Constituencies for French residents overseas
List of constituencies
Table:
Constituency

Region

Number of countries

Current MP

Photo

Party

Elected in...

First

Canada and United States

2

Roland Lescure

REM

2017

Second

Central America, Caribbean and South America

33

Paula Forteza

REM

2017

Third

Northern Europe (and Greenland)

10

Alexandre Holroyd

REM

2017

Fourth

Benelux

3

Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade

REM

2017

Fifth

Andorra, Monaco, Portugal and Spain

4

Samantha Cazebonne

REM

2017

Sixth

Liechtenstein and Switzerland

2

Joachim Son-Forget

DIV

2017

Seventh

Central and Eastern Europe

16

Frédéric Petit

MoDem

2017

Eighth

Southern Europe, Israel (and the Palestinian territories) and Turkey

8

Meyer Habib

UDI

2013

Ninth

North-west Africa

16

M'jid El Guerrab

DIV

2017

Tenth

Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, much of the Middle East

48

Amal Amélia Lakrafi

REM

2017

Eleventh

Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Oceania, most of Asia

49

Anne Genetet

REM

2017

Considering the following table plus the supporting text provided.

Provide an answer to this question: What is the party of the current MP who was born on 17 May 1987 ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

The First constituency for French residents overseas ( première circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies representing French citizens living abroad . It was created by the 2010 redistricting of French legislative constituencies and elects , since 2012 , one representative to the French National Assembly . It represents all French citizens living in Canada and the United States . It is the most populous constituency of its kind , containing as of 1 January 2011 186,462 registered French voters .
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America . Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean , covering 9.98 million square kilometres ( 3.85 million square miles ) , making it the world 's second-largest country by total area . Its southern border with the United States , stretching some 8,891 kilometres ( 5,525 mi ) , is the world 's longest bi-national land border . Canada 's capital is Ottawa , and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver . As a whole , Canada is sparsely populated , with most of its land area dominated by forest and tundra . Its population is highly urbanized , with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities , and 70 percent residing within 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) of the southern border . Canada 's climate varies widely across its vast area , ranging from Arctic climate in the north to hot summers in the southern regions , with four distinct seasons . Various indigenous peoples inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years before European colonization . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast . As a consequence of various armed conflicts , France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 . In 1867 , with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation , Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces . This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Roland Lescure is a French politician , who was elected to the National Assembly of France in the 2017 French legislative election . He represents the First constituency for French residents overseas ( Canada and the United States ) as a member of La République En Marche ! . He is also the president of the French Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs . Lescure was born and raised in Paris . His father was a journalist for L'Humanité , while his mother was a trade unionist for the Paris Transport Authority . He studied at the École Polytechnique and the London School of Economics , and worked as a money manager in France before moving to Montreal , Quebec to take a job as chief investment officer of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec .
La République En Marche ! [ a ] ( frequently abbreviated REM , LRM or LREM , officially LaREM ; possible translation : The Republic that works ! ) , sometimes called En Marche ! ( French : [ ɑ̃ maʁʃ ] ; English translation : Forward ! , Onward ! , Working ! or On The Move ! ) , is a centrist and liberal political party in France . It was founded on 6 April 2016 by Emmanuel Macron , a former Minister of Economy , Industry and Digital Affairs , who was later elected President of the French Republic in the 2017 election with 66.1% of the second-round vote . Macron considers La République En Marche ! to be a progressive movement , uniting both the left and the right . The party ran candidates in the 2017 legislative elections including dissidents from the Socialist Party ( PS ) , The Republicans ( LR ) , as well as minor parties . It won an absolute majority in the National Assembly , securing 308 seats . Its ally , the Democratic Movement ( MoDem ) , secured 42 .
