. The French Republic is furthermore a member of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), and an associate member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). France is also a leading member of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) which gathers 51 fully or partly French-speaking countries. A charter member of the United Nations, France holds one of the permanent seats in the Security Council and is a member of most of its specialized and related agencies. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... On 29 May 2005 a referendum was held in France to decide whether the country should ratify the proposed Constitution of the European Union. ... The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ... Flag of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community The Secretariat of the Pacific Community or SPC is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations and territories. ... The Indian Ocean Commission (COI), known as the Commission de lOcéan Indien in French, is an intergovernmental organization that joins France, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles together to encourage cooperation. ... The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) (Also called the Asociacion de Estados del Caribe or Association des Etats de la Caraibe) was formed with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation, and concerted action among all the countries of the Caribbean, comprising of 25 member states and 3 associate members. ... The Francophonie flag, symbolising the five continents, was adopted in 1987 on Nigers suggestion. ...

France hosts the headquarters of the OECD and UNESCO, as well as those of the International Bureau for Weights and Measures in charge of the international metric system, and Interpol. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. ... UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. ... The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (International Bureau of Weights and Measures, or BIPM) is a standards organization, one of the three organizations established to maintain the SI system under the terms of the Metre Convention. ... The International System of Units (abbreviated SI from the French phrase, Système International dUnités) is the most widely used system of units. ... Interpol logo Interpol, more correctly the International Criminal Police Organization – Interpol (ICPO-Interpol), was created in 1923 to assist international criminal police co-operation. ...

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of France

France has 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech), 4 are overseas. The régions are further subdivided into 100 départements. The departments are numbered (mainly alphabetically) and this number is used, for instance, in postal codes and vehicle number plates. Metropolitan (i. ... France is divided into 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common... 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 (la France doutre-mer, or... This article is about the Mediterranean island. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² President of the Executive Council Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population   - Jan. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ...

The departments are further subdivided into 342 arrondissements, but they have no elected assembly and serve only for the districting of state administrations. The arrondissements are further divided into 4,035 cantons, but again these serve only administrative and electoral purposes. Finally, the arrondissements are divided into 36,682 communes, which are all municipalities with an elected assembly (municipal council). The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The commune (in French: commune, word appeared in the 12th century, from Medieval Latin communia, gathering of people sharing a common life, from Latin communis, things held in common) is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ...

The régions, départements, and communes are known as territorial collectivities (collectivités territoriales), and they possess local assemblies as well as an executive, while the arrondissements and the cantons are mere administrative divisions. Until 1940, the arrondissements were also territorial collectivities with an elected assembly (arrondissement council), but these were suspended by the Vichy regime and definitely abolished by the Fourth Republic in 1946. Anciently, the cantons were also territorial collectivities with each their own elected assembly. Presidential flag of Vichy France Vichy France, or the Vichy regime (in French, now called: Régime de Vichy or Vichy; at the time, called itself: État Français, or French State) was the de facto French government of 1940-1944 during the Nazi Germany occupation of World War II... The Fourth Republic existed in France between 1946 and 1958. ...

Four of these 100 départements are overseas départements, which are former colonies outside metropolitan France that now enjoy a status similar to European or metropolitan France. They are considered to be a part of France (and the EU) rather than dependent territories, and each of them is an overseas région at the same time. 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 (la France doutre-mer, or...

In addition to the 26 régions and 100 départements, the French Republic is further made up of overseas territories, overseas countries, overseas "départements", and overseas collectivities.

Overseas territories and countries form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the Republic's European territory or the EU fiscal area. The Pacific ocean territories continue to use the French Pacific Franc as their currency, which was not replaced by the euro like the French franc was in 2002. The French Pacific Franc's value is, however, now tied to that of the euro. The overseas "départements", on the other hand, used the French franc and now use the euro. The CFP franc (in French: franc Pacifique or franc CFP ; CFP stood for Colonies françaises du Pacifique (i. ... The euro (€; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, collectively known as the Eurozone. ...

