Metropolitan France facts for kids
Metropolitan France is the part of France that is located in Europe. You can think of it as mainland France, plus the island of Corsica. It is different from Overseas France, which includes all of France's departments, territories, and collectivities outside of Europe. Together, Metropolitan France and Overseas France make up the French Republic.
Metropolitan France covers a large area of about 551,695 square kilometers (213,011 square miles). This is most of France's total land, about 81.8% of it. As of January 1, 2011, about 63,136,180 people lived in Metropolitan France. This is also most of the country's population, about 95.9%.
What is Overseas France?
France has five overseas departments: Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion, French Guiana, and Mayotte. These places have the same political status as the departments in Metropolitan France. Sometimes, the French government calls Metropolitan France and these five overseas departments "France entière" (meaning "entire France"). This group does not include other French overseas collectivities and territories, which have more freedom to govern themselves.
The Shape of France
France is often called l'Hexagone (the Hexagon) because of its shape. This nickname mainly refers to Metropolitan France. It has six main sides:
- The coast along the English Channel.
- The coast along the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Pyrenees mountains, which form a border with Spain.
- The coast along the Mediterranean Sea.
- The eastern border, which includes the Alps and Jura Mountains.
- The northeastern border, which touches Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Paris, Metropolitan France
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l'Hexagone is a nickname for mainland France, shown here with a hexagon shape.
See also
In Spanish: Francia metropolitana para niños
