The Environment and Us: France

"France is a Western European country that has played a leading role in world history and culture. The French Revolution of the eighteenth century turned France from a kingdom into a republic. A nuclear power, France is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a founder of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union ... "

"France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations ... "

"France, the largest country in Western Europe, has long been a gateway between the continent's northern and southern regions ... "

The landscape is varied; about two thirds flat plains or gently rolling hills, and the rest mountainous. A broad plain covers most of northern and western France from the Belgian border in the northeast to Bayonne in the southwest, and it rises to uplands in Normandy, Brittany, and the east. This large plain is bounded on the south by the steeply rising ridges of the Pyrénées, on the southeast by the mountainous plateau of the Massif Central, and on the east by the rugged Alps, the low ridges of the Jura, and the rounded summits of the densely forested Vosges. The principal rivers are the Rhône in the south, the Loire and the Garonne in the west, the Seine in the north, and the Rhine, which forms part of France’s eastern border with Germany.

"France is a large country in western Europe. France is known for its proud history and rich culture. The capital is Paris ... "

"The climate ... is mild, and generally warm and temperate. The rainfall in Paris is significant, with precipitation even during the driest month ... "