France, officially French Republic (in French, République Française), country in western Europe, bounded on the north by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, and the North Sea (which separate it from Great Britain); 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 (an arm of the Atlantic Ocean). France is approximately 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