National Day: July 14 (1880 parliamentary legislation recognizes the day of the storming of the Bastille as a national holiday to commemorate the French bourgeois revolution) France celebrates its national day
National Flag: Rectangular, the ratio of length to width is 3:2, the flag consists of three parallel and equal vertical rectangles. The flag consists of three parallel and equal vertical rectangles, blue, white and red from left to right. The origins of the French flag are varied, the most representative of which is: during the French bourgeois revolution in 1789, the National Guard of Paris used the blue, white and red flag as its flag. White in the center, representing the king, symbolizing the king's sacred status; red and blue on both sides, representing the citizens of Paris; at the same time, these three colors also symbolize the French royal family and the Paris bourgeoisie alliance. The tricolor flag was a symbol of the French Revolution, and it is said that the three colors represent liberty, equality and fraternity.
National Coat of Arms: France does not have an official national coat of arms, but has traditionally adopted the coat of arms of the Revolutionary period as the national symbol. The coat of arms is oval, painted with one of the popular symbols of the Revolutionary period - the bundle of sticks, which is the ancient Roman senior magistrate with the power of the standard, is a symbol of authority. The two sides of the rod are decorated with olive branches and oak leaves, between which a band is twisted with the words "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" written in French. The whole pattern is decorated by a ribbon with the ancient Roman legionary medals.
National Anthem: "La Marseillaise"
National Flower: Iris
National Bird: Rooster
National Stone: Pearl
Natural Geography: Covering an area of 551,602 square kilometers. Located in the western part of Europe, it borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco, and looks at the United Kingdom in the northwest across the Straits of La Manche, and is bordered by four major seas: the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and Corsica on the Mediterranean Sea, which is the largest island in France. The terrain is high in the southeast and low in the northwest. Plains account for two-thirds of the total area. The main mountain ranges are the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Jura Mountains and so on. Mont Blanc on the French-Italian border is 4,810 meters above sea level, the highest peak in Europe. The main rivers are the Loire (1010 kilometers), the Rhone (812 kilometers), and the Seine (776 kilometers). Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea is the largest island of France. The total length of the border line is 5,695 kilometers, of which 2,700 kilometers are coastline, 2,800 kilometers are landline, and 195 kilometers are inland waterway. The western part of the oceanic temperate broad-leaved forest climate, the southern part of the subtropical Mediterranean climate, the central and eastern part of the continental climate. The average precipitation increases from 600 millimeters to more than 1,000 millimeters from northwest to southeast.
Population: 61.4 million (January 2003), including 4 million foreign nationals, 1.5 million of whom are from EU countries. French is commonly spoken. Ninety percent of the population is Catholic, with about 4 million Muslims and a few Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, and Orthodox Christians.
Capital: Paris (Paris), urban population of 2.17 million.
Administrative organization: divided into regions, departments and communes. There are prefectures and counties under the departments, but they are not administrative regions. Prefectures are judicial and electoral units. The French territory*** is divided into 22 regions, 96 provinces, 4 overseas provinces, 4 overseas territories, and 2 local administrative districts with special status. The country*** has 36,565 communes, of which 34,000 have a population of less than 3,500, 231 have a population of more than 30,000, and 37 have a population of more than 100,000. The 22 regions are: Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Bourgogne, Brittany, Midi, Champagne-Ardenne, Corsica, Franche-Gondé, Paris, and the French Republic. Gondais, Paris Region, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Pyrénées du Sud, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie, Loire, Picardy, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes -C?te d'Azur, Rh?ne-Alpes. 4 overseas departments are Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion. 4 overseas territories are French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and the French Southern Hemisphere and Antarctic Territory. 2 territorial districts are Mayotte, St. Pierre and Miquelon.
The Birth of a Nation
The history of France is the result of the little labors of its people over a long period of time. The many unique features of France are the very embodiment of its culture. Two thousand years of dynasties and their civilizations have left their mark on the land, culminating in the modern France of today.
Prehistoric times
About a million years ago, human beings migrated from Eurasia all the way to the last frontier, the Atlantic Ocean. They have been settled ever since. The Sabians, for their part, began to appear here as early as 40,000 to 8,000 BC. Many archaeological remains prove that human civilizations existed in this part of France in prehistory.
