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France


 

France is a European country situated north of Spain and across the English Channel from the United Kingdom. The entire country of France is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. The capital of France is Paris. Paris has many famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe. Twice, Paris has hosted the Olympic Games, once in 1900 and again in 1924.

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Country Background
France is a member of the European Union, a group of European countries working together to strengthen Europe economically and politically. France was one of the original six countries that established the European Economic Community, an early form of today's European Union.

One group of people who helped shape early France was the Celts. Using weapons built from iron, the Celts were able to spread across Europe as far as Asia Minor in ancient times. Celtic culture still exists in present-day French society. For instance, in the French region of Brittany, many people play the bagpipes, a traditional Celtic instrument. Brittany is close to Great Britain where some other Celtic populations can be found.

France was, and continues to be, an important influence in Europe and the world thanks to its many talented artists, writers, and philosophers. Impressionism is a style of painting that was developed in France in the late 19th century. One leader of the Impressionist movement was Claude Monet, a painter who influenced many other artists and whose work is still popular today. In addition to artists, France also produced some influential scholars, such as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Jean Paul Sartre. The philosophies developed by Rousseau and Sartre changed the way people thought about themselves and the society around them.

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