France

France is the largest central European country, covering 550,000 sq kms. The northeast and west are hilly and the country is bounded southeast by the Jura Mountains and the Alps. Mont Blanc is Europe's highest peak. Fertile plains, covering 60% of the land area, produce a vast variety of produce. The Paris region supports 20% of the population.

The climate is Mediterranean in the south with warm moist winters and hot, dry summers. Maritime in the northwest with little annual temperature range, plentiful rainfall and winter temperatures modified by the Atlantic influence. The climate is continental in the east with summer thunderstorms plentiful. The temperature in Paris varies from 3°C in January to 20°C in July.