Geography of France

The French Republic (in French, République française) is a transcontinental state, made up of a metropolitan part (this one, located in Western Europe) and a series of departments overseas distributed between Africa and America. Metropolitan France is bordered by four seas: the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, which also surrounds the island of Corsica.

Relief

The relief of metropolitan France is characterized by the "French S", which starts in the south of the Vosges, descends through the Rhône valley and heads west through the south of the Massif Central and north of the Pyrenees.

The mountain ranges that reach the highest altitude are the Alps and the Pyrenees. The height is softer in the Massif Central, old and rounded peaks. On the border with Germany are the Vosges and the Ardennes. To the north of the Alps is the Jura, covered with grasses and with a height that does not exceed 800 m s. no. m.

To the northwest of this line is the Hercynian zone dating from the Primary and Secondary era, to the southeast is the Alpine zone dating from the Tertiary and Quaternary era. This line is also an altimetric border: the Hercynian zone shows rounded slopes while the Alpine zone is more abrupt; and it is a watershed: to the west, the rivers flow into the Atlantic, to the east, they flow into the Mediterranean. The west has an oceanic influence, while to the east it experiences a Mediterranean influence that is attenuated reaching the Jura.

The extreme points of elevation are the Rhone River delta, the Bouches du Rhône, which is two meters below sea level; the highest point is Mont Blanc, at 4810 m a.s.l. no. m. To check the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cover of Mont Blanc, its surface and summit have been extensively and periodically measured in recent years; these new measurements of the peak have exceeded the height of 4,807 m and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the true summit, of rock, is 4792 m and is 40 m from the ice-covered summit.

Coasts

It has a coastline that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the North Sea and, in the south, the Mediterranean Sea. Low and sandy coasts predominate. The main geographical features of the Atlantic coast are the Bay of Biscay or Gascony, and the Penmarch tip on the Brittany peninsula. In the English Channel is the Gulf of St. Malo, then the Cotentin peninsula whose end is Cape de la Hague, then the Bay of the Seine and the Bay of the Somme. After the narrow channel called the Pas de Calais, there is a small section that leads to the North Sea, where Dunkerque is located. In the Mediterranean Sea is the Gulf of Leon.

Climate

As for the climate, although France is part of the temperate zone, it has summers that can be hot. The influence of the Mediterranean is manifested by mild and short winters and torrid summers.

Satellite image of France (metropolitan) in August 2002. An unusually cloud-free France in this image taken August 14, 2002. To the north, the clouds are mostly darkened by the Channel, but the Gulf of Vizcaya to the west is clear, as is the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The northernmost portion of Spain is clearly visible at the bottom of the image, and is separated from France by the Pyrenees.

The arrangement of the relief accentuates the temperature contrasts, since the mountain ranges prevent the influence of the ocean on the eastern plains (E). In summer temperatures rise significantly from North (N) to South (S); all the North-West regions enjoy a moderate summer without excessive heat, which contrasts with the hot summers in the S. and Mediterranean region (the average temperature in July in Brest is 16.6 °C and in Marseille 24.1 °C). In winter temperatures decrease from West (W). to E., which translates the influence of the oceanic masses; in the more continental regions the cold is strong and persistent. Strasbourg has an average temperature in January of 1.6 °C and about 69 days of frost. In the eastern regions, the existence of a relief in channels (furrow of the Rhône) channels the winds in a NS direction; the dry and cold mistral that blows in the Rhône valley is the most important.

Precipitation is moderate, but there are rare regions where rainfall is less than 500 mm. Rainfall is abundant on the Atlantic coast and in the mountainous areas, and scarce in the inland plains, in the regions sheltered by the relief and in the Mediterranean area (Marseille, 555 mm). In the continental regions the rains fall mainly in summer and in the form of showers; In the Mediterranean regions, irregular and violent rainfall occurs at the beginning and end of winter. On the whole, the climate of France is characterized by unstable weather, the result of the struggle of the air masses that spread over the country. In winter the cold, continental and dry air is pushed by the winds from the E. Counteracted by the Atlantic depressions that flow over the country and sweeten the climate; In summer, the invasion of tropical air is limited by winds from the West.

