Introduction to France and Paris
Introduction to France
Geographical location and environment:
Space France is located in the west of the European continent and is the largest area in Western Europe. country. It faces the United Kingdom across the English Channel to the north; in the direction of the European continent, it borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Andorra and other countries. The national border is 5,300 kilometers long and the coastline is about 3,120 kilometers long. It is an exchange point between Atlantic countries and Mediterranean countries, with pleasant climate and beautiful scenery.
France’s population:
With a population of 55 million, France ranks fifth in Europe, with a population density of 105 people per square kilometer. It is a country dominated by the French nation. People, Bretons, Corsicans and other ethnic minorities account for about 7.9% of the total population, and the other 8% are foreign immigrants from Africa and Europe. Language and national flag: French is the national language. French is also one of the working languages ??of the United Nations and is spoken by more than 100 million people worldwide. The French flag is blue, white and red with vertical stripes and the national anthem is "La Marseillaise".
Religion:
The main religion is Catholicism, followed by Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The country is divided into 17 ecclesiastical provinces and 90 dioceses.
Tourism, cultural assets and national strength:
Space France is the world's largest tourist country, the second largest exporter of services and agricultural products, and the fourth largest exporter of finished products. Its gross national product ranks fourth in the world, second only to the United States, Germany and Japan. Paris, the capital with a history of three thousand years, is the largest city in France and the cultural, economic and artistic center of France. It is known as the "Art Capital of the World". In addition, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Grenobling, Besancon, Nice, etc. are all famous cities in France. In addition to its well-known Parisian fashion, perfumes, cosmetics, Bordeaux red wine and a wide range of delicious cheeses, France is also the fourth largest economic power in the world, with leading positions in nuclear power, aerospace, high-speed railways and communication technology. .
The French Republic is located in western Europe. Area: 551,602 square kilometers. The coastline is about 3,000 kilometers long. The population is over 57.8 million. Mostly French. Most residents believe in Catholicism. French is the official language.
The kingdom was established in the 5th century. A centralized state was formed at the end of the 15th century. The bourgeois revolution broke out in 1789. Since then, five wars and two empires have been established. In 1958, the Fifth Republic of China was born. Before World War II, France was the second largest colonial empire after Britain, with a colonial area 20 times that of the mainland. After the war, most of the French colonies became independent. It established diplomatic relations with my country on January 27, 1964.
The terrain is higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest. There is the Central Plateau in the south-central part and the North French Plain in the northwest. Most areas have a maritime temperate broad-leaved forest climate, and the southern coast and the Rh?ne Valley have a subtropical Mediterranean climate. The average annual precipitation increases from 600 mm to about 1000 mm from northwest to southeast. Bauxite and uranium ore reserves rank first among Western European countries. It is also quite rich in iron and potassium salts. The forest area accounts for 26% of the country's area.
The capital Paris has a population of 2.17 million, and the population of Greater Paris, including its suburbs, is more than 9.06 million. There are famous buildings such as the Eiffel Tower in the city, and the Palace of Versailles in the southwest of the city. The automobile and electrical appliance industries are famous, and the textile and cosmetics industries are also developed.
Notre Dame de Paris is a symbol of ancient Paris. It stands in the center of the ?le de la Cité in the Seine River, the birthplace of Paris. This Gothic monolithic building was built in 1163 and took 182 years to complete. It is the symbol of Paris. The oldest and tallest Catholic church, it has epoch-making significance in the history of European architecture. The roof and towers of Notre Dame are all built with spiers. The 90-meter-high main spire and the 69-meter-high bell towers on both sides show the majesty of God. The great French writer Hugo described it in his novel "Notre Dame de Paris". It is described as a "symphony of stones". From now on, Gothic architecture in European and American architecture will bear traces of Notre Dame de Paris.
The world's largest triumphal arch, standing in the center of the Place de l'Etoile (also known as Place de Gaulle) in Paris, is a monument built by Napoleon for himself. It was built in 1806 and took 30 years to complete. The Roman-style arched door is 49.41 meters high, 44.84 meters wide and 21.96 meters thick.
The inner wall of the door and the stone pillars are engraved with magnificent scenes depicting French war history, as well as a large relief "La Marseillaise" and the names of the 386 generals who followed Napoleon's expedition that year. Under the door is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with everlasting lamps burning in front of the tomb and flowers being offered every day. Twelve boulevards radiate outward from the Arc de Triomphe.
