France is distinguished by the richness and diversity of its territory, both continental and overseas. Situated at the heart of Western Europe, it benefits from a strategic geographical position, a variety of climates, landscapes and relief, as well as a regional network marked by distinct identities.
La France
This is a numerical presentation of the French territory, from its major natural areas to regional dynamics, via the main demographic and economic indicators. Its aim is to provide the keys to understanding the organisation and challenges facing France today.
The French territory
- Total surface area
Mainland France: 551,695 km².
Overseas territories: approx. 120,000 sq km
Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ1: 10.2 million km² (2nd largest in the world)
- Land borders
8 neighbouring countries
2,913 kilometres of borders2 with the following countries:- Spain (623 km)
- Belgium (620 km)
- Switzerland (573 km)
- Italy (515 km)
- Germany (448 km)
- Andorra (57 km)
- Luxembourg (73 km)
- Principality of Monaco (4 km)
- Geographical location
- The crossroads between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean
- At the crossroads of continental and maritime flows
- Presence on several continents via the French overseas territories
- North America
- Central America (West Indies)
- Pacific
- Africa
- Oceania
- Antarctica
Reliefs and large natural areas
- Plains and basins (around 60% of the territory) :
- Paris Basin
- Aquitaine basin
- Alsace Plain
- Old trees:
- Massif Central
Puy de Sancy (1886 m) - Armorican Massif
Mont des Avaloirs (416 m) - Vosges
The Grand Ballon (1 424 m ) - Ardennes
La Croix Scaille (504 m)
- Massif Central
- Recent channels:
- Alps
Mont Blanc (4,810 metres, highest point) - Pyrenees
The Pic d’Aneto (3,404 m) - Jura
Crêt de la Neige (1,720 m)
- Alps
- Volcanism3:
- Chaîne des Puys in the Massif Central
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Reunion island
Piton de la Fournaise
Piton des Neiges
Trade winds volcano - Island of Martinique
Mount Pelée - Guadeloupe Archipelago
La Soufrière
- Chaîne des Puys in the Massif Central
- Sea fronts:
Climate and environment
- Main climates in mainland France
- Oceanic (west)
- Continental (east)
- Mediterranean (south-east)
- Montagnard (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central)
- Main climates 6
- Maritime Polaire (Saint-Pierrre-et-Miquelon)
- Polar shipping (West Indies, Reunion, New Caledonia, Polynesia)
- Equatorial (French Guiana)
- Montagnard (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central)
- Average rainfall :
Between 600 mm/year (Rhône valley) and 2,000 mm/year (mountains), varying from region to region.
- Forestry :
- Afforestation 7: 32% of the territory
- Forest area: 17 million hectares
French population
- Total population (INSEE 8)
France as a whole: 68.4 million inhabitants
Density: 119 inhabitants/km² (metropolitan France)
- Populationbreakdown
- More populated coastlines and river valleys
- Demographic decline in the centre and mountains
- Major urban centres:
The main areas of attraction- Paris
12.3 million inhabitants, Île-de-France region - Lyon
2.3 million inhabitants, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region - Marseille
1.9 million inhabitants, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region - Toulouse, Lille, Bordeaux, Nantes
1.0 to 1.4 million inhabitants (4 different regions)
- Paris
Around 80% of the French population lives in towns and cities.
The 13 metropolitan regions
The number of regions in France since the 2016 reform.
Some figures and information on the French regions, in alphabetical order:
| Region | Capital | Population (2024) | Specific geographical features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Lyon | 8 million | Alps, Rhône valley, industry, mountain tourism |
| Burgundy-Franche-Comté | Dijon | 2.8 million | Vineyards, limestone plateaux, watchmaking |
| Brittany | Rennes | 3.4 million | Atlantic coastline, strong cultural identity |
| Centre-Val de Loire | Orléans | 2.6 million | Loire Valley, châteaux, cereal growing |
| Corsica | Ajaccio | 350 000 | Island mountains, tourist coastline |
| Great East | Strasbourg | 5.5 million | Vineyards, Rhine, cross-border industry |
| Hauts-de-France | Lille | 6 million | Mining basin, ports, intensive agriculture |
| Île-de-France | Paris | 12.3 million | Political, economic and cultural centralisation |
| Normandy | Rouen | 3.4 million | Coastline, hedged farmland, ports (Le Havre, Cherbourg) |
| New Aquitaine | Bordeaux | 6 million | Vineyards, Landes forest, ocean tourism |
| Occitania | Toulouse | 6.1 million | Aeronautics, Pyrenees, Mediterranean |
| Pays de la Loire | Nantes | 3.9 million | Shipbuilding, livestock farming, Atlantic tourism |
| Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur | Marseille | 5.2 million | Southern Alps, Mediterranean coastline, international tourism |
The overseas territories
A global projection of France, it represents a population of 2.7 million inhabitants on a land area of 120,000 km2 and a sea area of 10,540,825 km2 on seas and oceans.