The Gallic Period
Circa 1200 to 800 BC, the Celts left their homelands in Silesia and began an invasion of this region between the Rhine and the Atlantic. This land was then inhabited by 90 different tribes known as the Gauls. The Gauls built their civilization on agriculture and a very developed craft industry. They invented the harvester, the barrel, the four-wheeled wagon, and the iron sword.
Soon the Roman Empire also took notice of the land. Julius Caesar the Great arrived in 50 B.C. and conquered the area. The Gallo-Roman civilization set its capital at Lyon and ruled for quite some time, forming the original blueprint for what is today's France. It was during this period that the French language began to take shape, many of the major cities had already taken shape, and the road network has been in existence ever since.
The Frankish Kingdom
From the fifth century onwards, the Hans, Vandals, Alamans, Visigoths, Ostrogoths
Goths and Franks from the east invaded the region, and the Gallo-Romans joined forces with the Frankish tribes in order to defend themselves against the invasion. They were based in the area around Paris, known as the Ile-de-France in the Order, and this force slowly conquered the country.
The rule of the Merovingian and Carolingian families of the Frankish dynasty lasted from the fifth to the tenth century. This period saw a gradual fusion of Gallo-Roman and Germanic cultures.
The Kingdom of France
During the reign of Charlemagne from 768 to 814 A.D., he established many schools, fostered cultural prosperity and gathered many scholars around him. His kingdom of labor was divided into counties, which were governed by both the Sheriff (secular authority) and the Bishop (religious authority)****. The Commander of the Mith was then responsible for enforcing Imperial law.
In 987, Hugo Capet, Lord of Ile-de-France, was crowned king, and the Frankish lands (known as France) became the Kingdom of France. The newly established French dynasty wanted to impose suzerainty over the entire domain of its rule.
From the 11th to the 15th centuries, a succession of 18 kings continued to exert their authority over the feudal lords, and the kingdom expanded (annexing Brittany and Burgundy) and seizing some English territories, such as Aquitaine and Normandy. These centuries were characterized by an upsurge of religious zeal and a great cultural, economic and urban development. This period saw the emergence of the bourgeoisie, who formed a new class in society. Cities also became administrative units.
King Louis XI, who ruled France from 1226 to 1270, attached great importance to the administration of justice, and once personally presided over a trial under an oak tree in Vincennes. He built many hospitals and churches during his lifetime, participated in two crusades, and became a model among kings. He was later honored as St. Louis.
From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the ten kings worked to strengthen the power of the state as well as its administration. They gradually established the country's natural boundaries as they fought off invasions from enemies in the east and south. Three political figures in particular are worth mentioning:
-Henry IV put an end to the religious wars between Catholics and Puritans at home and drove the Spanish invaders from the country. In this way he consolidated the unity of the country. In addition he tried to improve the unfortunate situation of the poor French peasants.
-Richelieu, the chancellor of Louis XIII. He led France to resist Austrian military intervention and strengthened its sovereignty by weakening the nobility and the Puritans. He also ordered the establishment of the Sorbonne and led to the creation of the French Academy.
-Colbert, chief minister of Louis XIV. He attempted to unify the legal system throughout the country, as well as to promote innovation through the establishment of large manufacturing and international trading companies. He had pinned his hopes on the French colonies of Canada and Louisiana.
Several historical changes
The Revolution of 1789
The National Convention of 1789 became the Constitutional Convention. Feudal powers were abolished, a declaration of human rights was published, and a parliamentary monarchy was established.
In 1792, due to the interference of foreign powers, the flight of the monarch, and other events, the monarchy was abolished and the First **** and State was proclaimed. From then until 1795, revolutionaries, including Robespierre, fought simultaneously against counter-revolutionary forces abroad (Prussia, Austria, Britain, Spain) and at home (Vendée). In political life, the revolutionaries adopted the principles put forward by Montesquieu and Rousseau (the principle of separation of powers and the principle of popular sovereignty).
From 1799 to 1804, the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte led the French government. General Napoleon Bonaparte led the French government, and during his reign he established a strong centralized bourgeois state, a modern administrative system and a code of law (the Civil Code is still in force). The government also established a system of high school education and reformed university education.
Napoleon's Empire
Napoleon was crowned emperor in 1804, and he sought to build a vast European empire during his 12-year reign to 1815, during which time French armies fought against a number of powerful alliances across the continent. There was a period of dramatic expansion of France's territory. It was only in 1815 that its borders returned to what they had been in 1789.
