History of France in Timeline
France, officially the French Republic, is primarily in Western Europe with overseas regions globally. It shares borders with several European countries and has maritime borders with the UK. Including Overseas France, it borders Suriname, Brazil, and the Netherlands. Metropolitan France stretches from the Rhine to the Atlantic and from the Mediterranean to the English Channel and North Sea. Its 18 regions cover 632,702 km2 with a population of around 69.1 million. Paris is its capital, largest city, and main cultural and economic center.
11 hours ago : French Police Foil Bomb Attack Near Bank of America in Paris: Suspects Detained
French police foiled a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris. Suspects were detained following the incident, raising security concerns in France.
1904: Entente Cordiale
Since 1904, France has maintained an "Entente Cordiale" with the United Kingdom, strengthening ties especially militarily.
1905: State secularism
In 1905, state secularism was officially established in France.
1905: Law on Separation of Churches and State
In 1905, the law on the Separation of the Churches and the State established the concept of laïcité, enforcing a strict separation of church and state.
1919: Trois mouvements perpétuels
In 1919, Francis Poulenc created his piano suite, Trois mouvements perpétuels.
1921: Immigration Wave
Between 1921 and 1935, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.
1923: 24 Hours of Le Mans
Since 1923, France is famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race.
1924: 1924 Summer Olympics and Deaflympics
In 1924 Paris hosted the Summer Olympics, and France introduced Olympics for deaf people (Deaflympics).
1928: Concert champêtre
In 1928, Francis Poulenc created the Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra.
1935: Immigration Wave
Between 1921 and 1935, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.
1940: Invasion by Nazi Germany
In 1940, France was invaded and quickly defeated by Nazi Germany, leading to the establishment of the Vichy government.
1942: Deportation of French citizens
From 1942, approximately 160,000 French citizens, including around 75,000 Jews, were deported to death and concentration camps.
June 1944: Allied Invasion of Normandy
On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded Normandy, leading to the restoration of French sovereignty.
1944: Liberation
In 1944, France was liberated, and the short-lived Fourth Republic was established.
1946: Fourth Republic
In 1946, a new constitution resulted in the Fourth Republic which experienced strong economic growth.
1947: Rally of the French People
In 1947, the Gaullist Party changed its name to the Rally of the French People.
1954: Defeat in French Indochina
In 1954, France attempted to regain control of French Indochina, but was defeated by the Viet Minh.
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, which included a strengthened presidency.
1958: Political Instability
In 1958, France faced political instability related to the Algerian War which nearly led to a coup and civil war.
1958: Constitution of the Fifth Republic
In 1958, the Constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum, establishing a framework consisting of executive, legislative and judicial branches.
1958: Union of Democrats for the Republic
In 1958, the Rally of the French People changed its name to the Union of Democrats for the Republic.
1958: French Constitution
Starting with the French Revolution and further codified in the French Constitution of 1958, the government is prohibited 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: 1960 European Nations' Cup
France hosted the 1960 European Nations' Cup.
1960: High fashion dominance
France renewed its dominance of the high fashion industry in the years 1860–1960 through the establishment of the great couturier houses such as Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy.
1962: Évian Accords
In 1962, the Évian Accords led to Algerian independence, resulting in significant casualties and displacement.
1963: Élysée Treaty
Since the 1963 Élysée Treaty, France has developed close ties with reunified Germany to become the most influential driving force of the EU.
May 1968: Revolt of May 1968
The revolt of May 1968 had an enormous social impact, marking a shift from conservative to more liberal moral ideals in France.
1969: Socialist Party
In 1969, the French Section of the Workers' International was succeeded by the Socialist Party.
1971: Creation of environment ministry
In 1971, France became one of the first countries to create an environment ministry.
1973: Oil Crisis Impact
Following the 1973 oil crisis, France invested heavily in nuclear power.
1973: Oil Crisis and Energy Security Policy
In 1973, France began pursuing a strong policy of energy security following the oil crisis, which included heavy investment in nuclear energy.
