View source for Geography of France

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{more citations needed|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox country geography
| name = France
| map = Satellite_image_of_France_in_August_2002.jpg
| continent = Europe
| region = Western [[Europe]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|52|51|N|2|21|E|type:city}}
| area ranking = 42nd
| km area = 643801
| percent land = 99.48
| km coastline = 5,500
| exclusive economic zone = In Europe: {{convert|334,604|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} <br/> All overseas territories: {{convert|11,691,000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
| borders = {{convert|4,176|km|mi|abbr=on}}
<!--unknown params:
| northernmost point = 
| southernmost point = 
| easternmost point = 
| westernmost point = 
| geographic center = -->| highest point = [[Mont Blanc]] {{convert|4,808|m|feet|abbr=on}}
| lowest point = [[Étang de Lavalduc]] {{convert|-10|m|feet|abbr=on}}
| longest river = [[Loire]] {{convert|1,012|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| largest lake = [[Lac du Bourget]] {{convert|44.5|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
| climate = [[Oceanic climate]], [[Mediterranean climate]] (south), [[mountain climate]] ([[Alps]] and [[Pyrenees]])
| terrain = [[Plains]] and hills (north and west), mountainous (south)
| natural resources = [[Coal]], [[iron ore]], [[bauxite]], [[zinc]], [[uranium]], [[antimony]], [[arsenic]], [[potash]], [[feldspar]], [[fluorspar]], [[gypsum]], [[timber]], [[fish]], [[gold]]
| natural hazards = [[Flooding]], [[avalanche]]s, midwinter windstorms, [[drought]], [[forest fire]]s (south)
| environmental issues = Water pollution, air pollution, agricultural runoff, acid rain
}}
[[File:600x600 GMT France topo-R1.jpg|thumb|A topographic map of the Republic, excluding all the overseas departments and territories]]
[[File:Carte physique simplifiée de la France.svg|thumb|Simplified physical map]]
The '''geography of France''' consists of a terrain that is mostly flat plains or gently [[rolling hills (geology)|rolling hills]] in the north and the west and mountainous in the south (including the [[Massif Central]] and the [[Pyrenees]]) and the east (the country's highest points being in the [[Alps]]). [[Metropolitan France]] has a total size of {{convert|551,695|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (Europe only). It is the third-largest country in Europe by area (after [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]]) and the largest in [[Western Europe]].

==Physical geography of Metropolitan France==
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map FRA present.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate]] classification map of Metropolitan France]]
[[File:CORINE Land Cover 2006 France.png|thumb|Land use in Metropolitan France, with urban areas shown in red, 2006.]]
[[File:Natural resources of France.png|thumb|Natural resources of France. Metals are in blue (Al — [[aluminium]] ore, Fe — [[iron]] ore, W — [[tungsten]], Au — [[gold]], U — [[uranium]]). Fossil fuels are in red (C — [[coal]], L — [[lignite]], P — [[petroleum]], G — [[natural gas]]). Non-metallic minerals are in green (F — [[fluorite]], K — [[potash]], T — [[talc]]).]]

===Climate===
{{Main|Climate of France}}
Metropolitan France's territory is relatively large and so it climate is not uniform and gives rise to the following climate nuances:

*The [[cool semi-arid climate]] (''BSk'') is found in the western part of the [[Bouches-du-Rhône]] area and the Roussillon plain of the [[Pyrénées-Orientales]]. Summers are hot, winters are cool winters. There is insufficient average annual rainfall in some years. 
*The [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] (''Csa'') is found along the [[Gulf of Lion]] and further inland. Summers are hot and dry, winters are cool and autumns can be very rainy near the [[Cévennes]].
*The [[warm-summer Mediterranean climate]] (''Csb'') is found in the northwestern part of [[Brittany]] and along the [[Gulf of Lion]] but higher in altitude, in the mountains. Summers are warm (but not hot) and dry, winters are cool and can be cold in the mountains and autumns are rainy.
*The [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cfa'') is found in southwestern France, in the [[Toulouse]] area. In France, the humid subtropical climate is not as hot and humid as in the [[Southeastern United States]]. Summers are hot and wetter than in the [[Mediterranean Basin]], and winters are cool and somewhat foggy in the plains.
*The [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'') concerns a large part of France, as far as [[Champagne (region)|Champagne]] and [[Burgundy]] and of course around the coasts of the [[Bay of Biscay]], the [[English Channel]] and the [[North Sea]]. Summers are pleasantly warm (rarely hot), somewhat dry and winters are cool and wet.
*The [[subpolar oceanic climate|subalpine oceanic climate]] (''Cfc'') is found at the foot of the [[Pyrenees]], [[Massif Central]] and western [[French Alps]] as in the mountains of the [[Vercors Massif]] and the [[Chartreuse Mountains]]. Summers are short, cool and wet, and winters are moderately cold, long and snowy.
*The [[dry-summer continental climate|warm-summer dry-summer continental climate]] (''Dsb'') is found in all the mountainous regions of [[Southern France]] between 700 and 1,400 metres a.s.l. Summers are pleasantly warm and dry, and winters are very cold and snowy.
*The [[dry-summer continental climate|cool-summer dry-summer continental climate]] (''Dsc'') is found in all the mountainous regions of Southern France between 1,400 and 2,300-2,400 metres a.s.l. Summers are cool, short and dry, and winters are very cold and snowy.
*The [[warm-summer humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'') is found in the far east of France or in all the mountain ranges far from the ocean or the sea. Summers are warm to hot and stormy and winters are cold and somewhat dry, and snow is not uncommon. Above 500–600 meters a.s.l in the northeastern quarter of France, the snowpack can persist throughout the winter. In January 1985, in [[Mouthe]], the temperature has dropped under {{convert|-41.2|C|F|abbr=on}}.
*The [[subarctic climate|subalpine climate]] (''Dfc'') is found in all the mountainous regions of France between 1,100-1,400 meters a.s.l in the Vosges mountains and 1,400-2,300 metres a.s.l in the southern French Alps or in the Pyrenees. Summers are cool, short and stormy while winters are very cold, long and snowy.
* The [[tundra climate|alpine tundra climate]] (''ET'') is found in all the mountainous regions of France, generally above 2,000 or 2,300-2,400 metres a.s.l depending on the mountain ranges. Summers are chilly, stormy and windy and winters are extremely cold, long and snowy.
* The [[ice cap climate]] (''EF'') is found in all the mountainous regions of France that have a [[glacier]], in the highest mountains of the Alps or the Pyrenees. The climate in the [[Mont Blanc massif]] (up to 4,810 meters a.s.l) is an ice cap climate for example. Summers are cold and wet and winters are extremely cold, long and snowy.

[[Climate change in France]] includes above average heating.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Climate change in France|url=https://www.climatechangepost.com/france/climate-change/|access-date=2 June 2021|website=Climatechangepost.com}}</ref>

===Elevation extremes===
* Lowest point: [[Étang de Lavalduc]], [[Bouches-du-Rhône]] -10 m
* Highest point: [[Mont Blanc]] 4,808 m {{see also|Evolution of highest point of France}}

===Land use===
* ''Arable land'': 33.40%
* ''Permanent crops'': 1.83%
* ''Other'': 64.77% (2007)

''Irrigated land:'' 26,420&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (2007)

''Total renewable water resources:'' 211&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> (2011)

''Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):'' 31.62&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>/yr (19%/71%/10%) (512.1 m<sup>3</sup>/yr per capita) (2009)

===Natural resources===
[[Coal]], [[iron ore]], [[bauxite]], [[zinc]], [[uranium]], [[antimony]], [[arsenic]], [[potash]], [[feldspar]], [[fluorspar]], [[gypsum]], [[timber]], [[fish]], [[gold]], [[clay]], [[petroleum]], [[silver]]

===Natural hazards===
Flooding, Hailstorms, [[avalanche]]s, midwinter windstorms, [[drought]], [[forest fire]]s in the south near the Mediterranean

===Environment===
The region that now comprises France consisted of open grassland during the [[Pleistocene]] Ice Age. France gradually became forested as the glaciers retreated starting in 10,000 BC, but clearing of these primeval forests began in [[Neolithic]] times. These forests were still fairly extensive until the medieval era.