Heavy casualties among French troops at the Battle of Russia led to Napoleon's downfall and banishment. He later ruled France again, but only a hundred days later he abdicated again after losing the Battle of Waterloo.
Restoration of the monarchy
Both kings between 1815 and 1830 wanted to maintain some of the progressive measures that had been taken during the revolution and Napoleon's empire under the restored old monarchy. The colonial empire of the Kingdom of France continued to expand in North Africa.
The last king of France, Louis Philippe, was given the title "King of the French". 1830-1848 saw the emergence of a trading and commercial bourgeoisie, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of socialist and federalist movements. Economic crisis and social unrest eventually led France to the 1848 Revolution, which led to the final collapse of the monarchy.
The Second **** and State and the Second Empire
Universal suffrage, freedom of the press, and fear of working-class uprisings gave Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I, a chance to become president of France. After a period of authoritarian presidential rule, Louis Napoleon became emperor by referendum and coup d'état as Napoleon III. His government advocated a policy of radical economic reforms and implemented a number of important economic programs aimed at rebuilding the nation's capital. The Second Empire was characterized by industrial expansion. Just as the government was changing to a parliamentary form of government, the Franco-German War broke out (1870). The French defeat in the Sudan led to the end of the Second Empire.
The Third ****Peace State
The ****Peace State was established in 1871 and a government of national defense. France was defeated and in a peace treaty with Germany France ceded the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. The same year saw the famous Paris Commune uprising, which was bloodily suppressed.
***The parliamentary system of government in the Peace State proved itself by the establishment of a series of major laws on communal **** freedom between 1871 and 1914. Prime Minister Jules Faurie (in office from 186 to 1885) was a major influence on the establishment of freedom of speech, assembly, and the press, and he contributed significantly to the establishment of a system of free and compulsory non-denominational primary education.
French colonies in Asia and Africa continued to expand, but at the same time social unrest and strife between religion and schools (separation of church and state) shook social rule.
World War I (1914-1918) left France without one-tenth of its labor force, and December 1917 marked a turning point in the war, when Georges Clemenceau led France and the Allied Powers to victory and Germany to defeat. Alsace and Lorraine reverted to France.
Soon after the post-war reconstruction, France, like the rest of the world, was badly hit by the Great Crisis of 1929. Widespread strikes and left-wing alliances brought France the Popular Front government of 1936, which set the obligation of establishing basic social laws in the national program.
Surrounding France, Nazism, Italian Fascism, and the Spanish Civil War heralded the coming of World War II.
With the end of the famous so-called "Strange War", a truce was declared in France in 1940, and the country became a German-occupied zone. The French economy was in a state of instability. The country was divided into two parts: on the one hand, the Vichy government, which cooperated with the occupying powers, and on the other hand, the "Free French" government-in-exile and the Resistance movement, which was based in London. After five years of war, France was liberated by the Allies in 1944.
Fourth **** and State
After Charles de Gaulle's radio address on June 18, 1940, he was recognized as the leader and symbol of the French Resistance. He was the head of government from 1944 to 1946 and established the French social security system and gave women the right to vote. However, the Fourth **** and State was shaken by the reorganization of the government due to the inability of the parliamentary system of government to provide a clear political direction.The period from 1945 to 1958 was occupied with rebuilding the country and developing the economy. The ever-acute decolonization issues (Indochina and the Algerian War) signaled the end of weak executive power.
The Fifth **** and State
In 1958, General Charles de Gaulle returned to the stage of history. He designed and established the Fifth **** and State system that strengthened the executive power. That is, the establishment of the popular election of the presidential system. After a period of modernization and sustained economic growth, General de Gaulle was forced to resign after the student movement and social unrest of May 1968, which reflected the restlessness of the younger generation, the lack of order in society, and the over-centralization of the state. However, the right-wing government remained in power. Georges Pompidou was president until his death in 1974. His successor, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, served a full seven-year term, but was defeated in 1981 by the Fifth **** and the country's first left-wing president, Fran?ois Mitterrand. Mitterrand successfully ran for re-election in 1988. Overall, though, this period of French politics was characterized by alternating left-wing and right-wing governments.
The beginning of a unified European market
On December 1, 1993, the European Union was born on the basis of the European economic ****some.