1973: End of the Baby Boom
In 1973, France experienced the end of the baby boom, marking a change in population growth trends.
1974: ORTF split
In 1974, after years of centralised monopoly on radio and television, the governmental agency ORTF was split into several national institutions, but the three already-existing TV channels and four national radio stations remained under state control.
1976: Rally for the Republic
In 1976, the Union of Democrats for the Republic changed its name to the Rally for the Republic.
1977: Paris building height restriction
In Paris, since 1977, new buildings have been restricted to a height of under 37 metres (121 ft).
1981: Free broadcasting allowed
In 1981, the French government allowed free broadcasting in the territory.
1982: Peak of Public Sector
At its peak in 1982, the public sector in France accounted for one-fifth of industrial employment and over four-fifths of the credit market.
1990: Gayssot Act
In France, the 1990 Gayssot Act prohibits Holocaust denial.
1990: Carbon Emission Reduction Target
Like all European Union state members, France agreed to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020.
1990: Forest Land Increase
Since 1990, forest area in France has increased by 7 per cent.
1992: Maastricht Treaty
In 1992, France signed the Maastricht Treaty, a crucial step in the development of the European Union.
1993: WTO culture exception
In 1993, France succeeded in convincing 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 low point of 1.7.
1995: Public Transport Bombings
In 1995, France experienced public transport bombings, marking the beginning of a series of terrorist attacks.
1995: Dangerous Cults Listed
Since 1995, the Parliament has listed many religious movements as dangerous cults.
1997: WHO Ranking of Health Care Systems
In 1997, the French health care system was ranked first worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO).
1997: End of National Conscription
There has been no national conscription in France since 1997.
1999: Establishment of the Eurozone
In 1999, France played a key role in establishing the Eurozone, further integrating Europe economically.
1999: Civil Unions for Homosexual Couples
Since 1999, civil unions for homosexual couples have been permitted in France.
2000: WHO Assessment of Health Care Systems
In its 2000 assessment, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that France provided the "close to best overall health care" in the world.
2004: Population Ethnic Composition Estimate
In 2004, the Institut Montaigne estimated that within Metropolitan France, 51 million people were white (85% of the population), 6 million were northwest African (10%), 2 million were black (3.3%), and 1 million were Asian (1.7%).
2004: Madrid Train Bombings
In 2004, the Madrid train bombings occurred, being the deadliest attack in the European Union since World War II.
2004: Decrease in Asylum Applications
In 2005, France was Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers, with an estimated 50,000 applications which represented a 15% decrease from 2004.
2004: Religious Symbols Banned in Schools
Since 2004, France has banned wearing conspicuous religious symbols in schools.
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 culture exception
In 2005, France's policy of cultural exception was confirmed in a vote by UNESCO.
2006: Michelin stars awarded
By 2006, the Michelin Guide had awarded 620 stars to French restaurants.
2006: Population Growth Average
From 2006 to 2011, population growth in France averaged 0.6 percent per year.
2007: Native Languages
According to the 2007 Adult Education Survey, French was the native language of 87% of the population, followed by Arabic (3.6%), Portuguese (1.5%), Spanish (1.2%) and Italian (1.0%).
2007: HIV/AIDS prevalence
As of 2007, approximately 140,000 inhabitants (0.4%) are living with HIV/AIDS in France.
2007: Treaty of Lisbon
In 2007, France signed the Treaty of Lisbon, continuing its commitment to the European Union.
2007: Saint Barthélemy Secession
In 2007, Saint Barthélemy seceded from Guadeloupe.
2007: Union for a Popular Movement
In 2007, the Rally for the Republic changed its name to the Union for a Popular Movement.
2008: Minority Ancestry Groups
A 2008 poll estimated the largest minority ancestry groups were Italian (5 million), northwest African (3–6 million), Sub-Saharan African (2.5 million), Armenian (500,000), and Turkish (200,000).
2008: Railway Network Size
As of 2008, the railway network in France stretched 29,473 kilometers, making it the second most extensive in Western Europe after Germany.