Three characteristic climatic areas can be distinguished: the oceanic domain, the Mediterranean domain, and the continental one.

The zone subject to oceanic influences is the largest, covering most of the country, although a pure oceanic climate exists only in Brittany and Normandy. It is characterized by unstable weather, since the winds quickly modify the atmospheric state, and by temperatures that are not excessive; mist and rain attenuate the winter cold. Abundant rains, although they vary according to the region; the number of rainy days is always high: 2 days out of 5 in Paris (813 mm) and 3 out of 5 in Brest (1298 mm), which has more than 200 rainy days a year. The crachin, fine and penetrating rain, falls in Brittany, mainly in autumn and winter. The oak and beech forest and the meadows and moors are mixed with other species, such as pines and birches. In Brittany, plowing has extended the bocage and the moors to the detriment of the forest. Too cool summers preclude the cultivation of vines, but coarse grains, apple trees, fodder plants, and vegetables are well suited to this climate. In the Aquitaine basin, the harsh, mild and misty winters are reminiscent of Breton winters (Bordeaux receives 1,137 mm per year). The downpours and showers blur the late and cool springs; summer, on the other hand, hotter and drier, is prolonged by a sunny autumn.

In the Paris basin, the oceanic climate is degraded from W to E. Winter, much more accentuated, is marked by periods of cold, snowfall and sudden frosts; summer is warmer and is characterized by stormy continental rains. The average temperature in January in Paris is 2.2 °C and in July it is 18.2 °C.

The Mediterranean domain is characterized by a dry climate and bright skies; its area is not extensive, since it is limited by the mountainous tableau of the Alps and the Cevennes. The latitude and the influence of the Mediterranean give rise to mild winters and torrid summers; In Marseille the January temperature is 7.1 °C and in Nice it is 8 °C, and the July average is 24.1 °C and 20.9 °C, respectively.

The continental climate includes the eastern lands of the country; plains and large valleys sheltered by the mountainous massifs, since they do not benefit from the influence of the winds from the West. It is characterized by the accused seasons, with harsh and drier winters, and the presence of local winds accentuates these characteristics. The less abundant and irregular rainfall falls mainly in summer, especially in Alsace (Strasbourg, 631 mm), and in autumn, than in the Rhône Valley.

The mountain climate is determined by the main factor, which is the altitude. It is characterized by long, harsh winters, cool, short summers, and abundant rainfall (between 1,500 and 2,000 mm). The meadows and crops on the low slopes are succeeded by the leafy forest and the coniferous forest; between 1500 m and 2000 m the alpine meadow appears.

Average Paris climate parameters, capital of France
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	15	21	26	30	33	38	40	35	33	28	21	17	40
Average temperature (°C)	6	7	12	16	20	23	25	24	21	16	10	7	15.6
Temp. medium (°C)	1	1	4	6	10	13	15	14	12	8	5	2	7.6
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-12	-15	-4	0	2	6	9	8	3	-3	-5	-13	-15
Total precipitation (mm)	56	46	35	42	57	54	59	64	55	50	51	50	619
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	17	14	12	13	12	12	12	13	13	13	15	16	162
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Hydrography

From a hydrological point of view, France has a strong position in Europe. The precipitation is, in fact, quite high and feeds powerful rivers that flow either towards the sea, or towards the neighboring countries (north and northeast). Water from France offers water availability to Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and indirectly to the Netherlands.

According to Aquastat, the average annual precipitation total is 867 millimeters, for an area of 551,500 square kilometers, an annual precipitation volume of 477.99 cubic kilometers, rounded to 478 million cubic meters.

In the driest years (approximately every 10 years), annual precipitation is 110 cubic km.

Of this volume of precipitation, evapo-transpiration consumes 301.5 km³. Remaining 176.5 cubic kilometers of surface water (rivers). The runoff coefficient, on average, adding all the basins is 320 mm per year.

We must also add 2 km³ of produced groundwater, which makes a total of 178.5 cubic kilometers of internally produced water.

