France, officially the French Republic, is the biggest (by land area) and one of the most important countries in the European Union, of which it was one of the founders. It is located centrally in Western Europe. France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. France is also linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel. France, furthermore, comprises various overseas islands and territories located in other continents.

The French Republic is a democracy organised as a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is a highly developed country with the fifth-largest economy in the world and is, furthermore, the most visited country in the world, receiving over 79 million foreign tourists annually.

France is a founding member of the United Nations, and a member of the Francophonie, the G8, and the Latin Union. It is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and is an acknowledged nuclear power.

Inhabitants: 64,473,140
Area: 674,843 km2
Capital: Paris (2,153,600)
Languages: French
Religion: Mostly Catholic
GDP per capita: $30,100
Government: Unitary semi-presidential republic
Climate: Temperate, Mediterranean in the south-east