2008: Renewable Energy Production Increase
Between 2008 and 2019, France saw a consistent increase in renewable energy production capacity, nearly doubling its output.
2008: Immigrant Population
In 2008, it was estimated that the number of foreign-born immigrants in France was around 5 million (8% of the population), while their French-born descendants numbered 6.5 million (11%).
2008: Print media reform initiative
In 2008, the French government launched a major initiative to help the print media sector reform and become financially independent.
2009: Disneyland Paris Visitors
In 2009, Disneyland Paris was Europe's most popular theme park, with 15 million combined visitors to the resort's Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.
2009: Carbon Tax
In 2009, France was set to impose a carbon tax, but the plan was abandoned due to fears of it burdening French businesses.
2009: Print media support
In 2009, the French government gave €600,000 to help the print media cope with the 2008 financial crisis, in addition to existing subsidies.
2010: Islamic Veils Banned in Public
In 2010, France banned the wearing of face-covering Islamic veils in public.
2010: Asylum Applications Received
In 2010, France received about 48,100 asylum applications, placing it among the top five asylum recipients in the world.
2010: Newborns with Foreign-Born Parents
In 2010, roughly one in four newborns (27 percent) in Metropolitan France had at least one foreign-born parent.
2010: Rise in Total Fertility Rate
In 2010, the total fertility rate in France rose to 2.0, recovering from a low of 1.7 in 1994.
2011: Health Care Spending
In 2011, France spent 11.6% of its GDP on health care, or US$4,086 per capita.
2011: Population Growth Average
Since 2011, annual population growth in France has been between 0.4 and 0.5 percent.
2011: Decline in Fertility Rate
Since 2011, the fertility rate in France has been steadily declining.
2012: Intervention in Mali War
From 2012, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Mali War.
2012: Catholic Religious Buildings
In 2012, among the 47,000 religious buildings in France, 94% were Catholic churches.
2012: Immigrant Increase and Origins
In 2012, of the total of 229,000 foreigners coming to France, nearly 8% were Portuguese, 5% British, 5% Spanish, 4% Italian, 4% German, 3% Romanian, and 3% Belgian.
2013: Second-largest exporter of films
In 2013, France was the second-largest exporter of films in the world, after the United States.
2013: Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT Adoption
Since 2013, same-sex marriage and LGBT adoption are legal in France.
2014: Opération Chammal
From 2014 to 2015, Opération Chammal, France's military efforts to contain ISIS, killed over 1,000 ISIS troops.
November 2015: Paris Attacks
In November 2015, Paris suffered attacks resulting in 130 deaths, the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II.
2015: Military Ranking
According to a 2015 study by Crédit Suisse, the French Armed Forces ranked as the world's sixth-most powerful military and the second most powerful in Europe.
2015: Leading filmmaking country
As of 2015, France produced more films than any other European country.
2015: Networked State
In 2015, France was described as "the best networked state in the world" due to its membership in more international institutions than any other country.
2015: The Republicans
In 2015, the Union for a Popular Movement changed its name to The Republicans.
2016: Population Increase in the EU
Between 2006 and 2016, France experienced the second-highest overall increase in population in the EU.
2016: Administrative Regions
Since 2016, France is divided into 18 administrative regions: 13 regions in metropolitan France (including Corsica), and five overseas.
2017: LVMH largest luxury company
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: Emmanuel Macron presidency
In 2017, Emmanuel Macron became the President of France.
2017: Increase in Asylum Applications
In 2017, France saw the number of asylum applications double to 100,412.
2017: Development Aid Donor
In 2017, France was the world's fourth-largest donor of development aid in absolute terms, representing 0.43% of its GNP.
2017: La République En Marche! Dominance
In the 2017 presidential and legislative elections, the radical centrist party La République En Marche! (LREM) became the dominant force, overtaking both Socialists and Republicans. LREM's opponent in the second round of the 2017 elections was the growing far-right party National Rally (RN).