In addition, a significant amount of water comes from some neighboring countries. There are 8.7 more cubic kilometers that come from other countries, of which 7.7 km³ come from Switzerland (from the upper course of the Rhône and the Doubs) and 1 km³ from Spain (upper course of the Garonne). The contributions from Belgium and Germany are considered negligible. Lastly, the Rhine contribution of 33 km³ is a special case. This river is a border for quite a long distance, but it never enters French territory. Therefore, half of its flow at the inlet (Basel) is considered to be part of France's foreign-produced water resources, or 16.5 cubic km.

The total renewable water sources in the country, therefore, amount to 203.7 cubic kilometers (1 km³ = 1000 million cubic meters) of which:

• 176.5 km3 surface water produced internally
• 2 km3 water produced internally
• 25.2 km3 surface water produced abroad (foreign)

the foreign dependency rate is 12.37%.

On average every year 13.5 km³ of water per year leaves the country to neighboring countries:

• Belgium: 5.3 km3 (food of the Mosa del Escalda and Yser)
• Germany: 3.4 km3 (Sarre and the rivers of the Alsace that go to the Rhine)
• Luxembourg and Germany: 4 km3 (Mosela)
• Italy: 0.2 km3 (Roya)
• Spain: 0.3 km3 (the Segre, an important tributary of the Ebro born in France)

The amount of water available (which includes all internally created resources, most external contributions) is 203.7 km³ per year, for an estimated population of 61.9 million inhabitants (at the end of 2007), 3290 m³ per inhabitant and year.

Large rivers

Rivers of Metropolitan France

• The Loire - is the longest river in France, (1013 km)
• The Seine - only a small part of the basin is out of France
• The Garona is born in Spain, but enters France a few kilometres away
• The Rhone is born in Switzerland and enters France several kilometres after Lake Leman
• The Mosa is born in France (where it has only a small part of its course) and then passes through Belgium and the Netherlands
• The Rhine is only French on its alsaciano tour
• The step is only important in Belgium
• Oiapoque, Mana and Maroni in Guyana

France is also watered by numerous navigable rivers:

- Somme, Orne, Vilaine, Charente, Adour, Aude, Hérault, Var, which flow into the sea;

- Moselle, Saône, Yonne, Doubs, Marne, Aisne, Oise, Allier, Cher, Loiret, Indre, Vienna, Mayenne, Ariège, Lot, Tarn, Dordogne, Isère, Drôme, etc, which flow into larger rivers)

Main channels

The most notable channels are:

• Canal del Midi;
• Central Canal;
• Canal del Ródano al Rin;
• Burgundy Channel;
• Side channel to the Loire;
• Canal du Cher;
• Canal de Nantes a Brest;

Environment

Verdon Lake, Maine and Loire

In accordance with European Union regulations, the territory of this country is divided into four biogeographical regions: Mediterranean, continental, Atlantic and, in the French part of the Alps, alpine. In its natural heritage, three World Heritage Sites declared by Unesco stand out: it shares with Spain the mixed asset "Pyrenees-Monte Perdido" (1997, 1999); natural assets are "gulf of Porto, cala de Piana, gulf of Girolata and reserve of Scandola" (1983) and the "New Caledonian lagoons: diversity of reefs and associated ecosystems" (2008), in the overseas territory. It has 10 biosphere reserves, including the cross-border Vosgues du Nord/Pfälzerwald shared with Germany. 3,314,275 hectares are protected as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, a total of 36 Ramsar sites. It has five national parks: Ecrins, Mercantour, Port Cros, Pyrénées Occidentales and Vanoise.

The natural risks are, in metropolitan France, they are floods, avalanches, wind storms in the middle of winter, droughts, forest fires in the south near the Mediterranean. In the overseas departments there can be hurricanes (cyclones), floods and volcanic activity in places like Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion Island.

Regarding environmental problems, there is some damage to forests from acid rain; air pollution from industrial emissions and vehicle traffic; water pollution comes from urban waste and farms.