Legislative elections were held on 11 and 18 June 2017 ( with different dates for voters overseas ) to elect the 577 members of the 15th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic . They followed the two-round presidential election won by Emmanuel Macron . The centrist party he founded in 2016 , La République En Marche ! ( LREM ) , led an alliance with the centrist Democratic Movement ( MoDem ) ; together , the two parties won 350 of the 577 seats - a substantial majority - in the National Assembly , including an outright majority of 308 seats for LREM . The Socialist Party ( PS ) was reduced to 30 seats and the Republicans ( LR ) reduced to 112 seats , and both parties ' allies also suffered from a marked drop in support ; these were the lowest-ever scores for the centre-left and centre-right in the legislative elections . The movement founded by Jean-Luc Mélenchon , la France Insoumise ( FI ) , secured 17 seats , enough for a group in the National Assembly . Among other major parties , the French Communist Party ( PCF ) secured ten and the National Front ( FN ) obtained eight seats . Both rounds of the legislative election were marked by record low turnout . Édouard Philippe , appointed as Prime Minister by Macron following his victory in the presidential election , was reappointed following the second round of the legislative elections and presented his second government by 21 June . The 15th legislature of the French Fifth Republic commenced on 27 June .
The Second constituency for French residents overseas ( deuxième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Central America ( Spanish : América Central , pronounced [ aˌmeɾika senˈtɾal ] ( listen ) , Centroamérica pronounced [ sentɾoaˈmeɾika ] ( listen ) ) is a region found in the southern tip of North America and is sometimes defined as a subcontinent of the Americas . This region is bordered by Mexico to the north , Colombia to the southeast , the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south . Central America consists of seven countries : Belize , Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua and Panama . The combined population of Central America is estimated at 44.53 million ( 2016 ) . Central America is a part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot , which extends from northern Guatemala to central Panama . Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc , there is a great deal of seismic activity in the region , such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes , which has resulted in death , injury and property damage . In the Pre-Columbian era , Central America was inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to the north and west and the Isthmo-Colombian peoples to the south and east . Following the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus ' voyages to the Americas , Spain began to colonize the Americas . From 1609 to 1821 , the majority of Central American territories ( except for what would become Belize and Panama , and including the modern Mexican state of Chiapas ) were governed by the viceroyalty of New Spain from Mexico City as the Captaincy General of Guatemala . On 24 August 1821 , Spanish Viceroy Juan de ODonojú signed the Treaty of Córdoba , which established New Spain 's independence from Spain . On 15 September 1821 , the Act of Independence of Central America was enacted to announce Central America 's separation from the Spanish Empire and provide for the establishment of a new Central American state . Some of New Spain 's provinces in the Central American region ( i.e .
The Caribbean ( /ˌkærɪˈbiːən , kəˈrɪbiən/ , locally /ˈkærɪbiæn/ ) ( Spanish : El Caribe ; French : la Caraïbe ; Haitian Creole : Karayib ; Dutch : De Caraïben ; Caribbean Hindustani : कैरेबियन / کیریبین ; Chinese : 加勒比 ) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea , its islands ( some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean ) and the surrounding coasts . The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland , east of Central America , and north of South America . Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate , the region has more than 700 islands , islets , reefs and cays ( see the list of Caribbean islands ) . Island arcs delineate the eastern and northern edges of the Caribbean Sea : The Greater Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago on the north and the Lesser Antilles and the on the south and east ( which includes the Leeward Antilles ) . The Lucayan Archipelago ( the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands ) , do not border the Caribbean Sea , but are still within the boundaries of the Caribbean region . On the mainland , Belize , Nicaragua , the Caribbean region of Colombia , Cozumel , the Yucatán Peninsula , Margarita Island , and the Guyanas ( Guyana , Suriname , French Guiana , Guayana Region in Venezuela , and Amapá in Brazil ) are often included due to their political and cultural ties with the region . Geopolitically , the islands of the Caribbean ( the West Indies ) are often regarded as a region of North America , though sometimes they are included in Central America or left as a region of their own . and are organized into 30 territories including sovereign states , overseas departments , and dependencies . From December 15 , 1954 , to October 10 , 2010 , there was a country known as the Netherlands Antilles composed of five states , all of which were Dutch dependencies . From January 3 , 1958 , to May 31 , 1962 , there was also a short-lived political union called the West Indies Federation composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories , all of which were then British dependencies . The West Indies cricket team continues to represent many of those nations .
