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France in Europe
This sheet helps you know where France is located in Europe. It also helps you find your bearings.
Key points of the sheet
- France is located in the west of Europe. It is a geographical crossroads between the north and the south, and between the east and the west of Europe.
- France shares land borders with 8 European countries. Among them are Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany.
- Switzerland, Italy and Spain are also neighbouring countries of France.
- Andorra and Monaco also share a land border with France.
- France has more than 5,500 km of coastline. It opens onto the English Channel (la Manche), the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
- France is the second most populated country in Europe. It has 68.6 million inhabitants, after Germany (83.6 million).
- Next come Italy (58.9 million), Spain (49.1 million) and Poland (36.5 million). These five countries alone make up two thirds of the European population.
Words to know
- geographical crossroads (carrefour géographique)
- France is a geographical crossroads between the north, the south, the east and the west of Europe.
- land borders (frontières terrestres)
- France shares its land borders with 8 European countries.
- coastline (côtes)
- France has more than 5,500 km of coastline on the English Channel, the North Sea, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Test yourself: 3 questions
With how many European countries does France share a land border?
In French, the language of the exam: Avec combien de pays européens la France a-t-elle une frontière terrestre ?
France shares its land borders with 8 European countries.
Which is the most populated country in Europe?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel est le pays le plus peuplé d'Europe ?
Germany has 83.6 million inhabitants. France is the second most populated country in Europe.
What share of the European population lives in the five most populated countries?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle part de la population européenne vit dans les cinq pays les plus peuplés ?
The five most populated countries alone make up two thirds of the European population.
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Source
Sheet “La France dans l'Europe” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.