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 | French Republic |
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 | Location: |
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain |
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 | Area: |
547,030 sq km |
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 | Climate: |
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean
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 | Terrain: |
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east |
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 | Population: |
58,978,172 (July 1999 est.) |
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 | Religions: |
Approximately 81% Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority. Almost every religion has at least some adherents.
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 | Languages: |
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) |
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 | Capital: |
Paris |
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