This article was put together to provide you with facts pertaining to France. I write factual articles, not fiction. My mode of operation is to do plenty of research and study before publishing the article. We like to structure our articles in such a way that we provide a list of key and important facts, while most articles use a more traditional approach. Our unique format of displaying a list of facts is preferred by our readers, because they can easily find the information they are seeking.

There has been a great deal of time research that has gone into writing and preparing this article for you. If you look below you can see the facts we have found for you. The facts are important so pay attention to them. A large majority of the facts we have found will give you a starting point as you continue researching:

1. During the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715), France was the dominant power in Europe.

2. In the 1920s, France established an elaborate system of border defenses (the Maginot Line) and alliances to offset resurgent German strength.

3. France ranks as the United States eighth-largest trading partner for total goods (imports and exports).

4. More than 1 million Muslims immigrated to France in the 1960s and early 1970s from North Africa, especially Algeria.

5. France generally has worked to strengthen the global economic and political influence of the European Union and its role in common European defense.

6. France released a white paper on defense in June 2008 that assessed foreign and domestic defense and security issues.

7. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the European Union's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an European Union foreign policy.

AUTHOR'S NOTE -- I hope you are enjoying this article so far. It should prove very helpful whether your actual query is about France or any other related topic. Below this paragraph are additional facts that will aide you in your research:

1. Because many battles in which the United States was involved during World War I and World War II took place in France, more American soldiers have been killed on French soil than on that of any other foreign country.

2. The main components of France's executive branch are the president, the prime minister and government, and the permanent bureaucracies of the many ministries.

3. Traditionally, decision making in France has been highly centralized, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government.

4. While France continues to revere its rich history and independence, French leaders have increasingly tied the future of France to the European Union.