France: geography summary of the French State. Population, history, tourist flows and brief description of the capital Paris
FRANCE: GEOGRAPHY SUMMARY
France is a country located in Western Europe, has a population of over 68 million inhabitants, its capital is Paris, and is a republic. The spoken language is French, the currency used is the Euro and has territories a series of territories in America, Oceania, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica, remnants of the colonial past .
HISTORY
The historical roots of France date back to the Neolithic, later it was inhabited by Celts and Etruscans. The eighteenth century represented a fundamental moment for France thanks to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution of 1789 ; with it the first republic was proclaimed in 1792. France then laid the foundations for its colonial empire, embracing Africa and Asia.
TERRITORY
France is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, it is made up of plains, the north-western part overlooks the English Channel; France also has an important island, Corsica, politically and administratively French, but physically part of the Italian geographical area. The French Alps extend for about 300 km. The French capital, Paris, is rich in monuments and museums that make it the cultural center of France. France is characterized by intense economic activity, linked to the tertiary sector. Around Paris , there are suburbs embellished with castles, the most important is Versailles . The landscape is dominated by plains, thick forests, hills, military strongholds and perfectly restored historic centers.
TOURISM
French tourism established itself in the mid-nineteenth century, staying at the numerous spa resorts in France.But in the twenties and thirties of the last century, seaside tourism spread along the French Riviera and the beaches of Brittany.
The French tourist movement mainly concerns neighboring countries, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, etc.; America and Japan play their part. Paris and L’Ile de France are the most popular destinations for tourists, and the large amusement park near Paris has also become a major tourist attraction.
The Alpine region attracts large flows of tourists thanks to winter sports, supporting mass tourism. Not to be forgotten is Lourdes, a well-known spa resort in the Pyrenees, which has become one of the most important religious tourism destinations in the world.
THE CAPITAL: PARIS
The city of Paris owes its name to the Celtic population of the Parisians. Currently, it is a large metropolis populated by just under 10 million inhabitants ; of fundamental importance is the river, the Seine, around which the original nucleus developed.
The heart of the city lies in the river itself and is a small island in the shape of a boat.
Important traces of numerous historical buildings have remained in various eras; there are the Gothic ones including the Cathedral of Notre–Dame and the later ones of classicist and Renaissance taste such as the Fountain of the Innocents and the Royale and Douphine squares.
Even in much more recent times, Paris has been characterized by its architectural structures, for example, the Eiffel Tower, built to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution; in the area in front of it stands the Louvre Museum, which can be considered the most important museum in Paris and one of the largest and most frequented in the world.