The departmental and overseas collectivities have an intermediate status between overseas départements and overseas territories.

France also maintains control over a number of small non permanently inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island. See Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Indian Ocean Islands The following islands are in the Indian Ocean Réunion - (Overseas department and region) Mayotte - (Overseas collectivity entitled departmental collectivity) Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (all five have no permanent population) Bassas da India Europa Island Glorioso Islands Juan de Nova Island Tromelin Island French Southern...

Economy

Main article: Economy of France

France's economy combines extensive private enterprise (nearly 2.5 million companies registered) with substantial (though declining) government intervention (see dirigisme). The government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors, with majority ownership of railway, electricity, aircraft, and telecommunication firms. It has been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s. The government is slowly selling off holdings in France Télécom, Air France, as well as the insurance, banking, and defence industries. With a GDP of 1. ... Dirigisme (from the French) is an economic term designating an economy where the government exerts strong directive influence. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... France Télécom (outside of France often spelled France Telecom, without the accents) is the main telecommunication company in France. ... Air France Boeing 747 Air France (Compagnie Nationale Air France) is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM. Before the take-over of KLM, it was essentially the national airline of France, employing 71,654 people (at January 2005). ...

A member of the G8 group of leading industrialised countries, it ranked as the fifth-largest economy in the world in 2004, behind the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. France joined 10 other EU members to launch the Euro on January 1, 1999, with euro coins and banknotes completely replacing the French franc in early 2002. G8 countries. ... The euro (€; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, collectively known as the Eurozone. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The euro (EUR or €) is the currency of 12 European Union (EU) member states: (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain); four European micro-states: (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Holy See - Vatican City), Montenegro and Kosovo, as well as EU institutions. ... The euro symbol The euro (EUR or €) is the single currency for many countries within the European Union. ...

According to the OECD, in 2004 France was the world's fifth-largest exporter of manufactured goods, behind the United States, Germany, Japan, and China, (but ahead of the United Kingdom). It was also the fourth-largest importer of manufactured goods (behind the United States, Germany, and China, but ahead of the United Kingdom and Japan). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. ...

Yet according to the OECD, in 2003 France was the OECD country that received the most foreign direct investment (Luxembourg excepted, where foreign direct investment was mostly monetary transfers to banks located in that country). With 47 billion USD of foreign direct investments, France ranked above the United States (39.9 billion USD of FDI received), the United Kingdom (14.6 billion USD of FDI received), Germany (12.9 billion USD of FDI received), or Japan (6.3 billion USD of FDI received). Foreign direct investment (FDI) is the movement of capital across national frontiers in a manner that grants the investor control over the acquired asset. ...

At the same time, French companies invested 57.3 billion USD outside of France, ranking France as the second most important outward direct investor in the OECD, behind the United States (173.8 billion USD of outward FDI), but ahead of the United Kingdom (55.3 billion USD of outward FDI), Japan (28.8 billion USD of outward FDI), or Germany (2.6 billion USD of outward FDI).

France is also the second most productive country in the OECD (excluding Norway and Luxembourg where productivity data are inflated by oil revenues in Norway, and by investments in off-shore banks in Luxembourg). In 2003, the GDP per hour worked in France was 47.2 USD, ranking France behind Belgium (48 USD per hour worked), but above the United States (43.5 USD per hour worked), Germany (40.6 USD per hour worked), the United Kingdom (37.7 USD per hour worked), or Japan (30.9 USD per hour worked).

Despite a higher productivity than in the US, France's GDP per capita is significantly lower than the US GDP per capita, being in fact comparable to the GDP per capita of the other European countries, which is on average 30% below US level. The reason for this is because a much smaller percentage of the French population is working compared to the US, which sinks the GDP per capita of France, despite its high productivity. In fact, France has one of the lowest percentage of its population at work among the OECD countries. In 2003, 41.5% of the French population was working, compared to 50.7% in the US, and 47.3% in the UK. This phenomenon is the result of almost thirty years of massive unemployment in France, which has led to three consequences reducing the size of the working population: about 10% of the active population is without a job; students delay as long as possible their entry into labour market; and finally the French government gives various incentives to workers to retire in their early 50s, though these are now receding.