In prehistoric times, France was home to large predatory animals such as wolves and brown bears, as well as herbivores such as elk. The larger fauna have disappeared outside the Pyrenees Mountains where bears live as a protected species. Smaller animals include [[martens]], wild pigs, foxes, [[weasels]], bats, rodents, rabbits, and assorted birds.

By the 15th century, France had largely been denuded of its forests and was forced to rely on Scandinavia and their North American colonies for lumber. Significant remaining forested areas are in the Gascony region and north in the Alsace-Ardennes area. The [[Ardennes Forest]] was the scene of extensive fighting in both world wars.

The northcentral part of the region is dominated by the [[Paris Basin]], which consists of a layered sequence of [[sedimentary rock]]s. Fertile soils over much of the area make good agricultural land. The [[Normandy (administrative region)|Normandy]] coast to the northwest is characterized by high, chalk cliffs, while the [[Brittany (administrative region)|Brittany]] coast (the peninsula to the west) is highly indented in places that deep valleys were drowned by the sea, and the [[Bay of Biscay|Biscay]] coast to the southwest is marked by flat, sandy beaches.

A recent global [[remote sensing]] analysis suggested that there were 1,433&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> of tidal flats in France, making it the 23rd ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=N.J. |last2=Phinn |first2=S.R. |last3=DeWitt |first3=M. |last4=Ferrari |first4=R. |last5=Johnston |first5=R. |last6=Lyons |first6=M.B. |last7=Clinton |first7=N. |last8=Thau |first8=D. |last9=Fuller |first9=R.A. |title=The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats |journal=Nature |date=2019 |volume=565 |issue=7738 |pages=222–225 |doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8 |pmid=30568300 |s2cid=56481043 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0805-8|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Naturasollieres.jpg|Forest in [[Sollières-Sardières]] ([[Natura 2000]] site).
File:Calanque de Sugiton, 2016.jpg|[[Calanques National Park]] in [[Bouches-du-Rhône]]
File:Mont Blanc depuis Valmorel 2.jpg|[[Mont Blanc]], the highest summit in Western Europe
File:Etang de Lavalduc 2.jpg|[[Étang de Lavalduc]], the lowest point in France
</gallery>

==Political geography==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2019}}

===Internal divisions===
[[File:Départements+régions (France)-2016.svg|thumb|upright=1.75|Regions and departments of Metropolitan France in 2016.]]
{{main article|Administrative divisions of France}}

