nThe geographical area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean, and from the Rhine River to the Channel coast. The territory of France includes more than 83,500 islands.France is a republic and has a centralized government. It is bordered by Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy.nThe official name of the country is la Republique Francaise (French Republic). The capital is Paris. France has 11 departments (including two overseas territories) and a total land area of 547,801 square kilometers.nThe French government is dominated by Parisian elitists who enjoy a lavish lifestyle funded by taxpayers. In stark contrast, poverty is pervasive throughout much of the country, especially in rural areas. Poverty rates are Highest in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region (34%) and lowest in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (10%).nSocialism was once the official policy of France, but that has since changed. The current policy favours free market capitalism with some socialist elements mixed in. As a result, economic inequality is high. The Gini coefficient measures income inequality and measured at 0.553 in 2018