Capital of France: Paris — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of France is Paris. France sits in Europe, has a population of 64,626,628, and uses the EUR. Official languages include French.
Quick facts
- Capital: Paris
- Continent: Europe
- Population: ~64,626,628
- Area: 643,801 km²
- Population density: 100 people per km²
- Official language: French
- Currency: EUR
- ISO code: FR
How big is France?
By population, France ranks 23rd in the world, holding roughly 0.81% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 42nd.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. France has 100 people per square kilometre, which is somewhat above the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.
Within Europe, France is the 4th most populous country of 46.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to France in population are Tanzania (65,497,748) and United Kingdom (66,971,395).
By land area, its closest counterparts are South Sudan (644,329 km²) and Somalia (637,657 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.
The EUR is not unique to France — it is also used by Andorra, Austria, Belgium and Croatia, and 21 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
How to remember France
Paris sits on the River Seine in the north of the country. For the flag, read it like a sentence from left to right: blue, white, red, standing up. The Netherlands has the same colours lying down (red, white, blue from the top), and Italy swaps blue for green.
The flag of France: blue, white and red
🇫🇷 The flag is three vertical stripes of blue, white and red, known as the tricolore. The flag dates from the French Revolution in 1790, when the traditional colour white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia.
Region and neighbours
France is a large country in Western Europe, with coasts on the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It shares land borders with 8 countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra. France also has land outside Europe: French Guiana in South America borders Brazil and Suriname.
- Belgium 🇧🇪 — capital Brussels
- Luxembourg 🇱🇺 — capital Luxembourg
- Germany 🇩🇪 — capital Berlin
- Switzerland 🇨🇠— capital Bern
- Italy 🇮🇹 — capital Rome
- Monaco 🇲🇨 — capital Monaco
- Spain 🇪🇸 — capital Madrid
- Andorra 🇦🇩 — capital Andorra la Vella
Three facts about France
- France is the world's top tourist destination, with about 102 million foreign visitors in 2025.
- Mont Blanc, on the border with Italy, is the highest mountain in the Alps at about 4,806 m.
- The Eiffel Tower in Paris was finished in 1889 and was the tallest structure in the world until 1930.
Sources: Wikipedia: France, Wikipedia: Flag of France, Wikipedia: Paris, Wikipedia: Mont Blanc, Wikipedia: Eiffel Tower, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on France
- European capitals quiz — match France to Paris
- European flags quiz — spot the France flag among its neighbours
France capital quiz
What is the capital of France 🇫🇷?
- Berlin
- Paris
- Rome
- Bucharest
Show answer
Paris
What is the capital of United Kingdom 🇬🇧?
- Budapest
- ReykjavÃk
- Vatican City
- London
Show answer
London
What is the capital of Italy 🇮🇹?
- Chișinău
- Prague
- Rome
- Kyiv
Show answer
Rome
What is the capital of Germany 🇩🇪?
- Athens
- Berlin
- Paris
- Budapest
Show answer
Berlin
What is the capital of Spain 🇪🇸?
- San Marino
- Madrid
- Podgorica
- Chișinău
Show answer
Madrid
France capital quiz tip
Paris is both the capital and by far the largest city of France, so there is no trap here: if a quiz offers Lyon or Marseille, those are France's next-largest cities, not its capital.
France in Europe
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Russia, Germany, United Kingdom and Italy.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Europe is the block France belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for France.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of France?
The capital of France is Paris.
What is the population of France?
About 64,626,628, making it the 23rd most populous country in the world.
How big is France?
643,801 square kilometres, ranking 42nd by land area, at a density of 100 people per square kilometre.
What currency does France use?
The EUR, shared with 25 other countries.
What are the colours of the France flag?
The flag of France is three vertical stripes of blue, white and red, known as the tricolore. The flag dates from the French Revolution in 1790, when the traditional colour white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia.
Which countries border France?
France shares land borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra. France also has land outside Europe: French Guiana in South America borders Brazil and Suriname.
How can I remember the capital of France?
Paris sits on the River Seine in the north of the country. For the flag, read it like a sentence from left to right: blue, white, red, standing up. The Netherlands has the same colours lying down (red, white, blue from the top), and Italy swaps blue for green.
More capitals to learn
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