The UK vs France

Both the United Kingdom and France are amazing places. They are as similar as they are different. They share a similar population, GDP, and overall popularity. These are the pros about both European countries!

France is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. France borders eight different countries, and three seas. From snow covered mountains to long sandy Mediterranean beaches. Narrow gorges with rushing rivers, ancient forests and marshlands. There are fertile vast plains in the countryside given over to farming. France is an amazing country!

There are four different mountain regions in France. One of them include the Alps. From Switzerland, through Italy, and into France, the Alps are one of the most known mountain ranges in the world. At 15,771 feet high, Mount Blanc is the tallest mountain in the Alps, and in France. The Alpine peaks are covered in snow all year, and make for excellent skiing. Another mountain region includes the Pyrenees. On the border between France and Spain, the Pyrenees mountains roam. The Pyrenees mountains are also a very good place to ski. Now, in between these two mountain ranges are Massif Central. Massif Central holds mountains, volcanoes, and plateaus. The land rises at a height at about 6,500 feet above sea level. There is a flattened region in Massif Central called the Causses. These include many plateaus, caves, and hot springs. The final region includes Vosges and Jura.

On the Atlantic Coast of France, there is the Dune du Pilat. The Dune du Pilat is the tallest sand dune in all of Europe. Just southwest of Bordeaux, these sand dunes are home to many tourists every year.

France is home to many rivers. The largest ones include the Garonne River, the Seine River, The Loire river, and the Rhone River. The longest river in france is the Loire. At 620 miles long, this river rises above Massif Central, and is prone to flooding. The Rhone River is also very popular. This river rises in the Swiss Alps, and empties out into the Mediterranean Sea. The area where the Rhone empties out into the Mediterranean sea is called the Camargue. The marshy delta is home to many protected wildlife. These include, Flamingos, Horses, and Bulls.

The French Riviera is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Europe. The gorgeous Mediterranean coast is home to many small fishing and port cities that turned into huge towns relying on tourists. These include Saint Tropez, Cannes, and Toulon.

France's countryside is given over to farming. Major crops include Wheat, Barley, Corn, Potatoes, and Sugar beet. France is also very active in Grape production and is the world's second largest wine producer after Italy.

Two of the most famous monuments in France include the Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower. Both are in France's capital city of Paris. Notre Dame is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Ile de la Cite, an island on the Seine river. Finally finished in 1345, this landmark took over 200 years to build. Sadly, in 2019 the back of the cathedral was burning a little bit. The cathedral is currently being rebuilt. Notre Dame will be opened to the public in 2024. Disney also made a movie about it: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

Now the Eiffel Tower on the other hand was built a little more than 500 years later. Finished in 1889, this structure took only 2 years to build. The Eiffel Tower was named after Gustave Eiffel who's company designed and built the tower. The Eiffel Tower is the same height as an 81-story building. The Eiffel Tower held the title for the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building was built. Both the Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Paris is one of the most popular an visited cities in the world. Home to over 2 million residents as of 2018, Paris is a very unique and diverse city. The fashion capital is home to many museums, the most popular being the Louvre which is home to the most famous painting in the world, The Mona Lisa. Another famous landmark in paris is the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees. The Seine River runs through Paris and divides the city into the right and left banks. Although tourists flock to the french city, the city is the 2nd most expensive city in the world behind Singapore. Paris is home to five different UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some include the Chateau de Versailles, Provins, and Chateau de Fontainebleau. The main religion in Paris is Roman Catholicism at 61% of Paris' residence sharing this faith. The secondary religion would be Islam at 7%. Just like most of France, French is the most spoken language.

So this wraps up France! I would advise you to visit France if you haven't done already. Click on the links below to see where I got my information.

Dune du Pilat                                                French Riviera                              Crops grown in France  Notre Dame                                                  Eiffel Tower                                   Paris

The United Kingdom, casually known as the UK has 4 countries lying within its borders: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England is the largest, accounting for 84% of the UK's population. The UK only borders one country, Ireland, and four seas: the English Channel, the Irish Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the North Sea. From rolling hills to vast plains. High mountains, green forests, and flowing rivers. The UK is an amazing country!

The Scottish Highlands are the highest mountains in the British Isles. The mountains here are rough, steep, and full of grass. Ben Nevis, in the Scottish Highlands is the tallest mountain in the UK. 10 Mountains in the highlands exceed over 4,000 feet.

Galloway Forest Park in Scotland is the largest forest in the UK. The park was established in 1947, and covers 299 square miles. The park annually receives 800,000 visitors. Mountains and Hills also lie within the park.

The UK is home to many rivers. The largest river is Severn river spanning 220 miles long. Other long rivers include the Thames river, the Trent river, and the Wye river. Passing through London, the Thames river is the most popular.

The UK is home to many beautiful beaches. On of them includes the popular Brighton Beach. Located on the southern coast of England, the pebble beach holds millions of tourists each year.

Stonehenge is a historic monument on the Salisbury Plain in England. It consists of an outer ring of vertical 13 foot sarsen stones topped with horizontal lintel stones. Inside their are a smaller ring of bluestones. These ancient ruins are dedicated to the sun and the summer solstice. Many archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was built in between the years of 3000 BC and 2000 BC during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. Stonehenge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of a striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The original name of the tower was Clock Tower, but then in 2012, the name was changed to Elizabeth tower, named after the Queen. When completed in 1859, this clock was the most accurate striking clock in the world. The tower stands at 316 feet tall. Big Ben is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

London is on of the most known cities in the world. With a population of 9 million, London is the capital and largest city of both England, and the UK. London is home to 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, Westminster Abbey, and the Palace of Westminster. Other landmarks include the London Eye (A Ferris wheel towering above the city), Buckingham Palace (Queen Elizabeth II's main residence), and Tower Bridge (A long bridge crossing the Thames river. London is very diverse, as over 300 different languages are spoken in this megacity. London is also home to many ethnic groups: White: 59.8%, Asian: 20.9%, Black: 15,6%, and Mixed Race: 5%. Similar to Paris, London has may different museums, the most famous being the British Museum. The main religion of London is Christianity at 48.4%. The secondary religion is Islam at 12.4%. The main language is English of course.

So this wraps up the UK! The UK is an amazing place, and you should definitely visit. Click on the links below to see where I got my information.

Scottish Highlands                                     Galloway Forest Park                          Stonehenge

Big Ben                                                          London

Based on what I told you, which country do you choose? Write down in the comments which country you think is better. I hope you like my blog! Au Revoir!

Please vote for more! The four options are: The USA vs Canada, Spain vs Portugal, Austria vs Switzerland, or Malaysia vs Indonesia.