Geography & environment — France

• Metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00
• E French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00
• W Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35
• W Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00
• W Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10
• E Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

• Metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in the north and west; the remainder is mountainous, especially the Pyrenees in the south,
• Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying
• coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is a low limestone formation; most
• of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline;
• dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating,
• with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along the coast

• Metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber,
• fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunion

The west and north of France experience cool winters and mild summers, while southern France and Corsica have a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is frequent all year. The average yearly rainfall in Paris for the last 30 years is 26 inches.

• Metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in the north and west; the remainder is mountainous, especially the Pyrenees in the south,
• Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying
• coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is a low limestone formation; most
• of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline;
• dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating,
• with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along the coast

• Metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the United Kingdom; bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
• between Italy and Spain French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
• between Brazil and Suriname Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
• southeast of Puerto Rico Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
• north of Trinidad and Tobago Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, an island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfwa
• y between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Reunion: Southern Africa, an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Some forest damage from acid rain

air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions

water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Party To: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements