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France

 
       
    • Location: 
      Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain 
     
    • Map references: 
      Europe 
     
    • Area: 
     
        total area: 
        547,030 sq km 
     
        land area: 
        545,630 sq km 
     
        comparative area: 
        slightly more than twice the size of Colorado 
     
        note: 
        includes Corsica and the rest of metropolitan France, but excludes the overseas administrative divisions 
     
    • Land boundaries: 
      total 2,892.4 km, Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km 
     
    • Coastline: 
      3,427 km (mainland 2,783 km, Corsica 644 km) 
     
    • Maritime claims: 
     
        contiguous zone: 
        24 nm 
     
        continental shelf: 
        200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation 
     
        exclusive economic zone: 
        200 nm 
     
        territorial sea: 
        12 nm 
     
    • International disputes: 
      Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; Seychelles claims Tromelin Island; Suriname claims part of French Guiana; Mexico claims Clipperton Island; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France 
     
    • Climate: 
      generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean 
     
    • Terrain: 
      mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east 
     
    • Natural resources: 
      coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash 
     
    • Land use: 
     
        arable land: 
        32% 
     
        permanent crops: 
        2% 
     
        meadows and pastures: 
        23% 
     
        forest and woodland: 
        27% 
     
        other: 
        16% 
     
    • Irrigated land: 
      11,600 sq km (1989 est.) 
     
    • Environment: 
     
        current issues: 
        some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff 
     
        natural hazards: 
        flooding 
     
        international agreements: 
        party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification, Law of the Sea 
     
    • Note: 
      largest West European nation; occasional warm tropical wind known as mistral 
 
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