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A relief map of Metropolitan France showing cities with over 100,000 inhabitantsPanorama of Mont Blanc mountain range above gray clouds under blue sky, Calanques National Park Bouches-du-Rhône one of best known protected areas of FranceFrance was one of first countries create environment ministry 1971 Although one of most industrialised countries world France ranked only 17th carbon dioxide emissions behind less populous nations such Canada or Australia This because France decided invest nuclear power following 1973 oil crisis, which now accounts 75% of its electricity production results less pollutionThe forest of Rambouillet Yvelines illustrates France's flora diversityLike all European Union state members France agreed cut carbon emissions least 20% of 1990 levels year 2020, compared United States plan reduce emissions 4% of 1990 levelsof 2009 French carbon dioxide emissions per capita were lower than that of China'scountry was set impose carbon tax 2009 17 euros per tonne of carbon emitted, which would have raised 4 billion euros of revenue annually However plan was abandoned due fears of burdening French businessesForests account 28% of France's land area, some of most diverse Europe comprising more than 140 species of trees There nine national parks 46 natural parks France, with government planning convert 20% of its Exclusive Economic Zone into Marine Protected Area 2020regional nature park (French parc naturel régional or PNR) public establishment France between local authorities French national government covering inhabited rural area of outstanding beauty order protect scenery heritage well setting up sustainable economic development areaPNR sets goals guidelines managed human habitation sustainable economic development protection of natural environment based each park's unique landscape heritage parks foster ecological research programmes public education natural sciencesof 2014 there 49 PNRs FranceAccording 2016 Environmental Performance Index conducted Yale Columbia France was tenth-most environmentally-conscious country worldAdministrative divisions. Tour Oxygène Paris has typical Western European oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) which affected North Atlantic Current overall climate throughout year mild moderately wet Summer days usually warm pleasant with average temperatures between 15 25 °C (59 77 °F) fair amount of sunshine Each year however there few days when temperature rises above 32 °C (90 °F) Longer periods of more intense heat sometimes occur such heat wave of 2003 when temperatures exceeded 30 °C (86 °F) weeks reached 40 °C (104 °F) some days seldom cooled down night Spring autumn have average mild days fresh nights but changing unstable Surprisingly warm or cool weather occurs frequently both seasonswinter sunshine scarce days cool nights cold but generally above freezing with low temperatures around 3 °C (37 °F) Light night frosts however quite common but temperature will dip below −5 °C (23 °F) only few days year Snow falls every year but rarely stays ground city sometimes sees light snow or flurries with or without accumulationParis has average annual precipitation of 641 mm (25.2 in) experiences light rainfall distributed evenly throughout year However city known intermittent abrupt heavy showers highest recorded temperature 40.4 °C (104.7 °F) 28 July 1947 lowest −23.9 °C (−11.0 °F) 10 December 1879Climate data Paris (Parc Montsouris) 1981–2010 averages extremes 1872–present. The population of Paris had dropped 100,000 during Revolution but between 1799 1815 surged with 160,000 new residents reaching 660,000 Napoleon Bonaparte replaced elected government of Paris with prefect reporting only him He began erecting monuments military glory including Arc de Triomphe improved neglected infrastructure of city with new fountains Canal de l'Ourcq Père Lachaise Cemetery city's first metal bridge Pont des ArtsRichelieu reading room National Library of France, As capital of France Paris seat of France's national government executive two chief officers each have their own official residences which also serve their offices President of French Republic resides Élysée Palace 8th arrondissement, while Prime Minister's seat Hôtel Matignon 7th arrondissement Government ministries located various parts of city many located 7th arrondissement near MatignonThe two houses of French Parliament located Left Bank upper house Senate meets Palais du Luxembourg 6th arrondissement while more important lower house Assemblée Nationale meets Palais Bourbon 7th arrondissement President of Senate second-highest public official France (the President of Republic being sole superior) resides Petit Luxembourg smaller palace annexe Palais du LuxembourgThe Palais-Royal residence of Conseil d'État, France part of monetary union Eurozone (dark blue) of European Single MarketA member of Group of Seven (formerly Group of Eight) leading industrialised countries of 2014 ranked world's ninth largest EU's second largest economy purchasing power parity With 31 of 500 biggest companies world 2015 France ranks fourth Fortune Global 500 ahead of Germany UK France joined 11 other EU members launch euro 1999 with euro coins banknotes completely replacing French franc (₣) 2002France has mixed economy that combines extensive private enterprise with substantial state enterprise government intervention government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors with majority ownership of railway electricity aircraft nuclear power telecommunications.[not citation given] has been relaxing its control over these sectors since early 1990s.[not citation given] government slowly corporatising state sector selling off holdings France Télécom Air France well insurance banking defence industries.[not citation given] France has important aerospace industry led European consortium Airbus has its own national spaceport Centre Spatial GuyanaisComposition of French economy (GDP) 2016 expenditure type. Main articles French Renaissance (c 1400–c 1650) Early modern France (1500–1789) French Wars of Religion (1562–1598) Ancien Régime (c 1400–1792) The movie industry was born Paris when Auguste Louis Lumière projected first motion picture paying audience Grand Café 28 December 1895 Many of Paris's concert/dance halls were transformed into cinemas when media became popular beginning 1930s Later most of largest cinemas were divided into multiple smaller rooms Paris's largest cinema room today Grand Rex theatre with 2,700 seatsBig multiplex cinemas have been built since 1990s UGC Ciné Cité Les Halles with 27 screens MK2 Bibliothèque with 20 screens UGC Ciné Cité Bercy with 18 screens among largestParisians tend share same movie-going trends many of world's global cities with cinemas primarily dominated Hollywood-generated film entertainment French cinema comes close second with major directors (réalisateurs) such Claude Lelouch Jean-Luc Godard Luc Besson more slapstick/popular genre with director Claude Zidi example European Asian films also widely shown appreciated2 February 2000 Philippe Binant realised first digital cinema projection Europe with DLP CINEMA technology developed Texas Instruments ParisRestaurants cuisine. The Hôtel-Dieu de Paris oldest hospital city There 440 km (270 mi) of cycle paths routes Paris These include piste cyclable (bike lanes separated from other traffic physical barriers such kerb) bande cyclable (a bicycle lane denoted painted path road) Some 29 km (18 mi) of specially marked bus lanes free be used cyclists with protective barrier protecting against encroachments from vehicles Cyclists have also been given right ride both directions certain one-way streets Paris offers bike sharing system called Vélib' with more than 20,000 public bicycles distributed 1,800 parking stations, which can be rented short medium distances including one way tripsElectricity. Paris has been international capital of high fashion since 19th century particularly domain of haute couture clothing hand-made order private clients home of some of largest fashion houses world including Dior Chanel of many well-known fashion designers including Karl Lagerfeld Jean-Paul Gaultier Christophe Josse Christian Lacroix Paris Fashion Week held January July Carrousel du Louvre other city locations among top four events of international fashion calendar along with fashion weeks Milan London New York Paris also home of world's largest cosmetics company L'Oréal three of five top global makers of luxury fashion accessories Louis Vuitton Hermés Cartier Most of major fashion designers have their showrooms along Avenue Montaigne between Champs-Élysées SeineHolidays festivals, France derives most of its electricity from nuclear power highest percentage world Photo of Cattenom Nuclear Power PlantÉlectricité de France (EDF) main electricity generation distribution company France also one of world's largest producers of electricity 2003 produced 22% of European Union's electricity,[citation needed] primarily from nuclear power France smallest emitter of carbon dioxide among G8 due its heavy investment nuclear powerof 2016 72% of electricity produced France generated 58 nuclear power plantsthis context renewable energies having difficulty taking off France also uses hydroelectric dams produce electricity such Eguzon dam Étang de Soulcem Lac de VouglansTransport! Lumière University Institut d'études politiques de Lyon (Sciences Po Lyon) Marseille served European Capital of Culture 2013 along with Košice Marseille-Provence 2013 (MP2013) featured more than 900 cultural events held throughout Marseille surrounding communities These cultural events generated more than 11 million visitsEuropean Capital of Culture was also occasion unveil more than 600 million euros new cultural infrastructure Marseille its environs including iconic MuCEM designed Rudy RicciottiTarot de Marseille; Hollywood-style Marseille sign, Main article List of French inventions discoveries.

Paris its close suburbs home numerous newspapers magazines publications including Le Monde Le Figaro Libération Le Nouvel Observateur Le Canard enchaîné La Croix Pariscope Le Parisien (in Saint-Ouen) Les Échos Paris Match (Neuilly-sur-Seine) Réseaux & Télécoms Reuters France L'Officiel des Spectacles France's two most prestigious newspapers Le Monde Le Figaro centrepieces of Parisian publishing industry Agence France-Presse France's oldest one of world's oldest continually operating news agencies AFP colloquially abbreviated maintains its headquarters Paris has since 1835 France 24 television news channel owned operated French government based Paris Another news agency France Diplomatie owned operated Ministry of Foreign European Affairs pertains solely diplomatic news occurrencesThe most-viewed network France TF1 nearby Boulogne-Billancourt France 2 France 3 Canal+ France 5 M6 (Neuilly-sur-Seine) Arte D8 W9 NT1 NRJ 12 La Chaîne parlementaire France 4 BFM TV Gulli other stations located around capital Radio France France's public radio broadcaster its various channels headquartered Paris's 16th arrondissement Radio France Internationale another public broadcaster also based city Paris also holds headquarters of La Poste France's national postal carrierInternational relations, City Hall Place des Terreaux built architects Jules Hardouin-Mansart Robert de Cotte, Median income Paris its nearest departments The population of city of Lyon proper was 491,268 January 2011 census, 14% of whom were born outside Metropolitan FranceMain sights. FranceNormandy Hauts-de- This section needs be updated Please update this article reflect recent events or newly available information (June 2017).