History of France in Timeline
France, officially the French Republic, is a country primarily in Western Europe with overseas regions across the globe. It borders several European nations and maintains a large exclusive economic zone. Metropolitan France stretches from the Rhine to the Atlantic, encompassing diverse landscapes. It's comprised of eighteen regions, including five overseas, covering 632,702 km2, with a population exceeding 68.6 million as of January 2025. A semi-presidential republic, France's capital and largest city is Paris, serving as its cultural and economic hub.
1900: Paris hosted the Olympic Games
In 1900, Paris hosted the second Olympic Games.
1904: Entente Cordiale with the United Kingdom
Since 1904, France has maintained an "Entente cordiale" with the United Kingdom, strengthening links between the countries.
1905: Law on the Separation of the Churches and the State
In 1905, France passed the 1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State.
1905: State secularism established
In 1905, state secularism was officially established in France.
1905: Separation of Churches and the State
The 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State is the basis for laïcité (state secularism).
1919: Trois mouvements perpétuels
In 1919, Francis Poulenc created his piano suite "Trois mouvements perpétuels".
1921: Immigration to France
From 1921, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.
1923: Les biches
In 1923, Francis Poulenc created the ballet "Les biches".
1923: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Since 1923, France is famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race.
1924: Summer Olympics in Paris and Winter Olympics in Chamonix
In 1924, France hosted the Summer Olympics in Paris and the Winter Olympics in Chamonix; France also introduced Olympics for deaf people (Deaflympics) in Paris.
1928: Concert champêtre
In 1928, Francis Poulenc created the "Concert champêtre" for harpsichord and orchestra.
1935: Immigration to France
Until 1935, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.
1940: France Surrendered and was occupied
In 1940, France surrendered and was occupied during World War II.
1940: France is invaded and defeated by Nazi Germany
In 1940, France was invaded and quickly defeated by Nazi Germany, leading to its division and occupation.
1942: Deportation of French Citizens
From 1942, French citizens, including Jews, were deported to death and concentration camps.
June 1944: Allies invaded Normandy
On 6 June 1944, the Allies invaded Normandy, beginning the liberation of France.
1944: Liberation of France
In 1944, France was liberated following World War II.
1946: Fourth Republic Established
In 1946, a new constitution resulted in the establishment of the Fourth Republic in France.
1947: Rally of the French People
In 1947, the Gaullist Party's name changed to the Rally of the French People.
1954: Defeat in French Indochina
In 1954, France was defeated by the Viet Minh in its attempt to regain control of French Indochina.
1957: Dialogues des Carmélites
In 1957, Francis Poulenc created the opera "Dialogues des Carmélites".
May 1958: May 1958 Crisis
During the May 1958 crisis, the weak Fourth Republic gave way to the Fifth Republic.
September 1958: Constitution Approved
On 28 September 1958, the Constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum, establishing a new framework for France.
1958: Political Instability in France
In 1958, Political instability plagued France.
1958: Fifth Republic formed
In 1958, the Fifth Republic was formed in France by Charles de Gaulle.
1958: Union of Democrats for the Republic
In 1958, the Gaullist Party's name changed to the Union of Democrats for the Republic.
1958: French Constitution
The French Constitution of 1958 prohibited the government from collecting data on ethnicity and ancestry.
1959: Gloria
In 1959, Francis Poulenc created the "Gloria" for soprano, choir, and orchestra.
1960: Recognised Nuclear State
France has been a recognised nuclear state since 1960.
1960: European Nations' Cup
In 1960, France hosted the European Nations' Cup.
1960: High Fashion Dominance
In the years 1860-1960, France renewed its dominance of the high fashion industry.
1962: Évian Accords
In 1962, the Évian Accords led to Algerian independence, resulting in significant casualties and displacement.
May 1968: Revolt of May 1968
The revolt of May 1968 in France had a significant social impact, marking a shift towards more liberal values.
1968: Winter Olympics in Grenoble
In 1968, France hosted the Winter Olympics in Grenoble.
1969: Socialist Party Succeeded
In 1969, the French Section of the Workers' International was succeeded by the Socialist Party.
1971: Creation of an environment ministry
In 1971, France was one of the first countries to create an environment ministry.
1973: Oil crisis
In 1973, the oil crisis led to heavy investment in nuclear power.
