2. History
O In ancient times France was part of the
Celtic territory known as Gaul or Gallia. Its
present name is derived from the Latin
Francia, meaning "country of the Franks,"
a Germanic people who conquered the
area during the 5th century, at the time of
the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It
became a separate country in the 9th
century
3. O Since the 17th century, France has played
a major role in European and world
events. In the 20th century, it has
experienced numerous crises, including
the devastation of two world wars, political
and social upheavals, and the loss of a
large empire in Indochina, Algeria, and
West and Equatorial Africa. It
has, however, survived and emerged from
the ruins of World War II to become an
important world supplier of agricultural
and industrial products and a major
partner in the EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
(EC, or Common Market).
4. O Today, the term metropolitan France refers to
the mainland departments and CORSICA, a
large island located in the Mediterranean Sea
off the coast of Italy that has been a part of
France since 1768. France has six overseas
departments: FRENCH GUIANA in South
America; GUADELOUPE and MARTINIQUE
in the West Indies; MAYOTTE, an island
formerly part of the Comoros, located in the
Indian Ocean; REUNION, an island in the
Indian Ocean; and SAINT PIERRE AND
MIQUELON, islands off the east coast of
Canada. In addition, France has numerous
small possessions called overseas territories.
These include a group of widely scattered
islands in the South Pacific
5. O which are administered from Tahiti and
are known collectively as FRENCH
POLYNESIA; FRENCH SOUTHERN AND
ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES; NEW
CALEDONIA and WALLIS AND FUTUNA
ISLANDS; and many small islands in the
southern oceans, including the Kerguelen
and Crozet archipelagos and the islands
of St. Paul and Amsterdam (Indian
Ocean). The overseas departments and
territories are represented in the French
National Assembly.
6. Culture
O The culture of France has evolved through
various centuries, and what we see today, is
the amalgamation of the cultures of various
ancient civilizations. These include the
Greeks, Celtics, Romans, etc. The culture of
this country is influenced by the neighboring
countries, and also by various historical
events that took place. France has in turn
contributed in the development of cultures of
other nations in the areas of fashion, modern
art and cinema.
7. Arts and Literature
O France is considered as the hub of arts and
literature
O The artistic side of the France can be seen in
paintings of the ancient as well as modern
times
O The artistic richness of France is exhibited in
various museums of France like
Louvre, Picasso and Osray Museum
8. Social Culture
O The France are quite liberal
O They are polite by nature and truly value
friendships and relationships
O People of France are quite stylish and
fashionable
O People in France share a strong cultural
identity
9. Cuisine
O France cheese and wines are popular all over
the world
O France cooking style and food has been
adopted by many Western countries
O The dishes and style of cooking are different
in different parts of the country
10. Economy
O France has the world's fifth largest
economy and second largest economy in
Europe.After the turn of the century in
France they wealth per adult grew very
strongy,in value between 2000 and 2007.
11. The sectors of the economy
O France they have the industry,the energy
,the agriculture,the tourism and the
weapons industry.
12. The Industry
O France are telecommunications(including
communication satellites),aerospace and
defense,ship building(naval and specialist
ships), pharmaceuticals,construction and
civil engineering, chemicals,textiles, and
automobilen production.Research and
development spending is also high in
France at 2.26% of GDP, the fourth
highest in the OECD
13. The Energy
O France is the world-leading country in
nuclear energy.So,nuclear waste is stored
on site at reprocessing facilities it's is a
power of country.France is the smallest
emitter of carbon dioxide among the
seven most industrialized countries in the
world.
14. (Energy continue)
The Agriculture France is the world's second largest
agricultural exporter ,they are agricultural producer and
European Union's leading agricultural power, accounting
for about one-third of all agricultural land within the EU.For
example the product is from the farmDairy
products, pork, poultry, and apple production are
concentrated in the western region.They got received too
much around €11 billion in EU subsidies.
15. The Tourism
O France is the world's most popular tourist
destination.France is home to cities of
much cultural interest (Paris being the
foremost), beaches and seaside resorts,
ski resorts, and rural regions that many
enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity.
France also attracts many religious
pilgrims to Lourdes, a town in the Hautes-
Pyrénées département, which hosts
several million visitors a year.
16. The Weapons industry
O French arms industry's main customer,for
whom they mainly build
warships,guns,nuclear weapons and
equipment.So,France is also the fourth
largest weapons exporter in the world they
is a manufacturers export great quantities
of weaponry to many counties for example
United Arab
Emirates, Brazil, Greece, India, Pakistan,
Taiwan, Singapore.
17. External trade
O France is the second-largest trading
nation in Europe (after Germany). Its
foreign trade balance for goods had been
in surplus.However, the French balance of
trade was hit by the economic
downturn, and went into the red.Trade
with European Union countries accounts
for 60% of French trade.
18. Holiday
O The French enjoy 11 national jours
feriés (holidays) annually. The civic calendar
was first instituted in 1582; Bastille Day was
incorporated in 1789, Armistice Day in
1918, Labor Day in 1935, and Victory Day in
1945. During the month of May, there is a
holiday nearly every week, so be prepared for
stores, banks and museums to shut their
doors for days at a time. It is a good idea to
call museums, restaurants and hotels in
advance to make sure they will be open.
19. O Trains and roads near major cities tend to get
busy around the national holidays. Not
coincidentally, this also happens to be the
time when service unions (such as
transporters, railroad workers, etc.) like to go
on strike – something of a tradition, in fact.
Travelers would do well to check
ahead, particularly when planning a trip for the
last week of June or first week of July!
20. O There are also many regional festivals
throughout France which are not included in
our calendar. ViaFrance hosts an excellent
site which lists fairs and festivals, traditional
ceremonies, as well as sporting
events, concerts, and trade shows for all
regions throughout France. Use the
interactive search form below to choose a
region and range of dates for a listing of
special events, to help plan your itinerary.
21. O Under the law, every French citizen is entitled
to 5 weeks of vacation. Most of the natives
take their summer vacations in July or
August, and many major businesses are then
closed. All of France takes to the
roads, railroads, boats, and airways.
Consequently, traveling in France during
August is generally not recommended for
foreigners.
22. Public Holidays
1 January New Year's Day (Jour de l'an)
1 May Labor Day (Fête du premier mai)
8 May WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire
1945; Fête du huitième mai)
14 July Bastille Day (Fête nationale)
15 August Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary (Assomption)
1 November All Saints Day (La Toussaint)
11 November Armistice Day (Jour d'armistice)
25 December Christmas Day (Noël)
26 December 2nd Day of Christmas (in Alsace and
Lorraine only)