France

France is a country in the West of Europe and a member of the European Union. It is the neighbour of Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. It has access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and to the Channel.

France is not the most popular character compared to Russia or The United States but still have a place in the fan's hearts.

France is represented as a female and a male even if the female version still the most popular.

Appearance
France is often wearing the French clichés clothes as the striped jersey, red scarf and beret (you'll never see a French person wearing these three things at the same time). France is represented as a man but also as a woman.

As a woman she's shown wearing a black dress with a matching wide-brimmed hat.

Personality
France is often shown as a very sensible and romantic person, but sometimes cruel (when it is about colonization and the Empire). They also rebel more because of the protest march as the one of the "gilet jaune" the French Revolution and May 68. They are tired that everyone associates them to the white flag because of World War 2 while they won many other battles. This cliché is not very old, it dates back to when they refused to support the USA in the Iraq war, which annoyed the USA who began making fun of France for surrendering during WW2; they even changed the name of french fries to freedom fries (even if french fries are not from France but Belgium).

They are often sad but hide it and are rarely satisfied with what they got.

They are often seen complaining, but it's because of their strong ability to want equality everywhere due to wanting to better themselves because the guilt of past experiences (the French revolution) but they are also very proud of themselves. France often takes a break to go on strike when something displeases them, but since many things annoy France, things don't really move for them.

They are pretty proud of their knowledge and are always ready to talk about their culture. Some are saying they are egocentric, while France says "It's not our fault if we have such a beautiful land, and culture, and cooking and blablabla."

France is attached to is "Sécurité Sociale" (most of the medical cost are paid by it), free public schools and five weeks of paid leave, but at the same time it costs a lot of money (that's why the public debts reaches 100% of the GDP, but shhh).

Interests
France is into football, like Spain, and is really proud of their two victories in 1998 and 2018, tennis, petanque and bicycling (Tour de France). France loves cooking and food, especially baguettes (bread in general), cheese and wine which they're really proud of. But they are tired of everyone giving him the invention of French fries (Belgian) and croissant (Austrich). They have really good food like the quiche Lorraine, the Boeuf Bourguignon and the crêpe!

Some say France loves smoking cigarettes, Although they're trying to give it up as they want to make a good impression and become healthier.

France has a weird obsession for frogs and snails (they eat so many snails now it's a protected species). They dearly love their Gallic Rooster.

Never steal the baguette, NEVER.

Flag meaning
The blue and the red are the colours of Paris, the white the colour of nobility. They surround the white to show the power of the people on the aristocratic. This flag was adopted in 1794 and inspired by the three coloured cockades. It is called "Le drapeau tricolore", literally traduced by "The three-coloured flag".

Others symbols
France has many other important symbols like their anthem "La Marseillaise", which talks about killing enemies (sometimes they wonder if is not a little too violent). This song was written in 1792 by Rouget de Lisle, not for the French Revolution but for war declared by the king on the Austrian Empire. It was originally a song for the soldiers and called "Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin" (="war song for the Rhine army"). This song was picked up during the Republican soldiers during the insurrection of the Tuilerie in august 1792 coming from Marseille, that is why it is now called "La Marseillaise". It became so popular that it was chosen to be the national anthem in 1795.

The Gallic rooster (initially used by the Gallic as you can guess), because they wanted their majestic bird and everyone was already using the eagle. The rooster is the king of the barn, it yells very loudly to show how wonderful and proud he is (not such a surprise France chose him).

Marianne, the allegorie of the French Republic, a woman wearing a Phrygian cap with a tricolor cockade. It's not her on the painting "La liberté guidant le peuple" but Liberty's allegorie !

The motto "Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood" which resumes France's values (even if they are far from reaching it).

France celebrate their national day on July 14th, but does this date relate to the storming of the Bastille of the Festival of the Federation? France themselve don't know.

Nicknames
The most popular of them is "L'Hexagone"("The Hexagon") because of the geographic of the country, the borders fit in a hexagon (it don't work if you include the overseas territory).

Etymology
France comes from the Latin "Francia", which means "land of the Franks".

First Republic
1792-1794

Second Republic
1848-1852

Third Republic
The Third Republic started after the defeat of the French army under Napoleon III which was beaten by Prussia the 2 September 1870 in the battle of Sedan. Under the Third Republic was implemented the obligatory, free and secular school until 12 years old (mostly to teach the love of motherland and the desire of revenge on Prussia). It re-establish the masculin universel suffrage who existed already in the Second Republic but disappeared under the Second Empire, the right to join an union and the freedom of the press.

