Geography Now! France

As some of you know, I am 1/8th French.

So, I guess I should like, honor my heritage or something.

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♫ It's time to learn Geography! ♫ NOW!

Hey everyone! I'm your host, Barby.

Ahhh, France. Pretty much everybody on the planet has heard of this place.

I mean, immediately, images of wine, cafés, embellished 18th century Baroque architecture,

and people who really hate globalization of the English language.

But take a step back even further and France becomes a place with

jaguars, coconuts, volcanoes, penguins, grass skirts, war dances, bamboo flutes, witch doctors,

and a multifaceted history, that is evolved into a people group into becoming

one of the most notable nations on the planet.

So, let's go!

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- Political Geography -

The first thing you need to know about France is that it's not just European,

but a trans-continental country that spans across twelve time zones.

More then any other country in the world.

But how is that possible?

Let me explain fat boy.

France is kinda divided into two main parts:

The European Metropolitan France, where about 95% of the population lives

and the overseas French regions, departments and territories,

otherwise known as "départements et territoires d'outre-mer" or "DOM-TOM".

Before we tell you what they are, let's explain the difference between them.

Regions have exactly the same legal status as mainland France

in the same civil penal code and administrative social tax laws.

However, they can be slightly adapted to suit the region's particular needs.

In collectivities, the autonomy rises and they are empowered to make their own laws

except in certain areas like defense, currency, trade and diplomacy.

The overseas regions are Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean.

French Guiana in South America, which by the way, has the Kuro Space center,

disputably the best in the world because it adds an extra gravitational slingshot effect

because it's so close to the equator of the earth,

and Reunion and Mayotte off the coast of East Africa.

The overseas collectivities are French Polynesia. (you've probably heard of Tahiti,

that's French Polynesia) as well as Wallis and Futuna in the Pacific,

Saint Pierre and Miquelon, right off the coast of Canada,

Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin, which is the only place in France that has a border with the Netherlands