1973: Policy of Energy Security
Since the 1973 oil crisis, France has pursued a strong policy of energy security, namely through heavy investment in nuclear energy.
1974: ORTF Split
In 1974, after years of centralised monopoly on radio and television, the governmental agency ORTF was split into several national institutions.
1976: Rally for the Republic
In 1976, the Gaullist Party's name changed to the Rally for the Republic.
1976: Musée National d'Art Moderne Moved
In 1976, the Musée National d'Art Moderne moved to the Centre Georges Pompidou.
1977: Building Height Restrictions in Paris
Since 1977, new buildings in Paris had to be under 37 metres (121 ft).
1981: End of State Monopoly on Radio
In 1981, the French government allowed free broadcasting in the territory, ending the state monopoly on radio.
1982: Peak of Public Sector
At its peak in 1982, the public sector accounted for one-fifth of industrial employment and over four-fifths of the credit market in France.
1986: Musée d'Orsay Inauguration
In 1986, the Musée d'Orsay was inaugurated in the old railway station Gare d'Orsay.
1990: Gayssot Act Prohibits Holocaust Denial
In 1990, France's Gayssot Act prohibited Holocaust denial.
1990: Carbon emission agreement
Like all European Union state members, France agreed to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020.
1990: Increase in Forest Land
Since 1990, forests in France have increased by 7 per cent, accounting for 31 per cent of the land area.
1992: Winter Olympics in Albertville
In 1992, France hosted the Winter Olympics in Albertville.
1992: Signing of the Maastricht Treaty
In 1992, France signed the Maastricht Treaty, contributing to the development of the European Union.
1993: Cultural Exception Advocacy
In 1993, France convinced all EU members to refuse to include culture and audiovisuals in the list of liberalised sectors of the WTO.
1994: Total Fertility Rate Nadir
In 1994, the total fertility rate in France reached a nadir of 1.7.
1995: Public transport bombings
Since 1995, France has been targeted by Islamist organisations, beginning with the public transport bombings.
1995: Religious Movements Listed as Dangerous Cults
The Parliament has listed many religious movements as dangerous cults since 1995.
1997: World Health Organization Ranking
In 1997, The French health care system was ranked first worldwide by the World Health Organization.
1997: End of National Conscription
There has been no national conscription in France since 1997.
1998: Hand Transplantation Developed
In 1998, hand transplantation was developed in Lyon by an international team that included Jean-Michel Dubernard.
1999: Establishment of the Eurozone
In 1999, France played a key role in establishing the eurozone within the European Union.
1999: Civil Unions Permitted
Since 1999, civil unions for homosexual couples have been permitted in France.
2000: Merger to Form Euronext
In 2000, the Paris stock exchange merged with counterparts in Amsterdam and Brussels to form Euronext.
2000: World Health Organization Assessment
In its 2000 assessment of world health care systems, the World Health Organization found that France provided the "close to best overall health care" in the world.
September 2001: First Telesurgery
On September 7, 2001, French surgeons led by Jacques Marescaux performed the first telesurgery across the Atlantic Ocean.
2004: Madrid train bombings
In 2004, The Madrid train bombings were the deadliest attack in the European Union since.
2004: Institut Montaigne Estimate
In 2004, the Institut Montaigne estimated the ethnic composition within Metropolitan France.
2004: Decrease in Asylum Applications
In 2005, there was a 15% decrease from 2004 in asylum applications.
2004: Banned Religious Symbols in Schools
Since 2004, France has banned wearing conspicuous religious symbols in schools.
November 2005: First Face Transplant
On November 27, 2005, the first face transplant was performed by Bernard Devauchelle.
2005: Leading Recipient of Asylum Seekers
In 2005, France was Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers, with an estimated 50,000 applications.
2005: UNESCO Vote on Cultural Exception
In 2005, the principle of "cultural exception" won an overwhelming victory with 198 countries voting for it at UNESCO.
2006: Michelin Guide Awards
By 2006, the Michelin Guide had awarded 620 stars to French restaurants.
2006: Population Growth Average
From 2006, population growth averaged 0.6 percent per year.
2007: Native Languages
According to the 2007 Adult Education survey, French was the native language of 87.2% of the total population.
2007: Inhabitants Living with HIV/AIDS
As of 2007, approximately 140,000 inhabitants of France were living with HIV/AIDS.
