France is a country with an approximate population of 61,100,600 located in Western Europe, made up of overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and North Sea, and from the Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean, creating a hexagonal shape on the map. France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. Some overseas land borders Brazil, Suriname, and the Netherland Antilles. France is also linked to the United Kingdom via the Channel Tunnel, which passes under the English Channel. The French Republic is a very developed country with the fifth-largest economy in the world (2005). France was one of the founding members of the European Union, and has the largest land area of all members. France was also a founding member of the United Nations. France hosts the world headquarters of OECD, UNESCO, Interpol, and the International Bureau for Weights and Measures. Visitors to France may question the portrait of a woman on French postage stamps and other articles, buildings, or reference. The name of the woman is Marianne; she is a symbol of the French Republic. She is a symbol of liberty and the Republic, and first appeared around the time of the French Revolution. Early representations were of a woman wearing a Phrygian cap. No one knows where the name of Marianne came from, but it was a very common name in the 18th century UNESCO og Interpol.

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