France is an independent nation in Western Europe and the center of a large overseas administration. It is the third-largest European nation after Russia and Ukraine. In ancient times France was part of the Celtic territory known as Gaul or Gallia. Its present name is derived from the Latin Francia, meaning "country of the Franks," a Germanic people who conquered the area during the 5th century, at the time of the fall of the Western …showed first 75 words of 947 total…

…showed last 75 words of 947 total…Presidents of the Republic also are members of the Council.The independent judiciary is based on a civil law system which evolved from the Napoleonic code. It is divided into the judicial branch dealing with civil law and criminal law and the administrative branch dealing with appeals against executive decisions, each with their own independent supreme court, the courts of cassation. The French government includes various bodies that check abuses of power and independent agencies.