Protected areas of France

In France there are 5,549 protected areas covering 153,589 km², 28% of the 548,954 km² territory, and 171,338 km² of marine surface, 49.83% of the area belonging to France, 344,866 km². Of these, 8 are national parks, 149 are national nature reserves, 54 are regional nature parks, 7 are Corsican nature reserves, 175 are forest biological reserves, 85 are comprehensive forest biological reserves, 608 are lands acquired for coastal conservation, 948 are protected biotopes, 8 are buffer zones of national parks, 10 are national hunting and nature reserves, 2 are integral reserves, 6 are marine natural parks, 175 are regional natural reserves, 1448 are lands acquired for the conservation of natural areas regional, 12 are protected perimeters around national nature reserves, 4 are protected geotopes and 3 are protected natural habitats. At the regional level, there are 5 special protected areas of Mediterranean importance, according to the Barcelona Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea, 39 are marine protected areas, 11 are sites of community importance, 1341 are special conservation areas and 403 are protection areas. especially for birds. Of international importance, there are 8 Unesco biosphere reserves, 3 World Heritage Sites and 37 Ramsar sites.

Political geography

Regions of France since 2016.

Territorial organization

France has several levels of internal divisions. The first-level administrative division of integral France is the regions. In addition, the French Republic has sovereignty over several other territories, with various administrative levels.

Metropolitan (that is, European) France is divided into 12 regions and one territorial collectivity, Corsica. However, in common speech, Corsica is spoken of as a region. These regions are subdivided into 96 departments, which are further divided into 320 districts, which are further divided into 1,995 cantons, which are further divided into 34,836 municipalities.

• Five regions of overseas (régions d'outre-mer, o ROM): Guadalupe, Guayana, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion, with identical status as the metropolitan regions. Each of these overseas regions is also an overseas department (DOM), with the same status as a metropolitan France department. This dual structure (region/department) is new, due to the recent expansion of the regional regime to overseas departments, and could soon be transformed into a single structure, with the fusion of regional and departmental assemblies. Another proposed change is the creation of new departments, as in the case of the Meeting, where it has been proposed to create a second department in the south of the island, with the region of the Meeting above these two departments.
• Four overseas collectivities (collectivités d'outre-mer, o COM): Saint Peter and Miquelon, Saint Bartholomew, St. Martin and Wallis and Futuna.
• An ultramarine "country" (pays d'outre-mer, or POM): French Polynesia. In 2003 it became an overseas collectivity (or COM). Its statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular denomination of an overseas country within the Republic (or POM), but without legally modifying its status.
• A collectivity sui generis (collectivité sui generis): New Caledonia, whose status is unique in the French Republic.
• An overseas territory (territoire d'outre-mer, or TOM): the French Southern and Antarctic Lands divided into 5 districts: Kerguelen Islands, Crozet Islands, Île Amsterdam e Île Saint-Paul, Land of Adelia and the scattered islands (Banc du Geyser, Bassas da India, Europe, Juan de Nova, Glorioso and Tromelin).
• An uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, opposite the coast of Mexico, which belongs directly to the public lands of the central state and is administered by the French High Commissioner in French Polynesia: Clipperton.

Territorial boundaries

• Ground limits:
  • Total: 3,966.2 kilometres
  • 2,751 kilometres (metropolitan), 1,205 kilometres (French Guiana) 10.2 kilometres (San Martín)
• Border countries:
  • Andorra 55 kilometers, Belgium 556 kilometers Germany 450 kilometers, Italy 476 kilometers, Luxembourg 69 kilometers, Monaco 6 kilometers, Spain 646 kilometers, Switzerland 525 kilometers (France metropolitan)
  • Brazil 649 kilometres, Suriname 556 kilometres, 1,205 kilometres (French Guiana)
  • Sint Maarten 10.2 kilometers (San Martín)
• Coasts: 3427 kilometres (metropolitan), 378 kilometres (French Guiana), 306 kilometres (Guadalupe), 350 kilometres (Martinica), 207 kilometres (Reunion)
• Maritime regulations:
  • Territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22.2 km)
  • Contiguous area: 24 nautical miles (44.4 km)
  • Exclusive economic zone of France: 334 604 km2 only in Europe. 11 691 000 km2 including all overseas territories. The 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) do not apply to the Mediterranean Sea

Continental shelf: 200 meters deep or up to the depth of exploitation