As many economists have stressed repeatedly over the years, the main issue with the French economy is not an issue of productivity. In their opinion, it is an issue of structural reforms, in order to increase the size of the working population in the overall population. Liberal and Keynesian economists have different answers to that issue. The liberal theory of economics is the theory of economics described by classical liberal authors such as Adam Smith or the French Physiocrats. ... Keynesian economics (pronounced kaynzian) or Keynesianism, is an economic theory based on the ideas of John Maynard Keynes, as put forward in his book The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, published in 1936 in response to the Great Depression of the 1930s. ...

With over 75 million tourists in 2003, France is ranked as the first tourist destination in the world, ahead of Spain (52.5 million) and the United States (40.4 million). It features cities of high cultural interest (Paris being the foremost), beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). The World Tourism Organization compiles the World Tourism Rankings. ... A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ...

France has an important aerospace industry led by Airbus and is the only European power to have its own national spaceport (Centre Spatial Guyanais). France is also the most energy independent Western country due to heavy investment in nuclear power, which also makes France the smallest producer of carbon dioxide among the seven most industrialised countries in the world. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and EU subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Europe. Airbus S.A.S. better known as simply Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, is the worlds largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. ... A spaceport is a site for launching spacecraft, by analogy with airport for aircraft. ... The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre Spatial Guyanais) is a French/European spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. ... Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured at Mauna Loa. ...

Since the end of the Second World War the government made efforts to integrate more and more with Germany, both economically and politically. Today the two countries form what is often referred to as the "core" countries in favour of greater integration of the European Union.

See also: List of French companies This is a list of companies from France. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of France

Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions. Four basic European ethnic stocks - Celtic (Gallic and Breton), Aquitanian (Basque related), Latin, and Germanic (Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians, Vikings) - have blended over the centuries to make up its present population. Besides these "historic" populations, new populations have migrated to France since the 19th century: Belgians, Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Poles, Armenians, Jews from Eastern Europe and the Maghreb, Arabs and Berbers from the Maghreb, Black Africans, and Chinese, to list only the most prominent. It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population descends from these different waves of migrations, making France the most ethnically diverse country of Europe, and quite comparable to the United States or Canada, despite the still popular stereotypes of France as an essentially Gallic country. Nevertheless, the immigrants from other European countries have an easier time blending in, while the 'non-European' groups tend to assimilate at a slower pace, because of racism and cultural differences. Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions. ...

Population

Starting with the 19th century, the historical evolution of the population in France has been extremely atypical in the Western World. Unlike the rest of Europe, France did not experience a strong population growth in the 19th century and first half of the 20th century. On the other hand, it experienced a much stronger growth in the second half of the 20th century than the rest of Europe or indeed its own growth in the previous centuries. The term Western World or the West can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ...

After 1974, France's population growth stalled, and reached its nadir in the 1990s with only 0.39% annual growth, being now more in tune with the rest of Europe, which has entered demographic decline. However, first results from the 2004 French census have greatly surprised demographers. The census revealed that population growth rebounded significantly after the 1999 census, something nobody had anticipated. Between 1999-2003, annual population growth was 0.58%. In 2004, population growth was 0.68%, almost reaching North American levels. 2004 was the year with the highest increase in French population since 1974. France is now well ahead of all other European countries (except for the Republic of Ireland). In 2003, France's natural population growth (excluding immigration) was responsible for almost all the natural growth in European population: the population of the European Union increased by 216,000 inhabitants (without immigration), of which 211,000 was the increase in France's population alone, and 5,000 was the increase in all the other countries of the EU combined. In 2004 the natural increase in France's population reached 256,000, but figures for other European countries are not available yet.