The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of modern Paris. It was built in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and is named after the famous architect Eiffel who designed the tower. Its precise height is 320.775 meters. The hollow steel frame structure forms four large arches in the southeast, northwest and northwest when viewed from one side. The tower is divided into four floors. The first three floors are equipped with platform high railings for tourists to overlook the panoramic view of Paris. There are also luxury hotels. , Volkswagen Beer Hall, shops, theaters, reception halls, etc.; the fourth floor is the weather observatory, with a TV antenna pointing directly to the sky on the top. Visitors can climb up the 1,710 steps or take the elevator directly to the top.
The Palace of Versailles, located in the southwest suburbs of Paris, is the largest and most luxurious palace in Europe. In 1661, King Louis XIV of France began to build the palace. It took 28 years to complete, and later underwent repairs and reconstructions by successive dynasties. The building area is 11 hectares, with the east-west axis as the axis, symmetrical from north to south, including the main palace and the South Palace and North Palace on both sides. The more than 500 large and small halls inside are all magnificent, with marble inlays, giant pillars with jade steps, and are decorated with carvings, tapestries and huge oil paintings. They display rare treasures. The 100-hectare garden is also unique, with flowers and plants arranged in large patterns and trees pruned into geometric shapes. It is dotted with numerous fountains, fountains and statues. The Palace of Versailles and its gardens are outstanding representatives of French ancient architecture. It was established as a national history museum in 1833, and was included in the "World Cultural and Natural Heritage List" in 1980. The photo shows the palace of Versailles, which is famous for its elegance and magnificence. The Mirror Gallery is 76 meters long, 10 meters wide and 13 meters high. There are 17 huge arched windows on the west side and 17 large mirrors on the east side, each of which is composed of 483 lenses. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I was signed here. Today, it is where French leaders meet with foreign heads of state and envoys.
France is an industrially developed country with highly concentrated production and capital, and its GDP ranks among the top in the world. The main industrial sectors include mining, metallurgy, automobiles, shipbuilding, machinery, textiles, chemicals, electrical appliances, food, etc. Sectors such as nuclear energy, petrochemicals, ocean development, arms, aviation and aerospace have developed rapidly and are now among the best in the world. In 1993, the output of major industrial products was: 16.61 million tons of crude steel, 12.01 million tons of pig iron, 10.35 million tons of raw coal, 2.52 million tons of pulp, 2.8 million cars, and 4510 kilowatts/hour of power generation. Agriculture is developed and it is a world-famous exporter of agricultural products. The main agricultural products include wheat, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, rice, tobacco, grapes, etc. In 1993, the annual output was 24.9 million tons of wheat, 6.5 million tons of barley, 13.3 million tons of corn, and 5.3 billion liters of wine. France is a member of the Western European “common market” and its main foreign trade partners are Western European “common market” countries. Exports machinery, chemicals, automobiles, steel and grain. Import fuel, raw materials for military industry, ore, etc. There are more than 35,000 kilometers of railways and about 800,000 kilometers of roads.
Lyon, the third largest city in France, is located at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers in the southeast and is one of France's major industrial centers. Lyon was famous for its traditional silk weaving industry in the early days, and Lyon silk enjoyed a high reputation in the European market. Now Lyon has developed into a comprehensive industrial city including automobiles, electrical machinery, chemicals, oil refining, petrochemicals, metallurgy, textiles, food and other sectors. Lyon, France's third largest city, is located at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers in the southeast and is one of France's major industrial centers. Lyon was famous for its traditional silk weaving industry in the early days, and Lyon silk enjoyed a high reputation in the European market. Now Lyon has developed into a comprehensive industrial city including automobiles, electrical machinery, chemicals, oil refining, petrochemicals, metallurgy, textiles, food and other sectors.
In addition, Le Havre, Lille, Rouen, Nantes, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Marseille, etc. are all important industrial centers.
France was one of the countries that suffered the most in World War II. In order to echo the Soviet Red Army, the Allied forces opened a second battlefield in Western Europe and jointly attacked German fascism, so they chose to fight in northwest France. Normandy landing.
