French Africa
| French colonial empire | ||||||||
| Empire colonial français | ||||||||
| French colonial empire | ||||||||
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 French colonial empire
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| Capital | Paris | |||||||
| Political structure | French colonial empire | |||||||
| History | ||||||||
| • | Cartier claimed Gaspé Bay | 1534 | ||||||
| • | Sale of Louisiana | 1803 | ||||||
| • | Conquest of Algeria | 1830–1852 | ||||||
| • | French Union | 1946 | ||||||
| • | French Community | 1958 | ||||||
| • | Independence of Vanuatu | 1980 | ||||||
| Area | ||||||||
| • | 1670 (first colonial empire peak) | 3,400,000 km² (1,312,747 sq mi) | ||||||
| • | 1920 (second colonial empire peak) | 11,500,000 km² (4,440,175 sq mi) | ||||||
| Currency | Franc and various other currencies | |||||||
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Top: Royal Standard of France (before French Revolution)
Botton: Flag of the French Empire
The French colonial empire constituted the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "first colonial empire", that existed until 1814, by which time most of it had been lost, and the "second colonial empire", which began with the conquest of Algiers in 1830. The second empire came to an end after the loss of bitter wars in Vietnam (1955) and Algeria (1962), and peaceful decolonization elsewhere after 1960.
Competing with Spain, Portugal, the United Provinces, and later Britain, France began to establish colonies in North America, the Caribbean, and India in the 17th century. A series of wars with Great Britain and other European major powers during the 18th century and early 19th century resulted in France losing nearly all of its conquests. France rebuilt a new empire mostly after 1850, concentrating chiefly in Africa, as well as Indochina and the South Pacific. Republicans, at first hostile to empire, only became supportive when Germany started to build her own colonial empire. As it developed the new empire took on roles of trade with France, especially supplying raw materials and purchasing manufactured items, as well as lending prestige to the motherland and spreading French civilization and language, and the Catholic religion. It also provided manpower in the World Wars.
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Wikipedia