These unexpected results bear great consequences for the future. At the moment, France is the third most populous country of Europe, behind Russia and Germany. By 2050, demographers initially thought the population of metropolitan France would be 64 million inhabitants, but they now agree that their estimates were too conservative, being based on the 1990s growth rate of population. Demographers now estimate that by 2050 metropolitan France's population will be 75 million, at which time it will be the most populated country of the European Union, above Germany (71 million), the United Kingdom (59 million), and Italy (43 million). If these estimates become reality, it may fundamentally alter the balance of power in Brussels. It would be the first time since the 1860s that France is the largest Nation of Europe (Russia excluded). In mid-2004 the EU had 460 million inhabitants, 13.6% of whom were living in France (including overseas départements). By 2050 it is estimated that the population of the European Union (of the current 25 members) will have declined to 445 million inhabitants, of whom 17.5% will be living in France. Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the...

According to the UNHCR, the number of people seeking political asylum in France rose by around 3 % between 2003 and 2004, while in the same period, the number of asylum applications submitted in the United States fell by about 29 %. France thereby replaced the United States as the world's top destination for asylum-seekers in 2004. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (established December 14, 1950) protects and supports refugees at the request of a government or the United Nations and assists in their return or resettlement. ... Power lines leading to a trash dump hover just overhead in El Carpio, a Nicaraguan refugee camp in Costa Rica A refugee is a person seeking asylum in a foreign country in order to escape persecution. ...

Languages

The sole official language of France is French. However, several regional languages (including Alsatian, Basque, Breton, Caribbean Creole, Catalan, Corsican, Flemish, Franco-Provençal dialects, Gascon, Lorraine German dialect, Occitan, and some Oïl dialects - e.g., Picard) are also occasionally understood and spoken, mostly by elderly people, but the French government and public school system discouraged the use of any of them until recently. These historical regional languages have been known as patois, though this has been considered depreciative. They are now taught at some schools, though French remains the only official language in use by the government, local or national. Some languages spoken by immigrants are also frequently spoken, especially in large cities: Portuguese, Maghreb Arabic, several Berber languages, several languages of Sub-Saharan Africa, Turkish, several spoken variants of Chinese (most notably Wu, Cantonese, Min Nan, and Mandarin), Vietnamese, and Khmer are the most frequently spoken. There are a number of languages of France, although the French language is by far the most widely spoken and the only official language of the country. ... Alsatian can refer to: A person from Alsace, France The Alsatian language A German Shepherd Dog This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Breton (Brezhoneg) is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany in France. ... The term Creole is used with different meanings in different contexts, which can generate confusion. ... Catalan (Català) or Valencian (Valencià) is a Romance language understood by as many as 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of active Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... Corsican (Corsu or Lingua Corsa) is a Romance language spoken on the island of Corsica (France), alongside French, which is the official language. ... An official standard Flemish language as such does not exist: there are however variants of the Dutch language spoken in Belgium; and these are, mainly for political reasons, sometimes referred to as Flemish. One of these variants is the standard Dutch spoken in Belgium, which is slightly different from the... Franco-Provençal is a Romance language consisting of dialects that can be found in Italy (Valle dAosta, Piemonte, Calabria, Apulia), in Switzerland (cantons Fribourg, Valais, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Geneva, non-German speaking parts of Bern, but not Jura, where the dialects spoken are French) and in France (Dauphinois... The Gascon language is an Occitan dialect mostly spoken in Gascony (in the French départements of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Landes, Gers, Gironde, a part of Lot-et-Garonne, a part of Haute-Garonne, and a part of Ariège), and in the small Spanish... West Central German (Westmitteldeutsch) is a High German dialect family in the German language. ... OC redirects here. ... The langue doïl language family in linguistics comprises Romance languages originating in territories now occupied by northern France, part of Belgium and the Channel Islands. ... Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. ... Patois, although without a formal definition in linguistics, can be used to describe a language considered as nonstandard. ... Maghreb arabic is a dialect of Arabic spoken in the Maghreb, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. ... The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages spoken in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria. ... A satellite composite image of Africa showing the ecological break between North and Sub-Saharan regions Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa south of the Sahara Desert, is the term used to describe those countries of Africa that are not part of North Africa. ... Spoken Chinese The Chinese spoken language(s) comprise(s) many regional variants. ... Wu (吳方言 pinyin wú fāng yán; 吳語 pinyin wú yÇ”) is one of the major divisions of the Chinese language; linguistically, it is better classified as a Sinitic language. ... Cantonese (粵語/粤语, lit. ... Mǐn N n (Chinese: 閩南語), also spelt as Minnan or Min-nan; native name B ; literally means Southern Min or Southern Fujian and refers to the local language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China. ... Mandarin   listen[?](Traditional: 北方話, Simplified: 北方话, Hanyu Pinyin: BÄ›ifānghuà, lit. ... Khmer is one of the main Austroasiatic languages. ...

