France is a country in northwestern Europe. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps and Pyrenees within its borders, serving as a geographic and linguistic bridge between northern and southern Europe.
France was formed by uniting duchies and principalities under one ruler in the Middle Ages. The French landscape features plains, plateaus, and old mountain blocks, with the Alps and Pyrenees as younger, high ranges. France is also Europe’s leading agricultural producer and a top industrial power. As of 2025, the estimated population of France is 66,607,000.