The France is one of the six founding states of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957, and of the European Union (EU) in 1992. Since then, French citizens have also been European citizens. As such, they can elect MEPs, travel freely to each of the 28 EU states, work, study or settle there. 17 of the 28 EU members share with the France a single currency: the Euro.
As the fifth largest economy in the world, France plays a considerable role in the international community. It is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1949. It participates in many military operations led or endorsed by these two organizations.
The France and the European Union
The metropolitan France is located on the European continent, more precisely in Western Europe. Like 27 other countries on the European continent, France is a member of the European Union. It is a community of several states united on economic and political criteria.
The Francophonie
The French language is the fifth most spoken language on the planet. It is spoken in 70 countries, including the former French colonies. It is the official language of many countries. It is sometimes even the mother tongue of part of the population, as in Belgium, Switzerland or Canada. There are an estimated 220 million French speakers in the world.
Many organizations, such as the OIF (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie), alliances and French institutes, promote the French language around the world. A new organization, Campus France, works for the international influence of French higher education.
