France Fast Facts

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he city of love, baguettes, onions, the Rhine, the river Seine and the largest country in Western Europe - heading to France can be great for

backpacking, a vacation, and volunteering. While teaching is generally what English speaking volunteers do abroad, there are many other projects across the country to get involved with. According to CIA World Factbook figures, in 2004 6.2% of the population was under the poverty line and this shows the variety of social issues that the fifth-richest country in the world has. A patriotic country, with a rich history France runs England close and the chance to be more than just a tourist there gives you a great opportunity to improve your character and take in another experience.

France Fast Facts •

Capital: Paris

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Population: 65,436,552

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Median age: 40.4 years (CIA World Factbook)

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Currency: Euro

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Poverty Level: 6.2%

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Bastille Day, the French National Day, is July 14

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There are around 4,000 museums in France

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French people have the highest female and 3 highest male life expectance in the European Union (eupedia).

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There are over 300 kinds of cheese made in France (eupedia).

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Popular Types of Volunteer Programs in France Community Development: From architecture restoration to creating somewhere for school children to go to enhance their education, there are a number of activities and projects to get involved in across France. This type of program could be anything from a couple of weeks to a number of months.

Education: Teaching English is big news around the globe when it comes to volunteering, and it is no different in France. Positions tend to be mainly in Paris but you can get them around the country too. Often times, accommodation will be provided by the company and programs are usually three months long.

Environment: Saving the planet is always in the news, and this combined with biodiversity and ecology are things they are always looking for volunteers for. Whether it is how the climate change is affecting the Alps or Vineyard ecology in somewhere like Bordeaux, there is availability here. Generally speaking, the programs last a couple of weeks.

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Volunteering Tips: France •

How will volunteering in France help your future? Volunteering has received bad press in recent years because it has been seen as a way for people with money to get ahead on their CV. Helping others will always add a special touch to your resume, but there is much more to it than that. It will be a new life experience, you will learn more about yourself. This isn't a cliche, this is just a fact because everything that you throw yourself into creates a new edge to your character. What is true is that you should only get involved if you really want to do it, to get something out of it and show your social responsibility to larger corporations.

Health and Safety of Volunteers in France: As you would probably imagine, going to France is generally classed as a low risk zone. This means that vaccinations aren't really needed - though you should be up to date with influenza, tetanus-diphtheria and measles, mumps and rubella. It is always advised to take a medical kit, but citizens of countries within the European Union will be covered for emergency medical treatment.

Contributed by Rahul Mistry Rahul is a blogger who works with companies like Eurostar to help people travel to France for holidays and volunteering. Getting a train in Europe helps both your wallet and the environment, so take a look and see the amazing places you can see in France. Follow Rahul on twitter @mistry213.

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