| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| ISO 3166 alpha-2 | FRISO 3166 [2024] |
| ISO 3166 alpha-3 | FRAISO 3166 [2024] |
| Capital | ParisGeoNames [2024] |
| Continent | EuropeGeoNames [2024] |
| Common name | FranceCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Official name | French RepublicCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Local name | FranceCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Etymology | derives from the Latin name Francia, meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D.; the origin of the tribal name is unclear but may come from the Old German word franka, meaning "brave," or from a personal name such as Francio or FrancusCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Government type | Semi-presidential republicCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Independence | no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic established); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)CIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| National holiday | Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790); note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)CIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Head of state | Emmanuel MACRON (Pres.)CIA World Leaders [2025] |
| Currency code (ISO 4217) | EURISO 4217 Currency Codes [2026] |
| Currency | EuroISO 4217 Currency Codes [2026] |
| Administrative subdivisions | 26ISO 3166-2 Subdivisions [2026] |
| Subdivision names |
|
| Historical overview | No authoritative open source found |
| National symbols | Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country)CIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| National anthem | title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille); lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle; history: adopted 1795, restored 1870; acquired its name when the National Guard of Marseille sang the song while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolution; one of the most recognized anthems in the worldCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| National colors | blue, white, redCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
| Citizenship rules | citizenship by birth: no; citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of France; dual citizenship recognized: yes; residency requirement for naturalization: 5 yearsCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive |
derives from the Latin name Francia, meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D.; the origin of the tribal name is unclear but may come from the Old German word franka , meaning "brave," or from a personal name such as Francio or Francus
description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), white, and red history: known as the le tricolore (tricolor), the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution, when the traditional color of white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia; for the first four years of the flag's use (1790-94), the order of colors was reversed (red-white-blue)
Source: CIA World Factbook (Historical Archive — final edition) · CC0 · Edition 2026-05