Dreyfus affair
In 1984 the captain Drefyus is accused of selling military information to the German Empire, but he was innocent, the fact is that we accuse him because he was a Jew and there was huge antisemitism maintain since centuries. Dreyfus was downgraded and imprisoned, and the debate between the ones who were supporting the innocence of the man, names the "Dreyfusard", and the ones who were accusing him, named the "Anti-Dreyfusard", divided the whole country. The true traitor was founded, it was the major Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy, and judged in 1897 but the army didn't want to lose face so the real culprit was declared innocent.

In 1998 the author Emile Zola wrote an open letter published in the journal "L'Aurore" named "J'accuse...!" which rekindled the discussion. Dreyfus finally received the presidential pardon and was reintegrated in the army as a major in 1906. This event which marked the Third Republic resulted in the law of secularism which separates the Church from the state and the freedom of religion.

First World War
There was tension in Europe, every countries knew the war was not that far to happens. The 28 June, in 1914, the murder of the Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo by a Serbian student cause the war: the Empire of Austria-Hungary declare war on Serbia. The Shifting of alliances engage many countries in the war, on France's side (at the beginning): United Kingdom, Serbia, Russia, on France's enemy side: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy and the Ottoman Empire.

Germany arrived in France by passing through Belgium but get stopped during the battle of the Marne in September 1914, after that Belgium declared war on Germany. The trench warfare started in 1915. (not finished yet)

Second World War
The defeat: France and UK warned Germany that if he invades Poland, they would enter the war. German did it the first September of the year 1939. The Allies decided first to drill the frontier but then decided to stay behind the Maginot Ligne, because of the fear of a war like the WW1, counting on Belgium to resist. They waited 8 months, since September 1939 to May 1939, it's the "phony war". But with the material help of the URSS, the Allies blocks became inefficient and Germany passed by Belgium and then arrived in the North of France. Allies were cornered at Dunkerque and many soldiers were saved by the operation dynamo. France was defeated in five weeks, it the debacle. France changed its government (Paul Reynaud was replaced by the Marshall Petain) and signed the Armistice. Being no longer in the fight with the Allies.

Algerian War of Independence
Warning, the following part is about a sensible part of History

Algeria wanted his independence since France was treating the natives as inferiors to the Europeans but France didn't wanted to let him have his independence because it was mainly a settlement colony and it had a lot of resources to take. In 1945 the riots of Setif for the independence were repressed by the French government.

In November, 1st 1954, started the Algerian war of independence which was at this moment a part of the colonial Empire, marked by the 30 attack of the "Red All Saints days". They sent their army to fight Algerian National Liberation Front who's was using a guerrilla warfare since the fight was imbalanced. At first, France refused to recognize it as a war because they know what the others countries and especially the UN would think about this colonial war.

In 1955 France instaured emergency situation in Algeria which gave more right of the police, but the situation got worse in 1957 with the battle of Alger because the soldiers got all the rights to get information (like torture).

(this part is not complete yet, feel free to complete it with more dates)

Algerian War of Independence
The firth Republic succeeded to the Fourth Republic in October 4th, in 1958. It reinforced the power of the president (this change was encouraged by Charles de Gaulles) and established the direct universal suffrage for the president. The Algerian War was one of the causes since it created crisis that the Fourth Republic couldn't handle anymore.

Geography
France is the third biggest country of Europe, it's total area is amount 643 801 km² (including overseas territory). This country has been centralised during the XII century so the power is concentrated in the capital, Paris. The country is divided in regions, which are divided in departments. Regions (mainland France only):
 * Hauts-de-France
 * Grand Est
 * Ile-de-France
 * Normandy
 * Brittany
 * Pays de la Loire
 * Centre Val de Loire
 * Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
 * Nouvelle-Aquitaine
 * Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
 * Occitanie
 * Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur
 * Corse

Oversea territories
France is not only composed of the Hexagone, it have many overseas regions (which as different degrees of autonomy from France) such as Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Mayotte. These are like the others regions but can benefit of special laws.

There are also overseas collectivies (they have a semi-autonomous status) such as French Polynesia (it has a great degree of autonomy since it has it's own president), Wallis and Futuna, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Family