Statistics

At the 1999 census, INSEE sampled 380,000 adult people all across Metropolitan France, and asked them questions about their family situation. One of the questions was about the languages that their parents spoke with them before the age of 5. This is the first time serious statistics were computed about the proportion of mother tongues in France. The results were published in Enquête familiale, Insee, 1999. INSEE is the French abbreviation for the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (French: Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques). ... 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 (la France doutre-mer, or...

Here is a list of the nine most prominent mother tongues in France based on Enquête familiale. Before trying to use these data, or analyze them, readers should peruse the notes at the Languages of France article. Given the complex nature of the subject, misunderstandings and confusions are likely if these notes are not read. There are a number of languages of France, although the French language is by far the most widely spoken and the only official language of the country. ...

If we add up people with mother tongue and people with some exposure to the language before the age of 5, then the five most important languages in metropolitan France are (note that the percentages add up to more than 100, because many people are now counted twice): Subdivisions Central German Upper German High German (in German, Hochdeutsch) is any of several German dialects spoken in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Luxembourg (as well as in neighbouring portions of Belgium, France (Alsace), Italy, Poland, and Romania (Transylvania) and in some areas of former colonial settlement, for example in... This inscription in Alsatian on a window in Eguisheim, Alsace, reads: Dis Hausz sted in Godes Hand - God bewar es vor Feyru (This house is in the hands of God - May God protect it against fire) Alsatian (French Alsacien, German Elsässisch) is a Low Alemannic dialect spoken in Alsace... West Central German (Westmitteldeutsch) is a High German dialect family in the German language. ... Arabic (العربية al-arabiyyah, or less formally arabi) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Maghreb arabic is a dialect of Arabic spoken in the Maghreb, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. ... Occitan, or langue doc is a Romance language characterized by its richness, variability, and by the intelligibility of its dialects. ... Languedocien is a Romance language akin to Provençal spoken by some people in the part of southern France known as Languedoc. ... The Gascon language is an Occitan dialect mostly spoken in Gascony (in the French départements of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Landes, Gers, Gironde, a part of Lot-et-Garonne, a part of Haute-Garonne, and a part of Ariège), and in the small Spanish... Provençal (Prouvençau in Provençal language) is one of several dialects of the Romance language Occitan, which is spoken by a minority of people in southern France and other areas of France. ... The langue doïl language family in linguistics comprises Romance languages originating in territories now occupied by northern France, part of Belgium and the Channel Islands. ... Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. ... Gallo is a regional language of France, traditionally spoken in Eastern Brittany. ... Poitevin-Saintongeais is a language spoken by a minority of people in Poitou-Charentes. ... Breton (Brezhoneg) is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany in France. ... The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages spoken in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria. ... East Asian languages are languages particularly identified with extensive employment of Chinese characters instead of, for example, the Roman alphabet. ... Catalan (Català) or Valencian (Valencià) is a Romance language understood by as many as 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of active Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... Franco-Provençal is a Romance language consisting of dialects that can be found in Italy (Valle dAosta, Piemonte, Calabria, Apulia), in Switzerland (cantons Fribourg, Valais, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Geneva, non-German speaking parts of Bern, but not Jura, where the dialects spoken are French) and in France (Dauphinois... Corsican (Corsu or Lingua Corsa) is a Romance language spoken on the island of Corsica (France), alongside French, which is the official language. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

