France, officially French Republic nation in western Europe,bounded on the north by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, and the North Sea;on the north-east by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany; on the east by Germany, Switzerland, and Italy; on the south-east by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by Spain; and on the west by the Bay of Biscay .France is around hexagonal in shape, with an extreme length from north to south of about 965 km (600 mi) and a maximum width of about 935 km (580 mi). The capital and largest city is Paris. The republic of France includes ten overseas possessions. These include the overseas departments of French Guiana, in South America; Martinique and Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean; and Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. Territorial collectivities and dependencies include St Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, the French Southern and Antarctic Territories, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. The total area of metropolitan France, which also includes the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, is 543,965 sq km (210,026 sq mi).

        Population
                58,317,450
                (1996 estimate)
        Population Density
                107 people/sq km
                (278 people/sq mi)
                (1996 estimate)
        Urban/Rural Breakdown
                74% Urban
                26% Rural
        Largest Cities
                Paris2,152,423
                Marseille   800,550
                Lyon   415,487
                (1990 census)
        Largest Metropolitan Areas
                Paris9,318,821
                Lyon1,262,223 
                Marseille1,230,936 
                (1990 census)
        Ethnic Groups
                94%French
                including Alsatians, Bretons, and other regional peoples
                6%Other
                including Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, Africans, and others
        Languages
        Official Language
                French
        Other Languages
                many regional dialects, including Alsatian,Breton,Basque,Provencal
        Religions
                90% Roman Catholicism
                10% Other
                including Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam