218:
478:
466:
352:
245:
used to calculate its statistics (demography, economy, etc.) for metropolitan France only, and to analyze separate statistics for the overseas departments and territories. People in the overseas departments have opposed this separate treatment, arguing that the then four overseas departments were
334:
of 74.56%). 33,883,463 of these (95.53% of the total voters) cast their ballots in metropolitan France (turnout: 76.26%), 1,003,910 (2.83% of the total voters) cast their ballots in overseas France (turnout: 53.59%), and 579,954 (1.64% of the total voters) cast their ballots in foreign countries
257:("the whole of France"). "The whole of France" includes the five overseas departments, but does not include the other overseas collectivities and territories that have more autonomy than the departments. Other branches of the French administration may have different definitions of what
20:
323:, 65,250,000 people lived in metropolitan France as of January 2021, while 2,785,000 lived in overseas France, for a total of 68,035,000 inhabitants in the French Republic. Thus, metropolitan France accounts for 95.9% of the French Republic's population.
591:
315:
covers 9,825,538 km (3,793,661 sq mi), for a total of 10,159,229 km (3,922,500 sq mi) in the French
Republic (excluding Adélie Land). Thus, metropolitan France accounts for 3.3% of the French Republic's EEZ.
342:
is made up of 577 deputies, 539 of whom (93.4% of the total) are elected in metropolitan France, 27 (4.7% of the total) in overseas France, and 11 (1.9% of the total) by French citizens living in foreign countries.
420:") to refer to what had previously been known as metropolitan France in an effort to move away from colonial language. The image of France as a hexagon first appeared in French geography texts of the 1850s.
636:
320:
242:
595:
172:. Similar terms existed to describe other European colonial powers (e.g. "metropolitan Britain", "España metropolitana"). This application of the words "metropolis" and "metropolitan" came from
558:
214:; therefore Phocaea was the "metropolis" of Marseille). By extension "metropolis" and "metropolitan" came to mean "motherland", a nation or country as opposed to its colonies overseas.
249:
As a result, since the end of the 1990s INSEE has included the four overseas departments in its figures for France (such as total population or GDP). The fifth overseas department,
280:
includes metropolitan France and the five overseas departments. The World Bank refers to this total as "France"; it does not use the phrase "the whole of France", as INSEE does.
709:
740:
592:"Ministère des Affaires Étrangères- Les étrangers titulaires d'un passeport ordinaire dispensés de l'obligation de visa - 1. Le territoire européen de la France"
634:
822:
292:
covers a land area of 119,396 km (46,099 sq mi), for a total of 663,336 km (256,115 sq mi) in the French
Republic (excluding
773:
253:, has been included in the figures for France since the mid-2010s too. INSEE refers to metropolitan France and the five overseas departments as
123:. Metropolitan and overseas France together form the French Republic. Metropolitan France accounts for 82.0% of the land territory, 3.3% of the
561:
data, which includes bodies of water, gives a value of 551,695 km (213,011 sq mi) for the land area of metropolitan France.
837:
69:
64:
is used in everyday life in France but has no administrative meaning, with the exception of only
Metropolitan France being part of the
81:
679:
676:
681:
in
January 2021. The population of the overseas collectivities amounted to 613,000 inhabitants (Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
440:
73:
644:
358:
illustrated by overlaying the outline of mainland France with the hexagon on the 1988 Charles de Gaulle commemorative
269:
to refer to the entire French
Republic, including all of overseas France, and not just the five overseas departments.
714:
327:
262:
436:
832:
490:
105:
238:
241:
do. Likewise, they oppose treating overseas France and metropolitan France as separate entities. For example,
842:
817:
812:
339:
699:). The total population of the overseas departments and territories of France is estimated at 2,785,000.
630:
276:, this practice has spread to international institutions. For instance, the French GDP published by the
206:"city, town"), which was the name for a city-state that created colonies across the Mediterranean (e.g.
827:
456:
432:
495:
217:
847:
757:
Peter
Sahlins, "Natural Frontiers Revisited: France's Boundaries since the Seventeenth Century",
308:
301:
124:
688:
685:
682:
311:(EEZ) of metropolitan France covers 333,691 km (128,839 sq mi), while the EEZ of
304:
in 1959). Thus, metropolitan France accounts for 82.0% of the French
Republic's land territory.
505:
615:
443:, the largest of which is Corsica. In Corsica, people from mainland France are referred to as
164:(literally "the Metropolis"), as distinguished from its colonies and protectorates, known as
127:(EEZ), and 95.9% of the population of the French Republic. Some small parts of France (e.g.
741:"L'Assemblée nationale abandonne le terme 'métropole', jugé colonial, dans un texte de loi"
500:
402:), and 6. the northeastern border (German Rhineland, Belgium, and Luxembourg; Karlsruhe to
288:
Metropolitan France covers a land area of 543,940 km (210,020 sq mi), while
8:
627:
233:
due to its colonial history. They prefer to call it "the
European territory of France" (
530:
515:
719:
550:
525:
132:
101:
61:
640:
582:
557:
larger than 1 km (0.39 sq mi) as well as the estuaries of rivers.
363:
312:
289:
226:
112:
93:
89:
31:
119:) is the collective name for all the French departments and territories outside
694:
691:
520:
387:
85:
76:
as the metropolitan regions. Metropolitan France comprises mainland France and
293:
806:
788:
775:
656:
482:
470:
379:
331:
173:
158:
period (from the 16th to the 20th centuries), when France was referred to as
65:
697:
359:
391:
383:
138:
In overseas France, a person from metropolitan France is often called a
297:
277:
179:
633:), the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and the Scattered Islands (
399:
207:
678:. The population of all five overseas departments totaled 2,172,000
108:, particularly in the east, but have remained unaltered since 1947.
510:
371:
367:
362:
coin. Going counterclockwise, the sides of the hexagon are: 1. the
128:
554:
417:
403:
250:
211:
77:
395:
155:
120:
57:
53:
375:
201:
196:
190:
185:
177:
629:), Mayotte, the overseas collectivities, and New Caledonia (
616:
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/france-in-the-schengen-area
351:
19:
657:"Sea Around Us – Fisheries, Ecosystems and Biodiversity"
300:
where sovereignty is suspended since the signing of the
154:
The term "metropolitan France" dates from the country's
454:
330:, 35,467,327 French people cast a ballot (meaning a
804:
669:
626:Land area of the four old overseas departments (
335:(French people living abroad; turnout: 45.84%).
261:is. For example, in contrast to INSEE, when the
620:
710:"Résultats de l'élection présidentielle 2017"
265:releases election results, they use the term
159:
39:
823:Metropolitan or continental parts of states
410:Legislators in 2023 voted to use the name
272:Since INSEE now calculates statistics for
738:
649:
104:. Its borders have undergone significant
423:Mainland or Continental France (French:
350:
216:
60:. This collective name for the European
18:
805:
761:, Vol. 95, No. 5 (Dec., 1990), p. 1451
553:data, which exclude lakes, ponds and
559:French National Geographic Institute
675:Population of Metropolitan France:
427:), or just "the mainland" (French:
235:le territoire européen de la France
13:
210:was a colony of the city-state of
14:
859:
838:Ecoregions of Metropolitan France
328:2017 French presidential election
587:Territoire européen de la France
476:
464:
16:Part of France located in Europe
739:Postollec, Julie (2023-05-24).
491:Territorial evolution of France
431:), does not include the French
197:
186:
759:The American Historical Review
751:
732:
702:
609:
575:
543:
382:coast, 5. the eastern border (
239:Treaties of the European Union
229:object to the use of the term
1:
568:
433:islands in the Atlantic Ocean
283:
202:
191:
178:
149:
7:
594:(in French). Archived from
450:
326:In the second round of the
56:which is geographically in
10:
864:
346:
221:Paris, metropolitan France
106:changes over the centuries
23:Map of Metropolitan France
715:Minister of the Interior
536:
496:Contiguous United States
340:French National Assembly
263:Ministry of the Interior
231:la France métropolitaine
309:exclusive economic zone
125:exclusive economic zone
833:Subdivisions of France
745:La premiere: France TV
586:
506:French colonial empire
425:la France continentale
407:
246:fully part of France.
