An Overview of France for Travelers

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During history, France has always played a critical part in Europe. From Art to Politics to Architecture, it is a fascinating place. Here is some background info to consider prior to your trip.

The official name of the country is the Republic. The French Republic covers an area of 220,668 square miles. That makes it the biggest country. The capital of France is Paris. Other cities of note include the city of Strasbourg, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Nice, Rennes, Lille and Bordeaux . In case you have ever observed the Tour de France, you know the terrain in France varies from majestic mountain peaks to flat plains to beautiful coast line across the western and southern borders of the country. This provides the country various conditions which range to downright hot at the beach locations like Nice.

Citizens of the Republic are designated together with the name French. The whole population exceeds 62.4 million with a solid annual growth rate of over 2 percent. Ethnicity is broken down since Celtic and Latin for strong influences of Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Sub-Saharan African, Indochinese and minorities. The strong minority base is because of the two facts, a lax immigration policy and the migration of peoples from former colonies of France throughout its imperial intervals.

Regardless of the immigrant influx as time passes, France is still a religious society. Over 90 percent of all French claim the Roman Catholic faith as their religion of choice. Muslim inhabitants sectors that are strong exist and are increasing through immigration. The official language of the country is French and it’s also the dominant language. The literacy rate for France is over 99 per cent, that makes sense given the compulsory schooling system.

It’s played a major part in background, as this overview of France demonstrates. That makes it a great travel destination since a lot of the country has historical significance, which you’ll be able to experience by just walking down the street.