French, alongside English, is the second major global language, spoken in more than fifty countries and across five continents. Here are some more interesting facts about French:
French is one of the official working languages for:
- The United Nations (U.N)
- UNESCO
- NATO
- EC (The European Community)
- Council of Europe
- The International Red Cross
French is also the dominant working language at the European Court of Justice.
French in the Economic world:
- France is one of the top five global economies
- More tourists visit France than any other country
- France is one of the world's biggest exporters
- Provides substantial amounts of aid to developing nations
Science & Technology:
- France is the fourth largest automobile provider
- The French are a world leader in medical research
- The fastest train (the TGV) is French
- The fastest aeroplane (Concorde) is French
- France is the world's third military power
- Fibre optics were invented in France
Famous French Writers:
- Saint Exupery ('The Little Prince')
- Voltaire
- Guy de Maupassant
- Jules Verne
- Victor Hugo
- Alexander Dumas