In the early morning of June 6, 1944, the armies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada sailed on 4,000 ships, crossed the English Channel, and landed on the Ohama beach. "People must have been deeply impressed. Because the battle was so realistic, the film was almost rated as "unsuitable for children." Now the beachhead of Omaha has become a cemetery for the fallen soldiers for future generations to pay their respects.
Others
Important holidays: National Day, July 14. May 30, the day of Joan of Arc's death.
The date of establishment of diplomatic relations with me: January 27, 1964.
Currency: Franc.
Time difference: 1 hour ahead of GMT; 7 hours behind Beijing time.
National flowers: iris, rose.
Country name explanation: France evolved from the name of the Frankish tribe. Frank means "brave, free" in Germanic.
Folklore: France is the home of champagne and brandy. People believe that if there is leftover wine at home on New Year's Eve, it will bring bad luck in the coming year. The most famous dish in France is foie gras.
Introduction to Paris
Paris, the capital of France, is the largest city on the European continent and one of the most prosperous cities in the world. It is located in northern France, on the west bank of the Seine River, 375 kilometers away from the river mouth (English Channel). The Seine winds its way through the city, forming two islands (Site and Saint-Louis). The urban population is 2.17 million. The city itself is located in the center of the Paris Basin and has a mild maritime climate. There is no scorching heat in summer and no severe cold in winter. The average temperature in January is 3°C, the average temperature in July is 18°C, and the annual average temperature is 10°C. Rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year, with slightly more rainfall in summer and autumn, with an average annual rainfall of 619 mm.
Paris is the largest industrial and commercial city in France. The northern suburbs are mainly manufacturing areas. The most developed manufacturing projects include automobiles, electrical appliances, chemicals, medicine, food, etc. Luxury goods production ranks second and is mainly concentrated in downtown areas; products include precious metal utensils, leather products, porcelain, clothing, etc. The outer urban area specializes in the production of furniture, shoes, precision tools, optical instruments, etc. The printing and publishing industry is concentrated in the Latin Quarter and Rue Remy. The greater Paris (metropolitan) area accounts for three-quarters of France's total film production. The headquarters of most banks and insurance companies in Paris (including the Bank of France and the Stock Exchange) are located on the west side of the "Market" (the local central market from 1183 to 1969).
Paris is the center of French culture and education and a world-famous cultural city. France's famous Académie Fran?aise, University of Paris, Comprehensive Engineering School, Ecole Normale Supérieure, école Nationale des Ponts et des Beaux-Arts and the National Scientific Research Center are all located in Paris. The University of Paris is one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1253. Paris also has many academic research institutions, libraries, museums, theaters, etc.
There are 75 libraries in Paris, of which the National Library is the largest. The library was founded from 1364 to 1380 and has a collection of 10 million books.
Paris has 50 theaters, 200 cinemas, and 15 concert halls. The Paris Opera House is the largest opera house in the world. It is located on Haussmann Street in the city center and covers an area of ??110,000 square meters. The entire building has both Gothic and Romanesque styles. The French National Conservatory of Music and Dance School are also located here.
The "street art" in Paris is very active. The Place Tertre des Arts in the northwest of the city is a world-famous open-air gallery, where many painters paint impromptu paintings for sale every day. In places such as Place de Chatelet and Place de Saint-Germain in the city center, young students and citizens often bring their own musical instruments to hold concerts and perform various programs.
Paris is a world-famous historical city with many places of interest, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Elysée Palace, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, Notre Dame de Paris, and the Georges Pompidou National Culture and Arts Center. Center, etc., are places where domestic and foreign tourists linger. Both sides of the beautiful Seine River are dotted with parks and green spaces, and 32 bridges span the river, making the scenery on the river even more charming and colorful. The island in the center of the river is the cradle and birthplace of Paris. There is a second-hand book market stretching for several kilometers on the Boulevard Saint-Michel-sur-Seine. Every day, many domestic and foreign scholars and tourists come here to buy their favorite ancient books, forming a major feature of the Latin Quarter, an ancient cultural district on the Seine. .
Paris is also a "world conference city".
With its beautiful scenery, rich historical sites, colorful cultural activities and modern service facilities, it has welcomed many international conferences. According to statistics, 365 international conferences were held in Paris *** in 1987. It has surpassed New York, London, Brussels and Geneva, ranking first in the world. International organizations such as UNESCO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are headquartered in Paris.