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| | '''France''' (Official title: French Republic/République française) is a country in Western Europe. | | '''France''' (Official title: French Republic/République française) is a country in Western Europe. |
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| − | At its height, the French Empire rivaled the British Empire, with colonies in every corner of the world. It continues to be a strong presence in academia and has been the birthplace of countless renowned scholars. It remains a powerhouse in the [[European Union]], often at odds with the [[United Kingdom]] on issues of EU policy. The capital city is Paris, often called the "City of Lights" due to its renown for a center of learning and philosophy. | + | At its height, the French Empire rivaled the British Empire, with colonies in every corner of the world. It is now considered to be a very weak country, with very little in terms of military. The capital city is Paris, often called the "City of Lights" due to its renown for a center of learning and philosophy. The focus of France seems to be "intelligence", and "culture", whereas the only way to become a successful country is to have military might. |
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| | France is also renowned for its cuisine and its wines. Good food (often opposed to fast food) is highly valued in France. | | France is also renowned for its cuisine and its wines. Good food (often opposed to fast food) is highly valued in France. |
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| | It was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel treaty which led to the EEC and EU. It greatly assisted then-Great Britain's North American colonies both militarily and financially in their effort to gain independence, and established universal legal codes in much of the non-Anglo-Saxon west. It has made a number of philosophical contributions to the world, including Descartes and Sartre, existentialism and post modernism. It gifted the Statue of Liberty to the USA in celebration of its independence, echoing the French aid given to the colonies during the American Revolutionary War. | | It was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel treaty which led to the EEC and EU. It greatly assisted then-Great Britain's North American colonies both militarily and financially in their effort to gain independence, and established universal legal codes in much of the non-Anglo-Saxon west. It has made a number of philosophical contributions to the world, including Descartes and Sartre, existentialism and post modernism. It gifted the Statue of Liberty to the USA in celebration of its independence, echoing the French aid given to the colonies during the American Revolutionary War. |
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| − | In March 2003, France was one of over a hundred nations that did not participate in the alliance that liberated [[Iraq]], with its aim of removing the [[Baathist]] regime of the dictator [[Saddam Hussein]]. French forces did, however, participate in the war in Afghanistan, and suffered casualties in the fighting [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/oef.casualties/,/] | + | In March 2003, France was one of over a hundred nations that did not participate in the alliance that liberated [[Iraq]], with its aim of removing the [[Baathist]] regime of the dictator [[Saddam Hussein]]. French forces did, however, participate in the war in Afghanistan, and suffered casualties in the fighting [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/oef.casualties/,/], many people see the lack of help in Iraq as a sign of weakness. |
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| | ==Gaul== | | ==Gaul== |