Geography
France as a nation covers a larger area than an other nation on Earth. In addition Province Nouveau on the world of Tirane is also a department of France and thus is a direct extention of terrestrial France. To many foreigners France is simply the European department to is actually much larger, there is not a continent on Earth that does not have the French flag flying over it. In the solar system several off-Earth departments, notably on the planet Mars, half of which is fully owned by France and the remaining half split between Britain and Germany. The Americans rent a research base in the department, several years ago they discovered tantalum and tried to mine it, provoking an incident. France moved in and reestablished their claim to it.
External departments include:
Territories of France which are not full departments are known as "collectivities". Most of these territories are beyond the Earth and include:
France maintains the largest Planetary Defense Network in the Solar System and is fully integrated with the large British Network. These platforms would have provided the majority of Earths firepower in a last ditch attempt to save Earth had the Franco-British fleet at Queen Alice's Star failed. This network is currently being massively enhanced with multiple platform launchs per week.
Economy
France is the richest, most successful nation in Humanities domain with a gross output 4 times that of America and nearly twice that of the other 2 major economic powers, Britain and Japan. Her economy is based upon a vast manufacturing base centered on European France and Province Nouveau, a similar arrangement to Britain. France is also successful in other sectors of commerce such as mining in Africa and Agriculture on the French Arm. Only in the service sector is France week. Until recently such jobs were contracted out to Bavarian companies but the increased anti-French felling in the New German Reich has stopped this and France is building up this sector while contracting from Britain, Japan and Russia.
France is also holder of the largest amount of Tantalum in known space. To cement this position a colony on the world of King is currently under consideration.
Recent History
France has been involved in 5 major wars in the last 20 years. First, the Central Asian War where France stepped in to help Russia defend her borders and valiantly repulsed the Manchu invader. Next came the Joian revolt, caused by Hanoverean agitators working from the Hanoverean colony at 61 Ursae Majoris. This was a dismal failure for France since dispite winning every battle there engaged in the cost of operations was far too high. When the Ruffin government came to power (see below) France agreed to Joian self rule but does not recognise Joi as an independent state.
Next came the German annexation of Bavaria, France naturally mobilised immediately to defend her ally but the army was still weak from the War in Central Asia and much of it was still there as a peacekeeping force. A Hanoverean armoured thrust through Flanders into Northern France caused the French military government to collapse, the military government sued for terms and peace was accepted. Many Germans wonder why Germany didn't annex France, the answer is that they had secretly communicated to the Germans that if one German soldier set foot iacross the river Somme then France would turn the Planetary Defense Network on Germany, an illegal act and maybe a bluff but the Germans bought it. As a passing shot during the German withdrawal they supplied radical groups in Flanders with weapons and thus began Flanders successful bid for independence.
Thus shattered, France began to put itself back together. It was a fairly easy task to repair the war damage, after all, the French Union had been enlarged by the inclusion of Freihaven. Of greater concern was the level of corruption prevelent in French government and society. Ruffin, a French industriallist of Algerian extraction rose to power on the anti-corruption ticket and promptly dismissed the entire general staff of the army and set about setting up democratic structures.
By 2298 France was back on her feet and elections where held. Ruffin was returned to power but the elections included a ballot on the formation of a formal Empire encompassing all departments, collectivities and associateships of France. It was passed with 89% of the population saying "Oui.". Thus on 21st September 2298 Nicolas Ruffin was crowned Nicolas I, Emperor of France, Defender of the Faith, Lord Protector of the French People at Paris. The post is for life but is not hereditary, the Emperor can be removed by a 66% vote in the Nationale Assemblée. His main powers are to appoint the Prime Minister and Executive from the elected Nationale Assemblée and to veto any act that passes before the Nationale Assemblée.
The other major event of 2298 was the sudden attack on the colonies
on Aurore by a savage alien race known to the the French as Les Cancrelats,
but commonly as the Kafers. The French led ESA fleet was defeated and driven
out of Eta Bootis, 3 months later the French had reinforced their fleet
and also had a help from a German squadron, they attacked and liberated
the colony although ground fighting continues even today.