2007: Merger to Form NYSE Euronext
In 2007, Euronext merged with the New York stock exchange to form NYSE Euronext, the world's largest stock exchange.
2007: Signing of the Treaty of Lisbon
In 2007, France signed the Treaty of Lisbon, further advancing the supranational European Union.
2007: Saint Barthélemy Seceded
In 2007, Saint Barthélemy seceded from Guadeloupe. Overseas collectivities and territories form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the European Union or its fiscal area, except for Saint Barthélemy.
2007: Union for a Popular Movement
In 2007, the Gaullist Party's name changed to the Union for a Popular Movement.
2008: Renewable energy Production
Between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently.
2008: France's Railway Network
In 2008, France's railway network was the second most extensive in Western Europe after Germany, stretching 29,473 kilometers.
2008: Healthcare Spending Per Capita
In 2008, average health care spending per capita in France was US$4,719.
2008: Government Initiative to Help the Sector Reform
In 2008, the French government launched a major initiative to help the print media sector reform and become financially independent.
2008: Minority Ancestry Groups
In 2008, the largest minority ancestry groups were Italian, followed by Northwest African and Sub-Saharan African.
2008: Immigrant Population Estimate
In 2008, the total number of foreign-born immigrants was estimated to be around 5 million.
April 2009: France Rejoined NATO Joint Military Command
On April 4, 2009, under Nicolas Sarkozy, France rejoined the NATO joint military command, reversing a previous exclusion under President de Gaulle.
2009: Spanish Immigrant Increase
Between 2009 and 2012 statistics on Spanish immigrants in France show a growth of 107 percent.
2009: Disneyland Paris Visitors
In 2009, Disneyland Paris had 15 million combined visitors to the resort's Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.
2009: Carbon tax plan abandoned
In 2009, France was set to impose a carbon tax; however, the plan was abandoned due to fears of burdening French businesses.
2009: Government Aid to Print Media
In 2009, the French government provided 600,000 euros to assist the print media during the economic crisis.
2010: Banned Face-Covering Islamic Veils
In 2010, France banned the wearing of face-covering Islamic veils in public.
2010: Asylum Applications
In 2010, France received about 48,100 asylum applications.
2010: Newborns with Foreign-Born Parents
In 2010, roughly one in four newborns in metropolitan France had at least one foreign-born parent.
2010: Total Fertility Rate Increase
In 2010, the total fertility rate in France rose to 2.0.
2011: Health Care Spending
In 2011, France spent 11.6% of its GDP on health care.
2011: Fertility Rate Decline
Since 2011, France's fertility rate has been steadily declining.
2011: Annual Growth
Since 2011, annual growth has been between 0.4 and 0.5 percent annually.
2012: Catholic Churches
As of 2012, among the 47,000 religious buildings in France 94% were still Catholic churches.
2012: Intervention in Northern Mali Conflict
From 2012 to 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Northern Mali conflict.
2012: Foreigners Coming to France
In 2012, nearly 8% of the total of 229,000 foreigners coming to France were Portuguese.
2013: Second Greatest Exporter of Films
In 2013, France was the second greatest exporter of films in the world, after the United States.
2013: Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT Adoption Legal
Since 2013, same-sex marriage and LGBT adoption are legal in France.
2014: Opération Chammal
In 2014, Opération Chammal, France's military efforts to contain ISIS, was launched.
November 2015: November 2015 Paris attacks
In November 2015, the Paris attacks resulted in 130 deaths, marking the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II.
2015: Sixth-Most Powerful Military
According to a 2015 study, the French Armed Forces ranked as the world's sixth-most powerful military.
2015: Leading Film Production in Europe
As of 2015, France produced more films than any other European country.
2015: Best Networked State
In 2015, France was described as the "best networked state in the world" due to its membership in many international institutions.
2015: The Republicans
Since 2015, the Gaullist Party has been known as The Republicans.
2016: Population Increase
Between 2006 and 2016, France saw the second-highest overall increase in population in the EU.
2016: Administrative Regions Divided
In 2016, France was divided into 18 administrative regions: 13 in metropolitan France (including Corsica) and five overseas.
2017: LVMH is largest luxury company in the world
According to 2017 data compiled by Deloitte, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey (LVMH), a French brand, is the largest luxury company in the world by sales.
2017: Fourth-Largest Donor of Development Aid
In 2017, France was the world's fourth-largest donor of development aid in absolute terms.
