Interesting Facts about France
15. France is the most visited country in the world: 83 million tourists in 2012.
14. France is officially known as the French Republic.
13. France is the largest nation in Western Europe, with countries like Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra and Monaco sharing its boundary.
12. Nearly 20% of the territory of France lies outside Europe. These regions are known as "DOM-TOM" (overseas departments and territories), where over 2.5 million French citizens live.
11. There is a Victor Hugo street in every town in France.
10. The TGV train in France is the fastest in the world. During a test run in 2007, it reached 357.2 miles per hour. That speed has yet to be beaten by any other train.
9. France’s population is about 64.7 million people (2010).
8. Around 4 people a year commit suicide from the Eiffel tower. Out of 400 people who have committed suicide since the opening of the Eiffel Tower, 2 survived. One of them, a lady, by falling on a car. She recovered and later married the car’s owner!
7. Because of its six-sided shape, France is sometimes called ‘the hexagon’ or l’hexagone.
6. Although only the size of Texas, France has seven mountain ranges and five major river systems.
5. Sport plays an important role in France with football and rugby union being the most-watched sports in the country.
4. France once controlled more than 8% of the world's land.
3. The name France comes from the Latin word Francia, which means 'country of the Franks'.
2. Kilts originated in France, not Scotland.
1. The tides in the region of Brittany and Normandy are the strongest in Europe, with a difference in level of up to 15 meters between high and low tide.
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