France

France. Written by Florence Cooper.

法国。 弗洛伦斯·库珀 著

Where is it? France is the largest country in Western Europe. To the northeast of France are Belgium and Luxembourg. To the east are Italy, Germany and Switzerland. And to the south is Spain. The United Kingdom and Ireland lie across the English Channel to the northwest.

它在哪里呢？ 法国是西欧面积最大的国家。 法国的东北边是比利时和卢森堡。 东边挨着意大利、德国和瑞士。 南边则是西班牙。 英国和爱尔兰在西北方，隔着英吉利海峡和法国相望。

The capital of France is Paris, a city known around the world for its beauty. Millions of people visit Paris each year to see its famous landmarks. These sites include the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Art Museum. A monument, called the Arc de Triomphe, stands over one of the city's main streets, the Champs -Élysées. More than 10 million people live in Paris. The city is France's center for both business and culture. Paris is also considered one of the fashion capitals of the world.

法国的首都是巴黎，这座城市的美丽全世界都知道。 每年都有几百万人来到巴黎，参观这里的著名景点。 这些景点包括埃菲尔铁塔、巴黎圣母院和卢浮宫美术馆。 一座叫凯旋门的纪念碑，矗立在巴黎主干道香榭丽舍大街上。 巴黎的居住人口超过一千万。 这座城市是法国的商业和文化中心。 巴黎还被认为是世界时尚之都之一。

people. More than 66 million people live in France. Most people live and work in its cities and towns. Tourism is the largest service industry in France. In fact, France is the most visited country in the world. Many people work in hotels, restaurants, and museums that welcome these millions of visitors. Many French people also work in factories that produce goods such as cars, aircraft, and clothing. Other factories make chemicals and process food. Some people work in mines, digging resources such as coal out of the ground.

人口。 法国的总人口超过六千六百万。 大多数人都在城镇生活和工作。 旅游业是法国规模最大的服务业。 事实上，法国是全世界接待游客最多的国家。 很多人在酒店、餐厅和博物馆工作，接待数百万来访的游客。 还有不少法国人在工厂工作，生产汽车、飞机和服装这类产品。 另有工厂生产化工产品、加工食品。 还有一些人在矿井工作，从地下开采煤炭这类资源。

More than half of the country's land is used for farming. French farmers grow wheat, grain, sugar beets, and potatoes. Others raise animals, including cattle, hogs, and sheep. Some also grow grapes in vineyards. The majority of people in France are Roman Catholic. Others are Protestant, Muslim, or Jewish. The country's main language is French, although people speak different dialects depending on the area.

法国有超过一半的国土都用于农业生产。 法国农民种植小麦、谷物、甜菜和土豆。 还有农民养殖牛、猪、羊这些牲畜。 也有人在葡萄园里种植葡萄。 法国大多数人都信奉天主教。 其余人信奉新教、伊斯兰教或是犹太教。 法国的官方语言是法语，不过不同地区的人会说不同的方言。

France has many different landforms, including hills, forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, and beaches. France is mostly covered in flat plains and low rolling hills. It also has high plateaus. The Seine River runs through Paris, and, along with smaller rivers, drains the Paris Basin. The country is also known for its beautiful beaches, especially along the Mediterranean

法国有多种多样的地形，包括丘陵、森林、高山、河流、湖泊和海滩。 法国大部分国土都是平坦的平原和和缓的低丘。 这里还有高耸的高原。 塞纳河穿过巴黎，它和其他小河一起，滋养着巴黎盆地。 法国还以美丽的海滩闻名，尤其是地中海沿岸