2017: Increase in Asylum Applications
In 2017, asylum applications doubled to 100,412 in France.
2017: La République En Marche! became dominant
In the 2017 presidential and legislative elections, the radical centrist party La République En Marche! (LREM) became the dominant force.
2018: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking
According to the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report, France was the 15th most competitive, up two places from 2018. This means in 2018 France was two places lower.
2018: EDF Electricity Production
In 2018, EDF produced roughly one-fifth of the European Union's electricity, primarily from nuclear power.
2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index
In 2018, France had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.52/10, ranking it 123rd globally.
2018: Fifth-Largest Trading Nation
In 2018, France was the fifth-largest trading nation in the world and the second largest in Europe.
2018: Best Museum in the World
In 2018, The Musée d'Orsay was voted the best museum in the world.
2018: OECD Ranking of Education
In 2018, the Programme for International Student Assessment ranked France's education as near the OECD average.
2019: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking
According to the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report, France was the 15th most competitive, up two places from 2018.
2019: Number of PNRs in France
As of 2019, there are 54 PNRs (regional nature parks) in France.
2019: Renewable energy Production
Between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently.
2019: FIFA Women's World Cup
In 2019, France hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup.
2019: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2019, France ranked 16th in the Global Innovation Index.
2019: First in Europe in Foreign Direct Investment
In 2019, France ranked first in Europe and 13th in the world in foreign direct investment.
2020: Environmental Performance Index
According to the 2020 Environmental Performance Index, France was the fifth most environmentally conscious country in the world.
2020: Bloomberg Innovation Index Ranking
In 2020, France was among the world's 10 most innovative countries in the Bloomberg Innovation Index.
2020: Carbon emission agreement
Like all European Union state members, France agreed to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020.
2020: Europe Ecology – The Greens performed well
Since 2020, Europe Ecology – The Greens (EELV) have performed well in mayoral elections in major cities.
2020: Revision of Metropolitan Area Borders
Since its 2020 revision of metropolitan area borders, INSEE considers that Nice is a metropolitan area separate from the Cannes-Antibes metropolitan area.
2021: Intervention in Northern Mali Conflict
From 2012 to 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Northern Mali conflict.
2021: Biggest Energy Exporter in Europe
In 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.
2021: French Weapons Exports
In 2021, French weapons exports totaled 11.7 billion euros, before increasing to 27 billion euros the next year.
2021: Largest Cities Population
In 2021, Paris had a metropolitan area population of 13,171,056.
2021: Regional Newspapers Double Sales
In 2021, regional daily newspapers in France more than doubled the sales of national newspapers.
2021: Children of Foreign-Born Mothers
In 2021, the share of children of foreign-born mothers was 23 percent.
June 2022: Legislative Elections
In the June 2022 legislative elections, Macron lost his parliamentary majority and had to form a minority government.
2022: French Weapons Exports Totaled
In 2022, French weapons exports totaled 27 billion euros, up from 11.7 billion euros the previous year.
2022: Right-wing populist RN became largest opposition party
In 2022, Right-wing populist RN became the largest opposition party in the National Assembly.
2022: Migrants Came to France
In 2022, more than 320,000 migrants came to France.
2022: Louvre Visitors
In 2022, the Louvre was the most visited art museum in the world with 7.7 million visitors.
2023: Annual Military Expenditure
France's annual military expenditure in 2023 was US$61.3 billion, or 2.1% of its GDP.
2023: France as a Leading Tourist Destination
In 2023, France received 100 million foreign visitors, making it the world's leading tourist destination.
2023: Fertility Rate
In 2023, France's fertility rate stood at 1.79 per woman.
2023: Top Tourist Destination
With 100 million international tourist arrivals in 2023, France is the world's top tourist destination.
2024: Summer Olympics in Paris
France will host the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
2024: Abortion Rights Protected
In 2024, France became the first nation in the European Union to explicitly protect abortion in its constitution.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2024, France ranked 12th in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Projected Population Over 60
It is projected that one in three French people will be over 60 by 2024.
January 2025: Estimated population of France
As of January 2025, France's estimated total population is over 68.6 million.
2040: Aim to Further Expand Hydropower
France aims to further expand hydropower into 2040.
2044: Projected Population Growth
France is projected to continue growing until 2044.