France has several levels of internal divisions. The first-level administrative division of Metropolitan France is regions. Also the French Republic has sovereignty over several other territories, with various administrative levels. 
*Metropolitan (i.e. European) France is divided into 12 ''[[Regions of France|régions]]'' and 1 territorial collectivity, [[Corsica]]. However, Corsica is referred to as a region in common speech. These regions are subdivided into 96 ''[[Departments of France|département]]s'', which are further divided into 320 [[arrondissements of France|arrondissements]], which are further divided into 1,995 [[Canton in France|cantons]], which are further divided into 34,836 [[Communes of France|communes]] (as of 1/1/2021).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectivites-locales.gouv.fr/files/Accueil/DESL/2021/Colloc%20en%20chiffres/CL_en_chiffres_2021.pdf|page=18|title=Les collectivités locales en chiffres 2021|publisher=Ministère de la Cohésion des territoires et des Relations avec les collectivités territoriales|date=August 2021|language=fr}}</ref>
*Five overseas regions (''[[région d'outre-mer|régions d'outre-mer]]'', or ''ROM''): [[Guadeloupe]], [[French Guiana]], [[Martinique]], [[Mayotte]], and [[Réunion]], with identical status to metropolitan regions. Each of these overseas regions also being an overseas département (''[[département d'outre-mer]]'', or ''DOM''), with the same status as a ''{{lang|fr|département}}'' of metropolitan France. This double structure (''région''/''{{lang|fr|département}}'') is new, due to the recent extension of the regional scheme to the overseas départements, and may soon transform into a single structure, with the merger of the regional and departmental assemblies. Another proposed change is that new ''départements'' are created such as in the case of [[Réunion]], where it has been proposed to create a second ''{{lang|fr|département}}'' in the south of the island, with the ''région'' of Réunion above these two ''départements''.
*Four overseas collectivities (''[[collectivité d'outre-mer|collectivités d'outre-mer]]'', or ''COM''): [[Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]], [[Saint Barthélemy]], [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]], and [[Wallis and Futuna]]. 
*One overseas "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 designation of overseas country inside the Republic (or ''POM''), but without legal modification of its status.
*One [[sui generis]] collectivity (''[[collectivité sui generis]]''): [[New Caledonia]], whose status is unique in the French Republic.
*One overseas territory (''[[territoire d'outre-mer]]'', or ''TOM''): the [[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]] divided into 5 districts: [[Kerguelen Islands]], [[Crozet Islands]], [[Île Amsterdam]] and [[Île Saint-Paul]], [[Adélie Land]], and the [[Îles Éparses|Scattered islands]] ([[Banc du Geyser]], [[Bassas da India]], [[Europa Island|Europa]], [[Juan de Nova Island|Juan de Nova]], [[Glorioso Islands|Glorioso]], and [[Tromelin Island|Tromelin]]).
*One uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico that belongs directly to the central government [[public land]] and is administered by the high-commissioner of the French Republic in French Polynesia: [[Clipperton Island|Clipperton]].

===Boundaries===
* Land boundaries:
** ''Total:'' {{convert|3966.2|km}}
** {{convert|2751|km}} ([[Metropolitan France|Metropolitan]]), {{convert|1205|km}} ([[French Guiana]]) {{convert|10.2|km}} ([[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]])
* Border countries:
** [[Andorra]] {{convert|55|km}}, [[Belgium]] {{convert|556|km}}, [[Germany]] {{convert|450|km}}, [[Italy]] {{convert|476|km}}, [[Luxembourg]] {{convert|69|km}}, [[Monaco]] {{convert|6|km}}, [[Spain]] {{convert|646|km}}, [[Switzerland]] {{convert|525|km}} (Metropolitan)
** [[Brazil]] {{convert|649|km}}, [[Suriname]] {{convert|556|km}}, {{convert|1205|km}} (French Guiana) 
** [[Sint Maarten]] {{convert|10.2|km}} (Saint Martin)
* Coastline: {{convert|5,500|km}} (Metropolitan). {{convert|20,000|km}} including all overseas territories.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Longueur du trait de côte en 2019|url=https://www.eaufrance.fr/chiffres-cles/longueur-du-trait-de-cote-en-2019|website=eaufrance.fr|language=fr|access-date=12 July 2024}}</ref>
* Maritime claims:
** Territorial sea: {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
** Contiguous zone: {{convert|24|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on|lk=in}}
** [[Exclusive economic zone]]: {{convert|334,604|km2|mi2|1|abbr=on}} only in Europe. {{convert|11,691,000 |km2|mi2|1|abbr=on}} including all overseas territories. The {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}} does not apply to the [[Mediterranean Sea]]
** Continental shelf: {{convert|200|m}} depth or to the depth of exploitation

<gallery>
File:France-Constituent-Lands.png|The lands making up the French Republic, shown at the same [[Scale (map)|geographic scale]].
File:French Guiana in its region.svg|French Guiana
File:Territorial waters - France.svg|The [[exclusive economic zone]]s of France
</gallery>

==Extreme points==
This is a list of the extreme points of France; the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

