FRANCE

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FRANCE

• Cultural Heritage and Diversity

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• France is a country in western Europe. It is
  Europe's third largest country in area. Only
  Russia and Ukraine have more land.

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• France's capital and largest city is Paris, one
  of the world's great cities. For hundreds of
  years, Paris has been a world center of art and
  learning. Many great artists have produced their
  finest masterpieces there. Every year, millions
  of tourists visit such famous Paris landmarks as
  the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower,
  and the Louvreone of the largest art museums in
  the world.

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• Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark in
  Paris. It was erected as the symbol of a world's
  fair called the Universal Exposition of 1889. It
  was the world's tallest structure then, rising
  984 feet (300 meters) above the fairgrounds.
  Gustave Eiffel, a structural engineer, built the
  tower to show how steel and iron could be used to
  erect tall structures. Eiffel was responsible for
  financing the construction of the tower, which
  cost more than 1 million. About 2 million people
  visited the tower in the first year, and the fees
  they paid covered the building costs.

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• The French are famous for their enjoyment of
  life. Good food and good wine are an important
  part of everyday living for most French people.
  The delicious breads, appetizers, sauces, soups,
  and desserts of France are copied by cooks in
  most parts of the world. The wines of France are
  considered the world's best.

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• France is one of the world's leading
  manufacturing nations. It is, for example, one of
  the largest producers of automobiles in the
  world. It also has large chemical and steel
  industries. It is a leader in growing wheat,
  vegetables, and many other crops. France stands
  high among the countries of the world in its
  trade with other nations, as measured by exports.
  It also has an important role in world politics.
  Its foreign policies affect millions of people in
  other countries.

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• France is a parliamentary democracy with a strong
  national government. Its present government,
  called the Fifth Republic, has been in effect
  since 1958. The First Republic was established in
  1792. Between 1792 and 1958, the structure of the
  French government changed a number of times.

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• About four-fifths of the French people live in
  cities and towns. In the larger cities, most
  people live in apartments. Many Parisians live in
  old apartment buildings. In general, the older a
  building is, the more prestigious it is. Many
  French city dwellers tolerate buildings with old
  plumbing and appliances so that they may enjoy
  antique fireplaces and ceiling beams.

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• Apartment buildings, such as these in Lyon, are
  home to many French city dwellers.

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• The greatest national sporting event in France is
  the Tour de France, a bicycle race. Every July,
  about 200 professional cyclists race around
  France and sometimes parts of neighboring
  countries. They ride almost daily for three weeks
  and finish in Paris. Thousands of spectators line
  the route and cheer them along.

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• The Tour de France is the greatest national
  sporting event in France. Each July, about 200 of
  the world's top cyclists compete in the
  three-week race.

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• France produces more wine than any other country
  except Italy. Wooden casks hold the wine for
  aging. This worker is using a device called a
  wine thief to test a sample from a storage cask.