France vs Germany
France and Germany fought three wars against each other between 1870 and 1945, then spent the following decades building the institutions — coal and steel pooling, then the European Economic Community — that became the foundation of the European Union.
| 🇫🇷 France | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Paris | Berlin |
| Continent | Europe | Europe |
| Population | 64,800,000 | 83,300,000 |
| Area | 551,695 km² | 357,022 km² |
| Currency | Euro | Euro |
| Main language | French | German |
The two countries are close in population — within a factor of two of each other.
That reversal from enemies to the EU's core partnership is usually called the Franco-German motor, and most major EU decisions still get worked out between Paris and Berlin before going to the wider bloc. Economically the two are close in size, but they compete for a similar role: Germany the manufacturing and export powerhouse, France with a broader industrial and agricultural base plus a much larger nuclear-power sector.
Alsace-Lorraine, the border region between them, changed hands four times between 1871 and 1945, which is why the area still carries a distinct blended culture — German-influenced architecture and cuisine inside otherwise thoroughly French towns.