• French: 42,100,000 (92%)
• Oc languages: 1,670,000 (3.65%)
• German and German dialects: 1,440,000 (3.15%)
• Oïl languages: 1,420,000 (3.10%)
• Arabic: 1,170,000 (2.55%)

Cities

Metropolitan France's urban areas of more than 100,000 inhabitants

The principal cities by population include: Download high resolution version (2000x1796, 3778 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2000x1796, 3778 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 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 (la France doutre-mer, or...

Aix-en-Provence, Ajaccio, Albi, Amiens, Angers, Angouleme, Bastia, Belfort, Besançon, Bordeaux, Brest, Caen, Calais, Cannes, Carcassonne, Charleville-Mézières, Clermont-Ferrand, Colmar, Dijon, Dunkerque, Evreux, Grenoble, La Rochelle, Le Havre, Le Mans, Lille, Limoges, Lyon, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nîmes, Orléans, Paris, Perpignan, Poitiers, Quimper, Reims, Rennes, Roubaix, Rouen, Saint-Étienne, Saint-Nazaire, Strasbourg, Tarbes, Toulon, Toulouse, Tourcoing, Tours and Valence.

See also List of fifteen largest French metropolitan areas by population and List of towns in France. Aix (prounounced eks), or, to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, Aix-en-Provence is a city in southern France, some 30 km north of Marseille. ... Ajaccio ( Corsican: Aiacciu) is a city and commune of France, préfecture ( capital) of the département of Corse-du-Sud and, since 1810 capital of the région of Corsica. ... Location within France Albi is a city and commune in southern France. ... The cathedral in Amiens Location within France Amiens is a city and commune in the north of France, 120 km north of Paris. ... Location within France Angers is a city in France in the département of Maine-et-Loire, 191 miles south-west of Paris. ... Angoulême is a town in southwestern France, préfecture ( capital city) of the Charente département. ... Location within France The yacht harbour. ... Location within France Belfort is a town and commune of northeastern France, préfecture (capital) of the Territoire de Belfort département in the Franche-Comté région. ... Location within France Besançon is a French city in the département of Doubs, of which it is the préfecture. ... For the wine, see Bordeaux Wine City motto: Lilia sola regunt lunam undas castra leonem. ... Location within France Brest, at the tip of Brittany Brest (population of the city: 146,000 inhabitants as of 2004 estimates; population of the metropolitan area: 303,484 inhabitants as of 1999 census) is a city in the Bretagne région, north-west France, subprefecture of the Finistère d... Location within France Caen is a city and a commune of northwestern France. ... The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind Location within France Calais is a city in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Overview of Cannes from Le Suquet The seaside town of Cannes, in southern France, as seen from a ferry speeding towards lîle Saint Honorat Cannes (Canas in Provençal) (pronounced ) is a city and commune in southern France, located on the Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes département. ... The walled city of Carcassonne Location within France Carcassonne (Carcassona in Occitan) is a fortified French city, in the Aude département, of which it is the préfecture, in the former province of Languedoc. ... Location within France Charleville-Mézières is a town and commune in northeastern France, préfecture (capital) of the Ardennes département which is itself part of the Champagne-Ardenne région. ... Clermont-Ferrand is a city of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of approximately 140,000. ... Houses on a canal, Colmar Location within France Colmar is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin département of Alsace, France. ... Location within France Street in the centre of Dijon Dijon (   pronunciation?) is a city in eastern France, the préfecture (administrative capital) of the Côte-dOr département (county) and of the Bourgogne région. ... Location within France Dunkirk ( French: Dunkerque; Dutch: Duinkerke) is a harbour city and a commune in the northernmost part of France, in the département of Nord, 10 km from the Belgian border. ... Évreux is a commune of Normandy, France, in the Eure département, of which it is the préfecture (capital). ... View of Grenoble, 2002, with the snowy peaks of the Dauphiné Alps Location within France Grenoble (Occitan: Grasanòbol) is a city and commune in south-east France, situated at the foot of the Alps, at the confluence of the