France is a democratic, intercontinental unitary state in Western Europe with overseas islands and territories on several continents. Metropolitan France, i.e. the European part of the national territory, extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. Its mainland is called a hexagon because of the shape of the country. France is the largest country in the European Union by area and the second largest by population (behind Germany). It comprises the third largest territory in Europe (after Russia and Ukraine). Paris is the capital and, as an agglomeration with the Métropole du Grand Paris and the surrounding areas of the Île-de-France region, is the country's largest metropolitan area, ahead of Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Lille.

Source: Wikipedia