=== France (mainland Europe) ===
* Northernmost point — [[Bray-Dunes]], [[Nord (French department)|Nord]] at {{coord|51|04|N|2|31|E}}
* Southernmost point — [[Puig de Comanegra]], [[Lamanère]], [[Pyrénées-Orientales]] at {{coord|42|20|N|2|31|E}}
* Westernmost point — [[Pointe de Corsen]], [[Plouarzel]], [[Finistère]] at {{coord|48|24|N|4|47|W}}
* Easternmost point — [[Lauterbourg]], [[Bas Rhin]] at {{coord|48|58|N|8|13|E}}

=== France (metropolitan) ===
* Northernmost point — [[Bray-Dunes]], [[Nord (French department)|Nord]] at {{coord|51|04|N|2|31|E}}
* Southernmost point — [[Îles Lavezzi]] (off [[Corsica]]), [[Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud|Bonifacio]], [[Corse-du-Sud]] at {{coord|41|20|N|9|15|E}}
* Westernmost point — Isle of [[Ushant]] (off [[Brittany (administrative region)|Brittany]]), [[Finistère]] at {{coord|48|27|N|5|08|W}}
* Easternmost point — [[San-Giuliano]] (near [[Cervione]]), [[Haute-Corse]] at {{coord|42|17|N|9|33|E}}

=== France (including ''départements d'outre mer'') ===

* Northernmost point — [[Bray-Dunes]], [[Nord (French department)|Nord]] at {{coord|51|04|N|2|31|E}}
* Southernmost point — [[Saint-Joseph, Réunion]] at {{coord|21|23|S|55|39|E}}
* Westernmost point — [[Pointe-Noire, Guadeloupe|Pointe-Noire]], [[Guadeloupe]] at {{coord|16|16|N|61|48|W}}
* Easternmost point — [[Sainte-Rose, Réunion]] at {{coord|21|11|S|55|50|E}}

=== France (all territory of the French Republic) ===

* Northernmost point : [[Bray-Dunes]], [[Nord (French department)|Nord]] at {{coord|51|04|N|2|31|E}}
* Southernmost point : [[îles de Boynes]], [[Kerguelen Islands]], [[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]] at {{coord|50|01|S|68|52|E}}
* Westernmost point : Toloke, [[Futuna (Wallis and Futuna)|Futuna]], [[Wallis and Futuna]] at {{coord|14|15|S|178|10|W}}
* Easternmost point : [[Hunter Island (South Pacific)|Hunter Island]], [[New Caledonia]] at {{coord|22|31|S|172|6|E}}

==Temperature extremes==
These are the extreme temperatures in France.

{{Weather box
|location = France 
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 23.3
|Feb record high C = 28.3
|Mar record high C = 29.2
|Apr record high C = 32.1
|May record high C = 35.6
|Jun record high C = 45.9
|Jul record high C = 43.9
|Aug record high C = 44.1
|Sep record high C = 38.0
|Oct record high C = 35.8
|Nov record high C = 27.1
|Dec record high C = 26.9
|year record high C = 
|Jan record low C = -41.0 
|Feb record low C = -35
|Mar record low C = -32.0
|Apr record low C = -19.0
|May record low C = -10
|Jun record low C = -4.0
|Jul record low C = -4.0
|Aug record low C = -4.0
|Sep record low C = -7.0
|Oct record low C = -14.0
|Nov record low C = -29.0
|Dec record low C = -37.0
|year record low C =
|source=<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.meteofrance.fr/actualites/73726667-record-absolu-de-chaleur-battu-45-9-c-dans-le-gard-du-jamais-vu-en-france | title=METEO FRANCE - le site institutionnel de Météo-France }}</ref>
|date=December 2018}}

==See also==
* [[Aire urbaine|List of fifteen largest French metropolitan areas by population]]
* [[Géoportail]]
* [[Institut géographique national]]

'''General:'''
* [[Geography of Europe]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikibooks}}
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.geoportail.fr/ GéoPortail] - Geography portal of France, high altitude imagery, maps ...
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930135243/http://www.softmaptech.com/fr/cartes/map_France.html?lang=en A detailed map of France] showing all ''régions'' and numbered ''départements'', including their ''préfectures''.

{{France topics}}
{{Geography of Europe}}
{{Europe topic|Climate of}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Geography of France| ]]