Drac into the Isère River. ... Location within France La Rochelle is a city or commune of western France, and a seaport on the Atlantic Ocean (population 76,584 in 1999). ... Le Havre is a city in Normandy, northern France, on the English Channel, at the mouth of the Seine. ... Le Mans is a city in France, located at the Sarthe River. ... City motto: – City proper (commune) Région Nord-Pas de Calais Département Nord (59) Mayor Martine Aubry (PS) (since 2001) Area 39. ... Location within France Limoges (Limòtges in Occitan) is a city and commune in France, the préfecture of the Haute-Vienne département, and the administrative capital of the Limousin région. ... City motto: Avant, avant, Lion le melhor. ... City motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. ... City motto: Si paix dedans, paix dehors (French: If peace inside, peace outside) City proper (commune) Région Lorraine Département Moselle (57) Mayor Jean-Marie Rausch Area 41. ... Location within France Montpellier (Occitan Montpelhièr) is a city in the south of France. ... Mulhouse (Mülhausen in German, Milhüsa in Alsatian) is a town and commune in eastern France. ... Place Stanislas - Fountain of Amphitrite Nancy (pronounced in French) is a city and commune which is the préfecture (capital) of the Meurthe-et-Moselle département, in the Lorraine région of northeastern France. ... City motto: Favet Neptunus eunti. ... City motto: Nicæa civitas. ... Location within France Nîmes is a city and commune of southern France, préfecture (capital) of the Gard département. ... Orleans cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Cross, built from 1278 to 1329; after being pillaged by Huguenots in the 1560s, the Bourbon kings restored it in the 17th century. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Location within France Perpignan (Catalan Perpinyà) is a commune and the préfecture (administrative capital city) of the Pyrénées-Orientales département in southern France, and was the capital of the former province of Roussillon (French Catalonia). ... Location within France Poitiers (population 85,000) is a small city located in west central France. ... Location within France Quimper (Kemper in Breton) is a commune of northwestern France. ... Location within France Reims (English traditionally Rheims) (pronounced in French) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. ... Location within France The Parlement de Bretagne (Parliament of Brittany), the most famous building in Rennes, was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1994. ... Location within France Roubaix is a city of northern France, in the Nord département, located near the cities of Lille and Tourcoing and the Belgian border. ... Location within France Rouen (pronounced in French, sometimes also ) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northern France, and presently the capital of the Upper Normandy région. ... Location within France Saint-Étienne is a city in the central eastern part of France, 60 km. ... Saint-Nazaire is also a commune of the Gard département of France. ... City motto: – City proper (commune) Région Alsace Département Bas-Rhin (67) Mayor Fabienne Keller (UMP) (since 2001) Area 78. ... Tarbes, Musée des Beaux-Arts Location within France Tarbes is a French city and commune, in the département of Hautes-Pyrénées, of which it is the préfecture. ... Location within France Coat of Arms of Toulon Toulon (Tolon in Provençal) is a city in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. ... The Capitole, the 18th century city hall of Toulouse and best known landmark in the city; in the foreground is the Place du Capitole, a hub of urban life at the very center of the city Toulouse (pronounced in standard French, in local Toulouse accent) (Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced ) is a... Location within France Tourcoing is a city and commune of northern France, in the Nord département, located near the cities of Lille and Roubaix and the Belgian border. ... Location within France Tours is a city in France, the préfecture (capital city) of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. ... Location within France Valence is a commune in south-eastern France, the capital of the département of Drôme, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, 65 miles south of Lyon on the railway to Marseille. ... In France an aire urbaine (literally: urban area) is roughly the equivalent of a US Metropolitan Statistical Area. ... This is a list of towns or cities in France. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of France