| Territory | Ocean | Status | Geographical specificity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadeloupe, Martinique | Atlantic | DROM (French overseas departments and regions) | Volcanic islands, food dependency |
| French Guiana | South America | Single territorial unit (CTU) | Amazonian forest, Kourou space base |
| La Réunion | Indian | DROM (French overseas departments and regions) | Active volcano, steep terrain |
| Mayotte | Indian | Single territorial unit (CTU) | Coral island, strong demographic pressure |
| French Polynesia | Pacific | COM (Overseas Collectivity) | Scattered archipelagos, strategic EEZ |
| New Caledonia | Pacific | OCT (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Nickel, an autonomous issue |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | North Atlantic | COM (Overseas Collectivity) | Near Canada, fishing |
| Southern Territories | Austral | TAAF (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) | Scientific research, unique biodiversity |
Economic activities in France
- Agriculture:
3% of GDP, but Europe’sleading agri-food exporter- Major agricultural 9
- Beauce (cereals)
- Brittany (livestock)
- Champagne, Bordeaux (vineyards)
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine (cereals, vines, fruit and vegetables)
- Grand Est (livestock, vineyards, fruit and vegetables)
- Brittany (livestock, fruit and vegetables)
- Pays de la Loire (cereals, vines, fruit and vegetables)
- Major agricultural 9
- Industry:
Unevenly distributed, with a concentration in the north and east of France, with a shift towards advanced technologies (aeronautics, space, pharmaceuticals, etc.) that began in the last century.
- Energy (energy mix 2023) :
- Hydroelectricity: 11.5
- Wind power: 10
- Solar: 4.5
- Bioenergy: 2% of sales
- Nuclear: 64
- Other (gas, coal, etc.): 8%.
- Tourism:
No. 1 destination in the world (around 100 million tourists a year)- Main sites:
Paris
Côte d’Azur and Provence
Lyon and the Rhône Valley
The Loire Valley
Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel
The French Alps
- Main sites:
- Mobility:
- Rail network
30,000 km including 2,800 km TGV - Regional express transport (TER)
Varies by region
- Rail network
France in maps
Maps of the regions of France with practical and tourist information:
What could be better than discovering the towns and villages of France through its territory? Geography page to discover France via its regions, départements and communes.
Welcome to France
France, a Western European country, is world-renowned for its cultural diversity, historical heritage, renowned gastronomy and varied landscapes.
Covering an area of around 551,695 km², metropolitan France is divided into 13 regions, each offering its own unique character and distinct attractions. The country’s population exceeds 67 million, concentrated mainly in urban areas, Paris and the regional capitals.
France’s municipalities
With almost 35,000 communes, France is a jigsaw puzzle of cities, towns and villages.
Here are some of them by department, with maps, lists and practical links:
The France of living areas
A geographical method with precise contours and characteristics, the 1707 catchment areas map out everyday life in France:
The France of countries
A geographical concept with varying contours and names, countries are organised around the history of the land:
France’s regions
The country is made up of 13 regions, whose names and populations are listed below:
- Île-de-France
Population: Approximately 12 million.
Paris, the capital, is home to iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame. The region is also famous for the Château de Versailles.
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Population: Approximately 8 million.
This region offers spectacular Alpine scenery, historic cities such as Lyon, and famous ski resorts such as Chamonix.
- New Aquitaine
Population: Approximately 6 million.
Known for its Atlantic beaches, the Bordeaux vineyards and the historic heritage of the Dordogne.
- Occitania
Population: Approximately 6 million.
It offers sites such as Carcassonne, the Canal du Midi and the Pyrenees for outdoor activities.
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Population: Approximately 5 million.
Famous for the Côte d’Azur, Marseille, Nice and the Calanques National Park.
- Great East
Population: Approximately 5.5 million. Famous for Strasbourg and its Christmas market, the Vosges mountains and the Alsace wine routes.