 * Gaul — great great grandfather
 * Macedonian Empire — great grandmother or mother (depends on the person)
 * Roman Empire — great grandfather or father (depends on the person)
 * Germany — actual husband (depends on the person)
 * Greece — half-brother/half-sister or mother (depends on the person)
 * Italy — sister/brother or father (depends on the person)
 * Portugal — sister/brother
 * Romania — sister/brother
 * Spain — sister/brother — A good neighbor and a great person to chat to about fashion !
 * Austria — stepbrother/stepsister and sister-in-law
 * Hungary — stepson/stepdaughter
 * Ireland — half-brother/half-sister or sister-in-law (depends on the person)
 * Bulgaria — sister-in-law
 * Norway — brother-in-law
 * United Kingdom — ex-husband and brother-in-law (depends on the point of view, some will consider him as France's actual husband)
 * San Marino — nephew or brother (depends on the person)
 * Vatican City — nephew or brother (depends on the person)
 * Belgium — daughter
 * Benin — son/daughter
 * Burkina Faso — son/daughter
 * Camerún — son
 * Canada — son/daughter
 * Central African Republic — son/daughter
 * Chad — son/daughter
 * Comoras — son/daughter
 * Dominica — daughter
 * European Union — son/daughter
 * Gabon — son
 * Guinea — son/daughter
 * Haiti — son/daughter
 * Ivory Coast — son/daughter
 * Algeria — daughter
 * Lebanon — son/daughter
 * Madagascar — son/daughter
 * Mali — son/daughter
 * Mauricio — son
 * Mauritania — son/daughter
 * Monaco — son/daughter
 * Morocco — son
 * Niger — son/daughter
 * Republic of the Congo — son/daughter
 * Senegal — son/daughter
 * Seychelles — son/daughter
 * Switzerland — daughter
 * Togo — son
 * Tunisia — daughter
 * Vanuatu — son/daughter
 * Armenia — aunt/uncle
 * Cyprus — aunt/uncle
 * Malta — aunt/uncle
 * Georgia — aunt/uncle
 * Andorra — nephew/niece
 * Argentina — niece
 * Bolivia — nephew/niece
 * Brazil — nephew/niece
 * Chile — nephew/niece
 * Colombia — nephew
 * Costa Rica — niece
 * Cuba — niece
 * Dominican Republic — nephew/niece
 * Ecuador — nephew/niece
 * El Salvador — nephew
 * Equatorial Guinea — nephew/niece
 * Guatemala — nephew/niece
 * Honduras — nephew/niece
 * Mexico — nephew/niece
 * Moldova — niece
 * Netherlands — nephew/niece
 * Nicaragua — nephew/niece
 * Panama — nephew/niece
 * Paraguay — nephew/niece
 * Peru — nephew/niece
 * Philippines — nephew/niece
 * Puerto Rico — nephew
 * United States of America — nephew/stepson
 * Venezuela — nephew/niece
 * Western Sahara — nephew/niece
 * Cape Verde — nephew
 * Angola — niece
 * São Tomé and Príncipe — nephew
 * Mozambique — nephew/niece
 * East Timor — nephew/niece
 * Guinea-Bissau — nephew/niece

Friends

 * Japan
 * Switzerland — close friend
 * Malaysia
 * Thailand
 * Luxembourg — close friend
 * Scotland — old friend

Neutral

 * Belgium
 * India
 * Russia — not really a good friend

Enemies

 * England
 * USSR
 * Third Reich
 * Algeria — a very complicated past they can't forget
 * Mexico
 * Malta
 * North Korea
 * Venezuela
 * ISIS

Past Versions

 * Carolingian Empire
 * Kingdom of France
 * First French Republic
 * First French Empire
 * Second French Republic
 * Second French Empire
 * Third French Republic
 * Free France
 * Vichy France — enemy
 * Fourth French Republic

United Kingdom
The love story started when they were colonizing many countries, this resulted in them marrying and having a child, Canada. However, they broke up later, when Canada was young and the UK has to raise his son alone. The UK married France's sister, Spain. Despite that, France seems to have a strong relationship with the United Kingdom because of what they gone through together (alliance during the first and the second World Wars). The love feeling evolved in a sort of strange affection. There was a sort of romantic tension until France married Germany. It can be stormy when it's about Jersey and Guernsey, and they often argue about it.

A part of the fandom consider that UK still France's husband and has never been with Germany (then Germany is commonly with Poland).

Germany
People also like to ship France and Germany, which create a rivalry between Germany and the United Kingdom. It becomes unhealthy when it is about Nazi Germany because of the occupation. But after this their willpower to not fight each other again made them become friends and even more. Germany is France's husband and they care a lot for each other - they were close enough to have a child, the European Union who is charged to keep peace and cohesion in Europe.

England
Do not confuse the United Kingdom with England. England and France have always hated each other and won't miss an occasion to make fun of each other. France nicknames England "Rosbeef" referred by the colour of his army and the joke that there is no sun in England so when English people try to tan they get a sunburn instead. While England calls France "Froggies" referred to the fact he likes to eat frog's legs. But even with these difficulties and their past (the Hundred Year War's) they have tried to improve their relationships.

