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
Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
547,030 sq km
land:
545,630 sq km
water:
1,400 sq km
note:
includes only metropolitan France, but excludes the overseas administrative
divisions
Areacomparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
total:
2,892.4 km
border countries:
Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73
km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
Coastline:
3,427 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers
along the Mediterranean
Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is
mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point:
Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash
Land use:
arable land:
33%
permanent crops:
2%
permanent pastures:
20%
forests and woodland:
27%
other:
18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
16,300 sq km (1995 est.)
Natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches
Environmentcurrent issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and
vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographynote:
largest West European nation; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral