What is the hidden secret of FRANCE?

You love it or you hate it, everybody has an opinion on France. This country is full of cliché: wine, painting, croissant, tour Eiffel… What can you learn about France today?

The small French country is one of the most biodiverse country in the World!

France is a territory of only 674 843 km2 where the sun never sets. It is spread over four continents (i.e. Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania) and in three oceans (i.e. Antarctic, Indian and Pacific) in sub-boreal, Mediterranean, tropical and equatorial zones.

In Western Europe, “France métropolitaine” is the largest French territory with 543,965 km2. It is located at the crossroads of four of the nine European biogeographical zones (i.e: Alpine, Continental, Atlantic and Mediterranean). It has a very wide range of ecosystems and 40% of the plant species in Europe (the 4th  country of Europe in terms of biodiversity). Mainland France has a part of its territory in the Mediterranean basin which is one of the hotspots of the biodiversity of the World.

By adding naturalized species, subspontaneous species and accidental species to the native species, it is more than 6,000 spp. occurring in mainland France (4,900 spp. are Pteridophytes and Angiosperms). 

The tropical and equatorial zones, the jewels of French biodiversity

Smaller areas of the French territory are distributed in the tropical and equatorial zones. They have 26 times more plants than metropolitan France. Thus, more than 96% of the vascular plants endemic to France occurs on 22% of its territory (i.e. overseas collectivities).

• In South America, French Guyana (83 534 km2) is not one of the 34 hotspots of global biodiversity. Nevertheless, French Guyana is 90% covered by the Amazon forest, which is one of the most threatened tropical forests.
• In Central America, Guadeloupe (1,629 km2) and Martinique (1,128 km2) belong to the Caribbean islands hotspot.
• In Africa (Indian ocean), la Réunion (2,504 km2) is part of the biodiversity hotspot grouping Madagascar and the Indian ocean islands. 
• In Oceania (Pacific Ocean) New Caledonia (18,575 km2) is itself a hotspot of biodiversity with a very high level of endemism. Moreover, Polynesia is also another hotspot of biodiversity.

 All these territories have 16% of the vascular plants of the planet of which 13,000 species are endemic!

Some more? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_hotspot