France and the Benelux Countries Ch. 6 Sec. 2 Pp. 179 - 182

France It is the largest country in western Europe Network of navigable (wide and deep enough for the passage of ships) rivers Good climate for agriculture

France’s Economy Most people work in service industry (banking, commerce, communications, and tourism) They produce more food than any country in western Europe Fertile soil, mild climate, modern farming methods Natural resources and manufacturing

The French People Most trace ancestry to Celts, Romans, and Franks Republic – strong national government headed by elected leaders 75% live in cities Paris has over 10 million residents

The Benelux Countries: Belgium About the size of Maryland Trade and manufacturing center Most are Roman Catholic Flemings in north speak Flemish (like Dutch) Wallons in south speak French Most live in crowded urban areas

The Benelux Countries: the Netherlands Half the size of Maine The people are called the Dutch Build dikes (banks of soil) to create land called polders High technology makes farms so productive that they export food

The Benelux Countries: the Netherlands Most people work in service industries, manufacturing, and trade 90% live in cities 2/3 are Christian Small Muslim minority

The Benelux Countries: Luxembourg One of Europe’s smallest countries Multinational companies (firms that do business in several countries) have headquarters here Multilingual – able to speak several languages 2nd largest steel producer in Europe