• Académie française
• French literature
• French art
• List of French people
• Cuisine of France
• Cinema of France
• Music of France
• Holidays in France

The culture of France is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the influence of recent immigration. ... The Académie française, or French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. ... French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak other traditional non-French languages. ... This entry concerns French artists working in visual or plastic media (plus, for some artists of the 20th century, performance art). Please go elsewhere for information on French literature, French music, French Cinema and French Culture. ... // Actors/actresses A Isabelle Adjani Renée Adorée Anouk Aimée Arletty Antonin Artaud Fanny Ardant Jeanne Aubert Jean-Pierre Aumont Claude Autant-Lara Daniel Auteuil Charles Aznavour B-C Brigitte Bardot Emmanuelle Béart Jean-Paul Belmondo Charles Berling Sarah Bernhardt Suzanne Bianchetti Juliette Binoche Bernard Blier Sandrine... French cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity. ... France has been influential in the development of film as a mass medium and as an art form. ... France has long been considered a centre for European art and music. ... Holidays in France: Note: Only labour day (May 1st) is a public holiday by statute. ...

Religion

Traditionally a predominantly Roman Catholic country, with anticlerical leanings, France is since the 1970s a very secular country. Freedom of religion is a constitutional right, as reflected by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The dominant concept of the relationships between the public sphere and religions is that of laïcité, which implies that the government does not intervene in religious dogma, and that religions should refrain from intervening in policy-making. Tensions occasionally erupt about the alleged or real behaviour of some part of the Muslim minority, or about alleged or real discrimination against that community; see Islam in France. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Anti-clericalism is a movement that opposes religious interference into public and political life and more generally the encroachment of religion in the citizens lives. ... Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Revolutionary patriotism borrows familiar iconography of the Ten Commandments The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (French: La Déclaration des droits de lhomme et du citoyen) is one of the fundamental documents of the... In France and some other French-speaking countries, laïcité (pronounced ) is a prevailing conception of the separation of church and state and the absence of religious interference into government affairs (and vice versa). ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) is an adherent of Islam. ... Islam is the second largest religion in France, with approximately 5 million adherents, after 45 million adherents to Catholicism, and before Protestantism (1 million), Buddhism (600 000), Judaism (525 000) and French Eastern Orthodoxy (150 000) (data: 2000-2003). ...

The government does not maintain statistics as to the religion of its inhabitants. Statistics from an unspecified source and date given in the CIA World Factbook gives the following number: Roman Catholic 83 to 88%, Muslim 5 to 10%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%. However, in a 2003 poll 41% said that the existence of God was "excluded" or "unlikely". 33% declared that "atheist" described them rather or very well, and 51% said they were "Christian". When questioned about their religion, 62% answered Roman Catholic, 6% Muslim, 2% Protestant, 1% Jewish, 2% "other religions" (except for Orthodox or Buddhist, which were negligible), 26% "no religion" and 1% declined to answer. A Gallup poll established that 15% of the French population attend places of worship. World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ...   Islam[?] (Arabic: الإسلام al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Judaism is the religious culture of the Jewish people. ... The term God is capitalized in the English language as a proper noun when used to refer to a specific monotheistic concept of a Supreme Being in accordance with Christian, Jewish (sometimes as G-d - cf. ... ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. Buddhism gradually spread from... See: Gallup poll (opinion poll) Gallup, New Mexico ...

Military

Main article: Military of France

The French armed forces are divided into four branches: // General