France

France is a country in western Europe. It shares borders with Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and a few smaller countries. To the west, it meets the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it touches the Mediterranean Sea. About 68 million people live in France today. Its capital and largest city is Paris.

The land in France is full of variety. In the southeast, the Alps rise up along the border with Italy. Mont Blanc, the tallest peak, reaches 15,774 feet. That is higher than any mountain in the lower 48 United States. The Pyrenees mountains run along the Spanish border in the south. Between the mountains lie wide plains, green river valleys, and long coastlines. The Loire, Seine, Rhône, and Garonne are the four biggest rivers.

France has been an important country in Europe for more than a thousand years. In the Middle Ages, French kings built huge stone castles and grand cathedrals. One of the most famous is Notre-Dame in Paris, first built in the 1100s. In 1429, a teenage girl named Joan of Arc led French soldiers to victory against the English army. She is still a national hero.

In 1789, the French people started a revolution. They were tired of being ruled by kings who lived in great wealth while most people were poor. The French Revolution gave the world the idea that regular citizens, not kings, should make the laws. Soon after, a general named Napoleon Bonaparte took power and conquered much of Europe before finally being defeated.

France was badly hurt by both World Wars in the twentieth century. In World War II, German forces took over the country for four years. Many French citizens joined a secret group called the Resistance to fight back. After the war, France helped start what is now the European Union, a group of European countries that work together.

France is famous for its food and art. French bakers are known around the world for breads and pastries like the baguette and the croissant. French cheeses number in the hundreds. Painters such as Claude Monet and sculptors such as Auguste Rodin changed the way people think about art. The Louvre, a huge museum in Paris, holds the Mona Lisa and millions of other treasures.

The country's most famous landmark is the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889 for a world's fair, it is made of iron and stands 1,083 feet tall. Many people at the time thought it was ugly and wanted it torn down. Today about seven million people visit it each year, making it one of the most popular monuments in the world.