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.

Related Links

There is a lot more to learn about France!

Explore these sites for facts and figures about France. • 3D Atlas Online: France • ABCNews.com Country Profile: France • Atlapedia Online: France • CIA World Factbook 1999: France • Discovery School A-Z Geography: France • French Prime Ministers Website • Information Please: France • Zip Zap France Let Atlapedia's "Click-A-Map" show you physical maps of France. Learn about some of France's overseas possessions, including the French Caribbean, French Polynesia, and French Guiana. See France for yourself! Take a virtual journey around the country to learn about daily life, food, sports, arts and crafts, music and dance, and more. Take an electronic tour of a France Photo Gallery to see photographs from all over the country. Find out what the French flag looks like and get fun facts on the Flags of the World site. Then, listen to La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, and access an English translation of the French lyrics. Did you know that the American Revolution contributed to the French Revolution? Read more about the French Revolution and Bastille Day on these sites: • Bastille Day • Discovery School A-Z History: French Revolution • Zip Zap France: French Revolution Find more information about the Olympic Games in Paris in 1900 and in 1924. Then learn about the Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, in Grenoble in 1968, and in Albertville in 1992. Find out about the Tour de France, an annual cycling race through the mountains of France.

More Countries (past hosts of Olympic Games)

Japan United States Norway Spain Canada South Korea Bosnia Russia Austria

Germany France Mexico Italy Finland Switzerland Great Britain Netherlands

Not every participating country has had the honor of hosting the Olympic Games. To learn more about countries represented at the Olympics, browse the following sites.

3-D Atlas Discovery School A-Z Geography National Geographic Sydney 2000: Countries USA TODAY Parade of Nations