225:Today, some people in
222:
160:
97:
72:have exactly the same
40:
35:
24:
354:
220:
74:administrative status
36:France métropolitaine
22:
720:Government of France
501:Continental Portugal
131:) are a part of the
80:, as well as nearby
843:Southwestern Europe
818:Geography of Europe
813:Geography of France
785: /
693:, Wallis et Futuna
690:, French Polynesia
684:, Saint-Barthélemy
643:), and Clipperton (
28:Metropolitan France
639:2018-06-19 at the
531:Wildlife of France
516:Mainland Australia
408:
223:
117:France d'outre-mer
25:
828:Regions of France
526:Mainland Tanzania
441:Mediterranean Sea
274:la France entière
267:la France entière
259:la France entière
255:la France entière
133:Iberian Peninsula
102:Mediterranean Sea
62:regions of France
52:, is the area of
44:), also known as
855:
800:
799:
797:
796:
795:
790:
789:46.000°N 2.000°E
786:
783:
782:
781:
778:
762:
755:
749:
748:
736:
730:
729:
727:
726:
706:
700:
696:, New Caledonia
673:
667:
666:
664:
663:
653:
647:
624:
618:
613:
607:
606:
604:
603:
579:
562:
547:
481:
480:
479:
469:
468:
467:
460:
445:les continentaux
302:Antarctic Treaty
205:
200:
199:
194:
189:
188:
183:
163:
70:overseas regions
43:
863:
862:
858:
857:
856:
854:
853:
852:
803:
802:
793:
791:
787:
784:
779:
776:
774:
772:
771:
768:
766:
765:
756:
752:
737:
733:
724:
722:
708:
707:
703:
687:, Saint-Martin
674:
670:
661:
659:
655:
654:
650:
641:Wayback Machine
625:
621:
614:
610:
601:
599:
590:
580:
576:
571:
566:
565:
548:
544:
539:
487:
477:
475:
465:
463:
455:
453:
437:English Channel
349:
313:Overseas France
290:overseas France
286:
227:Overseas France
152:
113:overseas France
90:English Channel
46:European France
17:
12:
11:
5:
861:
851:
850:
848:Western Europe
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
764:
763:
750:
731:
701:
668:
648:
619:
608:
573:
572:
570:
567:
564:
563:
541:
540:
538:
535:
534:
533:
528:
523:
521:Mainland China
518:
513:
508:
503:
498:
493:
486:
485:
473:
452:
449:
370:coast, 3. the
366:coast, 2. the
348:
345:
285:
282:
151:
148:
86:Atlantic Ocean
82:French islands
68:. Indeed, the
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
860:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
810:
808:
801:
798:
794:46.000; 2.000
769:
760:
754:
746:
742:
735:
721:
718:(in French).
717:
716:
711:
705:
698:
695:
692:
689:
686:
683:
680:
677:
672:
658:
652:
645:
642:
638:
635:
632:
628:
623:
617:
612:
598:on 2017-02-25
597:
593:
588:
584:
578:
574:
560:
556:
552:
551:Land Register
546:
542:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
504:
502:
499:
497:
494:
492:
489:
488:
484:
474:
472:
462:
461:
458:
448:
446:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
421:
419:
415:
414:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
380:Mediterranean
377:
374:(border with
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
344:
341:
336:
333:
329:
324:
322:
319:According to
317:
314:
310:
305:
303:
299:
295:
291:
281:
279:
275:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
247:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
219:
215:
213:
209:
204:
195:"mother" and
193:
182:
181:
175:
174:Ancient Greek
171:
167:
162:
157:
147:
145:
144:métropolitain
141:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
111:In contrast,
109:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
66:Schengen Area
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
42:
37:
33:
29:
21:
770:
767:
758:
753:
747:(in French).
744:
734:
723:. Retrieved
713:
704:
671:
660:. Retrieved
651:
622:
611:
600:. Retrieved
596:the original
577:
545:
444:
429:le continent
428:
424:
422:
412:
411:
409:
355:
337:
325:
318:
307:At sea, the
306:
287:
273:
271:
266:
258:
254:
248:
234:
230:
224:
169:
166:les colonies
165:
161:la Métropole
153:
143:
142:, short for
139:
137:
116:
110:
49:
45:
41:la Métropole
27:
26:
792: /
392:Upper Rhine
294:Adélie Land
100:), and the
807:Categories
725:2018-06-20
662:2018-06-20
602:2018-05-15
569:References
413:l'Hexagone
378:), 4. the
356:l'Hexagone
298:Antarctica
284:Statistics
278:World Bank
237:), as the
180:metropolis
50:l'Hexagone
400:Karlsruhe
208:Marseille
150:Etymology
98:la Manche
637:Archived
555:glaciers
511:Mainland
451:See also
372:Pyrenees
368:Atlantic
184:" (from
170:l'Empire
156:colonial
129:Cerdanya
777:46°00′N
631:page 21
549:French
457:Portals
418:Hexagon
404:Dunkirk
364:Channel
360:1 franc
347:Hexagon
332:turnout
251:Mayotte
212:Phocaea
84:in the
78:Corsica
780:2°00′E
583:French
483:Europe
471:France
416:("the
396:Monaco
121:Europe
94:French
88:, the
58:Europe
54:France
32:French
537:Notes
439:, or
376:Spain
321:INSEE
243:INSEE
203:pólis
198:πόλις
192:mētēr
187:μήτηρ
140:métro
390:and
388:Jura
384:Alps
338:The
398:to
296:in
168:or
48:or
38:or
809::
743:.
712:.
646:).
589:)
585::
447:.
435:,
406:).
394:;
386:,
146:.
135:.
96::
34::
728:.
665:.
605:.
581:(
459::
176:"
115:(
92:(
30:(
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