Jacques Chirac was elected President of the **** and States
In May 1995, Jacques Chirac was elected President of the **** and States
On April 21, 1997, the National Assembly was dissolved, and early elections were held on May 25 and June 1, respectively. Local elections had already taken place in March. The results of this election produced a "coexistence" of the left and the right.
A modern country
France has built up a stable system over the past 30 years. The Fifth **** and the Constitution of the country, established by referendum in 1958 under the presidency of General de Gaulle, have ensured the good functioning of the political system. France is a unitary, democratic, secular and socialist **** and system. Its citizens are equal before the law, regardless of their origin, race or religious beliefs. Modern French democracy is a legacy of the French Revolution of 1789. Its principles are based on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1791, which today forms the introductory part of the Constitution.
The French motto is "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity".
The French flag is a tricolor with three vertical stripes: blue, white and red.
The French national anthem is the Marseillaise.
France's national day is July 14, the day in 1789 when the Bastille was captured.
State System
Executive Power
***The President of the Republic is the head of state and is elected by universal suffrage for a seven-year term. The President promulgates laws and has the power to propose bills for a vote by the citizens of the country. He also has the right to dissolve the National Assembly after talking to the Prime Minister, the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate.
The President appoints the Prime Minister and appoints the members of the Government nominated by the Prime Minister.
The Government shall reply to queries from the National Assembly.
Legislative power
Parliament consists of two chambers: the National Assembly, which is elected by universal suffrage once every five years, and the Senate, whose members serve nine-year terms, with one-third of the seats being re-elected every three years.
The Assembly votes on the adoption of laws, ratifies international treaties, and exercises the power to amend the Constitution granted by the President of the Republic.
Judicial power
The judiciary is independent of the executive and legislative powers.
473 courts of first instance and 186 courts of major jurisdiction are responsible for enforcing the law. There are 35 courts of appeal. The Court of Final Appeal is responsible for judging whether the law has been correctly enforced. Criminal offenses are tried in felony courts with judges and juries.
In the field of administrative justice there are administrative courts and the Supreme Administrative Court of the State. The Court of Audit is responsible for auditing public **** expenditures.
Other Organizations Provided for in the Constitution
-Constitutional Council: the members of the Council are appointed by the President of the *** and the State, the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate respectively. The functions of the Constitutional Council are to supervise elections and review the constitutionality of laws.
-Economic and Social Council: Its members are representatives of different social strata (trade unions, businessmen, associations) or persons with specific qualifications appointed by the Government. The Economic and Social Council is consulted on bills, decrees or programs of an economic and social nature.
-Supreme Administrative Court: the highest administrative authority. The government must consult it before drafting bills and implementing decrees.
-Supreme Council of Magistracy: consists of magistrates and persons with specific qualifications. The Council is chaired by the President of the *** and the Minister of Justice of the State as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively. It makes nominations for the appointment of senior Judicial Officers and is also responsible for the disciplinary action of Judicial Officers.
-***State Court of Justice: formerly known as the High Court of Justice, it consists of fifteen judges who are either members of Parliament (twelve are members of the National Assembly) or magistrates (three). The Court is responsible for hearing cases of official acts committed by members of the Government which are considered to be of a criminal nature. Any individual who believes that he or she has been harmed by a criminal or illegal act committed by a member of the government can file a complaint with a specialized complaints committee.
Administration
Regions
France is divided into 21 regions as well as Corsica. The regions are governed by regional councils, whose presidents and their members are elected by universal suffrage. Departments
There are 96 departments in mainland France, in addition to four overseas departments: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion and French Guiana in South America, and the overseas territories of Polynesia, Nueva Caledonia, Mayotte, St. Pierre and Maconcelles, Wallis and Futuna, Terre d'Athléry, the Coghlan Archipelago, and the islands of Croixet and St. Paul.
Provinces are administered by general councils, whose presidents and members are elected by universal suffrage. The governor is the representative of the central government at the local level. Provinces are divided into districts (339 including overseas provinces***), subdistricts (3,995) and municipalities (36,560).
Municipalities
Municipal administration is the responsibility of the mayor, assisted by a municipal council, whose members are elected by universal suffrage.
Competitive economic system
1945-1961
Despite the fact that France was the victor of the Second World War, she faced enormous economic difficulties at the end of the war: the population was only forty million (the same as in 1900) and the gross industrial product was only half of what it had been before the war. There was an extreme shortage of raw materials and unprecedented inflation.
