France
Stalking an invisible enemy in Mali's mountains
Mar 22, 2013 05:03 EDT
In the furnace of the Ifoghas mountains, a purgatory of dust and sharp black rock straddling the Mali-Algeria border, soldiers hunt down a ghost-like enemy, invisible but ever present.
Women in white march to defend Algeria tradition
Mar 22, 2013 03:02 EDT
Covered from head to toe in white, their faces partly masked by embroidered triangular cloths, Algerian women marched through the capital Thursday to defend their traditional Islamic dress.
France's Sarkozy charged in probe of illegal party funding
Mar 22, 2013 02:38 EDT
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with taking financial advantage of France's richest woman, as part of a probe into illegal party funding that could shatter his hopes of a political comeback.
World Cup hopefuls stay focused before showdown
Mar 22, 2013 00:01 EDT
With just over a year to go until the World Cup, some of Europe's leading nations are hoping to take a major step towards sealing their places in the finals in Brazil in a busy week of qualifying.
France's Sarkozy charged in probe of illegal party funding
Mar 21, 2013 23:05 EDT
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with taking financial advantage of France's richest woman, allegations connected with a probe into illegal party funding that could shatter his hopes of a political comeback.
After Boateng, Italy looks to long fight with racism
Mar 21, 2013 22:26 EDT
It took a defiant gesture to reignite the debate on one of Italian sport's biggest demons, but the fight to rid football of racism in Serie A could be just beginning.
France's Sarkozy charged with taking advantage of heiress
Mar 21, 2013 21:23 EDT
Nicolas Sarkozy's hopes of a political comeback lay in tatters Friday after the former French president was charged in connection with a criminal probe into illegal party financing.
Sarkozy comeback dream in tatters after corruption charge
Mar 21, 2013 19:32 EDT
Nicolas Sarkozy's hopes of a political comeback lay in tatters Friday after the former French president was charged in connection with a criminal probe into illegal party financing.
Sarkozy charged with taking advantage of elderly heiress
Mar 21, 2013 17:58 EDT
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday charged with taking advantage of the elderly L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, his lawyer told AFP, adding that he would immediately appeal.
Sarkozy 'charged with taking advantage of elderly heiress'
Mar 21, 2013 17:25 EDT
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday charged with taking advantage of the elderly L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, his lawyer told AFP, adding that he would immediately appeal.
Chad rebel group UFR to resume fighting: leader
Mar 21, 2013 16:47 EDT
The main rebel coalition in Chad, the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR), said Thursday it was resuming its fight against President Idriss Deby Itno's regime.
Microsoft releases data on government requests
Mar 21, 2013 16:16 EDT
Microsoft said Thursday it received 75,378 law enforcement requests for data in 2012 in the tech giant's first report on the sensitive subject.
Mali soldier killed in first Timbuktu suicide bombing
Mar 21, 2013 16:02 EDT
A Malian soldier died in Timbuktu's first suicide bombing as the city came under assault overnight, triggering clashes in which 10 Islamist fighters died, military officials said Thursday.
French Jewish students take legal action against Twitter
Mar 21, 2013 14:27 EDT
A Jewish student group has announced it was taking further legal action against Twitter over the global networking site's failure to respond to a French court order to hand over data to help identify the authors of anti-Semitic tweets.
UN to launch Syria chemical weapons inquiry
Mar 21, 2013 14:26 EDT
The United Nations will investigate whether chemical weapons have been used in the Syria conflict, UN leader Ban Ki-Moon announced Thursday.
French fashion firm develops suit that blocks electromagnetic waves
Mar 21, 2013 14:23 EDT
French fashion label Smuggler on Thursday said it had produced a suit that can block electromagnetic waves produced by mobile phones.
What the butler saw crucial as Sarkozy back before judge
Mar 21, 2013 14:11 EDT
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was unexpectedly hauled back before a judge Thursday over claims he accepted envelopes stuffed with cash from France's richest woman to illegally finance his 2007 election campaign.
Poet climber ascends US embassy in Paris
Mar 21, 2013 13:49 EDT
A self-styled "poet climber" on Thursday managed to sidestep security, climb on to a roof adjacent to the US embassy building in Paris and spend two hours there before being helped down by fire fighters.
Cyprus brinksmanship could spin out of control: analysts
Mar 21, 2013 13:41 EDT
As the EU raised the spectre of a eurozone exit for Cyprus, experts warned on Thursday of the consequences of brinksmanship from Brussels to Moscow in the race to fix new bailout terms.
Del Bosque hints that Valdes, Villa will start
Mar 21, 2013 13:35 EDT
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has given a strong indication that the Barcelona duo of Victor Valdes and David Villa will start the World Cup qualifier with Finland on Friday.
Facts from the Wikipedia page:
| French Republic
République française (French)
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) | ||||||
| Anthem: La Marseillaise | ||||||
 Location of Metropolitan France (dark green)
– on the European continent (light green & dark grey) | ||||||
 Territory of the French Republic in the world | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) | Paris 48°51.4′N 2°21.05′E / 48.8567°N 2.35083°E | |||||
| Official languages | French | |||||
| Demonym | French | |||||
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic | |||||
| - | President | Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | François Fillon (UMP) | ||||
| Legislature | Parliament | |||||
| - | Upper House | Senate | ||||
| - | Lower House | National Assembly | ||||
| Formation | ||||||
| - | French State | 843 (Treaty of Verdun) | ||||
| - | Current constitution | 1958 (5th Republic) | ||||
| EU accession | 25 March 1957 | |||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total[1] | 674,843 km2 (43rd) 260,558 sq mi | ||||
| - | Metropolitan France | |||||
| - IGN[2] | 551,695 km2 (47th) 213,010 sq mi | |||||
| - Cadastre[3] | 543,965 km2 (47th) 210,026 sq mi | |||||
| Population | ||||||
| (January 1, 2009 estimate) | ||||||
| - | Total[1] | 65,073,482[5] (19th) | ||||
| - | Metropolitan France | 62,448,977[4] (22nd) | ||||
| - | Density[6] | 115/km2 (89th) 297/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $2.130 trillion[7] (8th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $34,205[7] (23rd) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2009 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $2.867 trillion[7] (5th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $46,037[7] (16th) | ||||
| Gini (2002) | 26.7 | |||||
| HDI (2007) | ▲ 0.961[8] (very high) (8th) | |||||
| Currency | Euro,[9] CFP Franc[10] ( EUR, XPF) | |||||
| Time zone | CET[6] (UTC+1) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | CEST[6] (UTC+2) | ||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .fr[11] | |||||
| Calling code | 331 | |||||
| 1 | The overseas regions and collectivities form part of the French telephone numbering plan, but have their own country calling codes: Guadeloupe +590; Martinique +596; French Guiana +594, Réunion and Mayotte +262; Saint Pierre et Miquelon +508. The overseas territories are not part of the French telephone numbering plan; their country calling codes are: New Caledonia +687, French Polynesia +689; Wallis and Futuna +681 | |||||