Scotland
Their friendship date back from the 13th century, mainly because of the fact they both hated England, with the Auld Alliance: if one country was attacked by England, the other had to help him. Apart from that, they helped each others during numerous battles. France love Scotlands' whisky and landscapes.

Japan
France is fascinated by Japan thanks to the manga and anime which were massively imported in the '80s and '90s and still very popular. This fascination is on both side, Japan keeps a very romantic and sophisticated image of France. . France is still at ease with the manji, which has a good meaning in Japan but reminds dark times to most of the countries of Europe.

Belgium
France and Belgium love making fun of each other, there is a debate between them about how to say 70,80 and 90 (French is one the official language of Belgium, not the only one). But despite this, they still like each other.

United States
France helped The United-States to win the war of Independence and gave him Lady Liberty to celebrate their victory. The United-States was a precious help during the first and second World Wars, with the Allies he freed France from the German occupation. So the two countries have good relations. France is also his aunt and godmother, which explains their close relationship.

Canada
Canada is France's son, and she loves him very dearly. The two of them have a lot of mother-son outings, all the while speaking French of course, but the language developed in different ways for them which sometimes brought confusion and misunderstanding, but they also found each other's accent very funny. France is somewhat over-protective of Canada since she deeply regrets how she abandoned him, even if it was a long time ago (France gave up Nouvelle-France (aka Canada) to England, little by little).

European Union
EU is France's son, and they care about them deeply and expects they will be able to keep peace in Europe.

Italy
He's their brother, but it's very complicated between them since a long time for many reasons (not only historical but actual disagreement between the two governements). France bullied him with Spain when they were children. France, like the other European Latin countries, usually sees Italy as its father figure due to the strong influence of the Roman Empire.

Switzerland
France is absolutely crazy about Switzerland's raclette and chocolate, Switzerland can't eat one of these without hearing France coming, they share their love of skiing. France cares a lot about her and really protective about her, even if they know that Switzerland is far from inofensive.

Spain
"My sister. We had a very turbulent relationship in the past, but now we're good. I think she's with my ex now."

- France's thoughts about Spain Spain is France's sister/brother, they get along very well even if Spain married France's ex, they avoid to talk about it because it gets weird. France likes Spain's music. They often talk about how USA can be unbearable when he start making jokes about them, but they still love him anyway because he still a little boy to them. In the past, they had a turbulent relationship, but that has been put aside by them for a long time. In addition, Spain feels very grateful for the French cultural influence that her sister gave her. Both countries have supported each other to overcome internal problems. France and Spain have shared a historic enmity with the United Kingdom and also share a deep grudge against England and its nearby dependent territories (Jersey, Guernsey and Gibraltar). In addition to supporting Celtic nations against England (Scotland and Ireland). The two enjoyed bullying Italy in the past, when they were young. Spain is proud of France for its marriage and leadership with Germany. Sometimes, she is excited to see France so happy. The bilateral relations between Spain and France are excellent. Its main content is given by the area related to the European Union, in which the two countries share common positions on many issues and in which framework there are frequent contacts between the authorities of both. France and Spain are responsible for the defense and care of Andorra.

Malaysia
France help Malaysia to be fully developed. Two of Malaysia submarine built at Spain and France shipyard. France even give grants and scholarship to Malaysia student if they want to study at there. Both of their relationship mainly towards security and defence.

Thailand
Even if their relationships didn't started well (they fought in 1839 and 1940) they are now getting well. France really love to travel to Thailand's territory (but sometimes it make Thailand a little tired).

Vichy France
France really does hate him, it asks a lot of time to them to accept the fact he existed and they fell ashamed about that.

Free France
France absolutely loves Free France, they kind-of give a cult to them.

Kingdom of France
France hate the absolute monarchy because it had huge inequalities (which conducted to the French Revolution), but they're still fascinated by the battles, the lives of the kings and what they built.

USSR
After WW2 France chooses USA side so USSR became his enemy, now knowing what USSR did to it's own people, he definitely consider him as an enemy.

Trivia

 * These are not factual, and more about what the Countryhumans community think.


 * France creates a lot of ship controversy in the fandom. It is almost as if the fandom is divided in two whether to ship UK and France or Germany and France. For some, the UK is considered as the ex-partner of France while Germany is depicted as their actual partner, while for the others France never stopped to be with UK.
 * France is depicted in a lot of drawings with the stereotypical baguette, wine and croissant.
 * France is often shown to resolve any conflict by striking (if it's inside of the country) or by surrendering (if it's an external aggression).
 * France is pictured a lot saying "honhonhon" in comics.
 * It is assumed by some that her son is Russia. But there is no official confirmation.
 * France is the most visited country in the world.

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