The first three economic programs were to rebuild basic industry, boost production and prepare for international economic competition.
1962-1975
This period saw an astonishingly sustained economic development under the supervision of the state, which met the expectations of the program. It was a period of unprecedented growth rates (5-6% per year), which led to full employment, improved living standards, increased consumption and rapidly rising wages.
The next economic program shifted the focus to regional economic development, investment policy and social organization (reform of the social security system to create universal pensions).
Since 1976
Three successive oil crises (197, 1979, 1980) and continuing world economic turmoil have led France to emphasize the restructuring and modernization of the economy these past two decades, which has resulted in a high rate of unemployment (more than three million fewer jobs in 20 years).
The tightening of government spending and the emphasis on reducing energy consumption and developing competitive industry, research and vocational training have given France a new vitality that will enable it to face the challenges of international competition, European integration and the coming year.
Highly diversified economic system
The French economy encompasses all the important sectors of the economy: agriculture (third in the world and Europe's number one exporter), industry (fourth in the world and second in Europe), and fisheries (fourth in Europe in terms of catch).
France ranks fifth in the world in export trade, and five French companies are among the world's top 100.
Agriculture
French agriculture is a modern mechanized, highly productive sector of production. France produces nearly one-third of the EU's total agricultural area and 23% of the EU's production of agricultural products, half of which are livestock products (meat, milk, cheese) and the rest are cereals, sugar and processing industries.
Industry
French industry includes both a large number of traditional industrial sectors that are being reorganized and automated (iron and steel, metallurgy, machinery, automotive, and textile industries), as well as a number of new and developing technological industries (food processing, precision chemistry, aerospace industry, and new materials).
French industrial production is largely dependent on imports for raw materials and energy, with the exception of electricity, 25% of which comes from the country's nuclear power plants.
Services
The services sector (for collective and individual consumers) is playing an increasingly important role in the national economy.
The main service sectors, such as transportation, electronic communications, postal services, electricity and water, are all equipped with advanced technology in their fields (microphones, high-speed trains and metro systems are of international renown). France's tourism industry, which ranks first in Europe, is of great significance to the maintenance of the balance of payments. In fact, France ranks second in the world in this "invisible export industry" after the United States.
How France sees itself
France is not a "superpower" in terms of size, population or GDP. But it still occupies an important position. She is one of the world's major economic powers, ranking fourth or fifth in terms of exports, thanks to a boom in high-tech businesses. She is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, with veto power, and one of the permanent members of the International Monetary Fund. UNESCO is located in Paris.
France is also pivotal from a number of other perspectives:
- One of the Latin countries (by 2000 one in six people in the world was of Latin descent).
- One of the French-speaking countries. The French-speaking population is one hundred and five million worldwide***. In some parts of the Americas and Africa, French has been spoken for centuries.
- One of the European countries. France has good political, trade and cultural contacts with many countries in Central and Eastern Europe. These countries became more and more powerful after the political changes in the Soviet Union in 1990-1991. More importantly, the future of France is closely linked to the fate of the other fifteen members of the Western European Union. Thanks to the creation of the European Council and the European Parliament (elected by universal suffrage), the French people became actively involved in European political life.
Appendix 1: French economic data
GDP: 7,8Y61 billion francs
GDP per capita: 134,656 francs
Export value: 1,886 billion francs
Industrial firms: 196,600
Agricultural/food firms: 72,000
GDP growth rate: 2.3% (by 1996)
Total growth values in 1996: agriculture 5.5%; industry and energy 25.2%; services 56.4%
Current employment: 25,590,000
Appendix 2: Characteristics of France
Despite the fact that France is geographically and ethnically diverse, the country still has a strong sense of cohesion and a strong cultural personality. The French people identify strongly with their history and cultural individuality.
The basic ideas of modern France are the defense of human rights and freedoms, democracy and unity. These ideas have been universally recognized.
Appendix 3: Foreigners in France
Foreign immigrants have contributed a lot to the growth of the French population and economic prosperity in the last forty years. However, due to the current economic crisis, the flow of immigrants has been officially halted. There are now fewer than four million foreigners in France (6.5% of the population since 1995). The proportion of foreigners has remained roughly the same since 1990.
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