- Hauts-de-France
Population: Approximately 6 million. The region is marked by First World War memorials and cities of art and history such as Lille.
- Pays de la Loire
Population: Approximately 3.8 million. The region is famous for the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes and the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race circuit.
- Brittany
Population: Approximately 3.3 million. Known for its rugged coastline, Celtic traditions and landmarks such as Saint-Malo.
- Normandy
Population: Approximately 3.3 million. Famous for the D-Day landing beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and the cliffs of Étretat.
- Centre-Val de Loire
Population: Approximately 2.6 million. The region is famous for its Loire châteaux, such as Chambord and Chenonceau.
- Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Population: Approximately 2.8 million. Famous for its vineyards, Dijon and Besançon, as well as its architectural heritage.
- Corsica
Population: Approximately 340,000. The island offers spectacular mountain scenery, heavenly beaches and a rich cultural heritage.
Each region of France has its own distinctive culture, history and landscapes, offering visitors a rich and varied experience, from urban explorations to nature escapes, gastronomy and wine.
And to continue and explore further, choose your region or department:
Metropolitan regions
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes(Lyon)
- Burgundy-Franche-Comté (Dijon)
- Brittany (Rennes)
- Centre-Val-de-Loire (Orléans)
- Grand-Est (Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine) /Strasbourg
- Hauts-de-France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie) / Lille
- Île-de-France (Paris)
- Normandy (Rouen)
- Nouvelle-aquitaine (Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes)/Bordeaux
- Occitania (Toulouse)
- Pays de la Loire (Nantes)
- Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur (Marseille)
Single territorial authority
- Corsica (Ajaccio)
Overseas regions
- Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre)
- Martinique (Fort-de-France)
- French Guiana (Cayenne)
- La Réunion (Saint-Denis)
- Mayotte (Mamoudzou)
- Map of French overseas territories
The departments
- Ain *
- Aisne
- Allier *
- Hautes-Alpes *
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence *
- Alpes-Maritimes *
- Ardèche
- Ardennes
- Ariège
- Aube
- Aude
- Aveyron *
- Bouches-du-Rhône *
- Calvados
- Cantal *
- Charente
- Charente-Maritime
- Dear
- Corrèze
- South Corsica
- Haute-corse
- Gold Coast
- Côtes-d’armor
- Creuse
- Dordogne
- Doubs
- Drôme
- Eure
- Eure-et-Loir
- Finistère
- Gard *
- Haute-Garonne
- Gers
- Gironde
- Hérault
- Ile-et-Vilaine
- Indre
- Indre-et-Loire
- Isère *
- Jura
- Landes
- Loir-et-Cher
- Loire *
- Haute-Loire *
- Loire-Atlantique
- Loiret
- Batch
- Lot-et-Garonne
- Lozère *
- Maine-et-Loire
- Sleeve
- Marne
- Haute-Marne
- Mayenne
- Meurthe-et-Moselle
- Meuse
- Morbihan
- Moselle
- Nièvre
- North
- Oise
- Orne
- Pas-de-Calais
- Puy-de-Dôme
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques
- Hautes-Pyrénées
- Pyrénées-Orientales
- Bas-Rhin
- Haut-Rhin
- Rhône
- Haute-Saône
- Saône-et-Loire
- Sarthe
- Savoie
- Haute-Savoie
- Paris
- Seine-Maritime
- Seine-et-Marne
- Yvelines
- Deux-Sèvres
- Sum
- Tarn
- Tarn-et-Garonne
- Var
- Vaucluse
- Vendée
- Vienna
- Haute-Vienne
- Vosges
- Yonne
- Territoire de Belfort
- Essonne
- Hauts-de-Seine
- Seine-Saint-Denis
- Val-de-Marne
- Val-d’oise
France in maps
Here are some maps of France by department and region.
The regions of France
- Maps of France’s regions:
Departments of France
Map, list and number to discover the geography of France’s départements:
Travel link
- Communes, Wikipedia
Page notes
- EEZ, Wikipedia ↩︎
- The borders of France, Cairn ↩︎
- List of active and extinct volcanoes in France, Wikipedia ↩︎
- French coastline, Wikipedia ↩︎
- Key figures for the sea and coastline, DataLab ↩︎
- Overseas climates, Météo France ↩︎
- French Forest Observatory, Ministry of Agriculture ↩︎
- Demographic report 2024, INSEE ↩︎
- Agricultural identity of the regions, INSEE ↩︎