France

The name " France" comes from the latin Francia, which means "country of the Franks". The oldest traces of human life, in what is now France, date form approximately 1,800,000 years ago. France is divided into 27 administrative regions, of which 21 are continental part of metropolitan France and one is the territorial collectivity of Corsica, and 5 are overseas regions.

France or the French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as l'Hexagone ( The Hexagon ) because of its geometric shape of its territory.

Over the past 500 years, France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military and political influence in Europe and in the world.

France has a total area of 647,843 km2 and an estimated population ( as of 2011 )of 65,821,885 people. The french currency is the Euro ( € ) .

Capital of France: Paris
Largest city: Paris
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Motto: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite
Official Languages: French
Calling code: +33
Drives on: The right side
National day: July 14 ( July 14, 1789 marked the starting of the French Revolution )
Formation: Year 486 ( Unification by Clovis )

Demonym: French
Government: Unitary semi-presidential republic
President: Nicolas Sarkozy
Prime Minister: Francois Fillon

Legislature: Parliament
Upper House: Senate
Lower House: National Assembly

PARIS

The name Paris derives from that of its earliest inhabitants , the Gaulish tribe known as Parisii. The city was called Lutetia, furing the Roman era of the 1st to teh 6th century, but during the reign of Julian the Apostate the city was renamed Paris. It is considered that the name of the Parisii tribe comes from the Celtic Gallic word parisio meaning "the working people" or "the craftsmen".

The city has an area of 105.4 km square and an estimated population (as of 2008) of 2,211,297 people.

Region: Ile-de-France

Demonym:

Sports: Paris Saint Germain ( soccer )
Paris-Levallois ( Basketball )
Stade Francais ( Rugby )

Mayor: Bertrand Delanoe
Website: www.paris.fr
Other important
websites: www.paris.com

CANNES

Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Canned Film Festival. The city is also famous for its various luxury shops, restaurants and hotels.

By the 2nd century BC the Ligurian Oxybii established a settlement here known as Aegitna. Historians are unsure what the name means. The area was a fishing village used as a port of call between the Lerins Islands.

Cannes has a mediterranean climate and the city enjoys 12 hours of sunshine per day during summer ( May to September). Cannes summer are long and warm, with summer daytime temperatures regularly hitting 30 degrees C

The city has an area of 19,62 km square and an estimated population (as of 2008) of 72,939 people.

Region: Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

Demonym: Cannese

Sports: Paris Saint Germain ( soccer )
Paris-Levallois ( Basketball )
Stade Francais ( Rugby )

Mayor: Bernard Brochan
Website: www.cannes.com
Other important Websites: www.cannes.travel