2018: EDF Electricity Production
In 2018, EDF produced roughly one-fifth of the EU'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: Trading Nation
In 2018, France was the fifth-largest trading nation and second-largest in Europe, with exports representing over a fifth of GDP.
2018: Musée d'Orsay Voted Best Museum
In 2018, the Musée d'Orsay was voted the best museum in the world.
2018: OECD Ranking of Education
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the OECD, ranked France's education as near the OECD average in 2018.
June 28, 2019: Record temperature
On June 28, 2019, France recorded a temperature of 46°C in Vérargues, setting a new national record.
2019: Number of PNRs
As of 2019, there are 54 regional nature parks (PNRs) in France.
2019: Renewable Energy Production Increase
Between 2008 and 2019, France saw a consistent increase in renewable energy production capacity, nearly doubling its output.
2019: 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
France hosted the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
2019: Global Competitiveness Report
France is the 15th most competitive country according to the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report.
2019: Foreign Direct Investment
In 2019, France ranked first in Europe and 13th in the world in foreign direct investment.
2020: Environmental Performance Index Ranking
According to the 2020 Environmental Performance Index, France was the fifth most environmentally conscious country in the world.
2020: Bloomberg Innovation Index
France is among the world's 10 most innovative countries in the 2020 Bloomberg Innovation Index.
2020: Revision of Metropolitan Area Borders
In 2020, INSEE revised metropolitan area borders, considering Nice as separate from the Cannes-Antibes area.
2020: The Ecologists in Mayoral Elections
Since 2020, The Ecologists have performed well in mayoral elections in major cities.
2021: Energy Exporter
In 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe, mostly to the UK and Italy, and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.
2021: Metropolitan Area Population
In 2021, Paris was the largest city in France, with a metropolitan area population of 13,171,056 inhabitants.
2021: Share of Children of Foreign-Born Mothers
In 2021, the share of children of foreign-born mothers in France was 23 percent.
2021: End of Intervention in Mali War
Until 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Mali War.
2022: Elections
In 2022, LREM's opponent in the second round of the presidential elections was the growing far-right party National Rally (RN). Also in 2022, the New Ecological and Social People's Union was the second-largest voting block elected to the lower house, and right-wing populist RN became the largest opposition party in the National Assembly.
2022: Macron re-elected
In 2022, Macron was re-elected. Two months later in the legislative elections, Macron lost his parliamentary majority and had to form a minority government.
2022: Health Care Spending per capita
In 2022, average health care spending per capita was US$8,630, representing 12.1% of GDP.
2022: Migrant Arrivals
In 2022, more than 320,000 migrants came to France, with the majority coming from Africa.
2023: Military Expenditure
France's annual military expenditure in 2023 was US$61.3 billion, or 2.1% of its GDP, making it the eighth biggest military spender in the world.
2023: Fertility Rate
In 2023, the fertility rate in France stood at 1.79 per woman, below the replacement rate.
2024: Protection of Abortion in Constitution
In 2024, France became the first nation in the European Union to explicitly protect abortion in its constitution.
2024: Projected Aging Population
It is projected that by 2024, one in three French people will be over 60 years old.
2024: 2024 Summer Olympics
Paris is scheduled to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
2025: Economic Ranking
As of 2025, France is the world's ninth largest economy by purchasing power parity and second largest in the EU, after Germany.
2025: Tourism
In 2025, France received 102 million foreign visitors, making it the world's leading tourist destination.
2025: Sébastien Lecornu prime minister
In 2025, Sébastien Lecornu became the Prime minister of France.
2025: Lowest Fertility Rate Since WWI
In 2025, the fertility rate in France dropped to 1.56, marking the lowest rate since the end of the first world war.
2025: International Tourist Arrivals
With 102 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, France is the world's top tourist destination.
2026: Population Estimate
In 2026, the total population of France is estimated to be 69.1 million.
2040: Hydropower Expansion
France aims to further expand its hydropower capacity into 2040 as part of its renewable energy strategy.
2044: Population Growth Projection
France is projected to continue growing until 2044 due to immigration trends.
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