South America is a continent in the Western Hemisphere , mostly in the Southern Hemisphere , with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere . It may also be considered a subcontinent of the Americas , which is how it is viewed in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions of the Americas where Dutch and English are spoken officially . The reference to South America instead of other regions ( like Latin America or the Southern Cone ) has increased in the last decades due to changing geopolitical dynamics ( in particular , the rise of Brazil ) . [ additional citation ( s ) needed ] It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean ; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest . It includes twelve sovereign states ( Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Colombia , Ecuador , Guyana , Paraguay , Peru , Suriname , Uruguay , and Venezuela ) , a part of France ( French Guiana ) , and a non-sovereign area ( the Falkland Islands , a British Overseas Territory though this is disputed by Argentina ) . In addition to this , the ABC islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , Trinidad and Tobago , and Panama may also be considered part of South America . South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers ( 6,890,000 sq mi ) . Its population as of 2018 [ update ] has been estimated at more than 423 million . South America ranks fourth in area ( after Asia , Africa , and North America ) and fifth in population ( after Asia , Africa , Europe , and North America ) . Brazil is by far the most populous South American country , with more than half of the continent 's population , followed by Colombia , Argentina , Venezuela and Peru . In recent decades Brazil has also concentrated half of the region 's GDP and has become a first regional power . Most of the population lives near the continent 's western or eastern coasts while the interior and the far south are sparsely populated .
Paula Forteza ( born 8 August 1986 ) is a French politician , who was elected to the National Assembly of France in the 2017 French legislative election . She represents the Second constituency for French residents overseas ( Latin America and the Caribbean ) as a member of La République En Marche !
The Third constituency for French residents overseas ( French : troisième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies , each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Northern Europe is the geographical region in Europe roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea , which is about 54°N . Narrower definitions may be based on other geographical factors such as climate and ecology . It is specifically not kaliningrad . A broader definition would include the area north of the Alps . Countries which are central-western ( such as Belgium and Switzerland ) , central ( such as Austria ) or central-eastern ( such as Hungary and Poland ) are not usually considered part of either Northern or Southern Europe . Historically , when Europe was dominated by the Roman Empire , everything not near the Mediterranean region was termed Northern European [ citation needed ] , including southern Germany , all of the Low Countries , and Austria . This meaning is still used today in some contexts , for example , discussions of the Northern Renaissance .
Greenland ( Greenlandic : Kalaallit Nunaat , pronounced [ kalaːɬit nunaːt ] ; Danish : Grønland , pronounced [ ˈkʁɶnˌlænˀ ] ) is the world 's largest island , [ d ] located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans , east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark . Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America , Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe ( specifically Norway and Denmark , the colonial powers , as well as the nearby island of Iceland ) for more than a millennium . The majority of its residents are Inuit , whose ancestors migrated from Alaska through Northern Canada , gradually settling across the island by the 13th century . Nowadays , the population is largely concentrated on the southwest coast , while the rest of the island is sparsely populated . Greenland is divided into five municipalities - Sermersooq , Kujalleq , Qeqertalik , Qeqqata , and Avannaata . It has two unincorporated areas - the Northeast Greenland National Park and the Thule Air Base . The last one , even if under Danish control , is administered by the United States Air Force . Three-quarters of Greenland is covered by the only permanent ice sheet outside Antarctica . With a population of about 56,480 ( 2013 ) , it is the least densely populated territory in the world . About a third of the population lives in Nuuk , the capital and largest city . The Arctic Umiaq Line ferry acts as a lifeline for western Greenland , connecting the various cities and settlements .
Alexandre Holroyd ( born 17 May 1987 ) is a Swiss-born French-British politician . Holroyd was the candidate of La République En Marche ! at the 2017 legislative elections for the third constituency for French residents overseas . He won the second round against former Hollande minister Axelle Lemaire on 18 June 2017 .
The Fourth constituency for French residents overseas ( quatrième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
The Benelux Union ( Dutch : Benelux Unie ; French : Union Benelux ; Luxembourgish : Benelux-Unioun ) , also known as simply Benelux , is a politico-economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe : Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The name Benelux is a portmanteau formed from joining the first few letters of each country 's name - Belgium , Netherlands , Luxembourg - and was first used to name the customs agreement that initiated the union ( signed in 1944 ) . It is now used more generally to refer to the geographic , economic , and cultural grouping of the three countries . Since 1944 , when a customs union was introduced , cooperation among the governments of Belgium , the Netherlands , and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been a firmly established practice . The initial form of economic cooperation expanded steadily over time , leading in 1958 to the signing of the Treaty establishing the Benelux Economic Union . Initially , the purpose of cooperation among the three partners was to put an end to customs barriers at their borders and ensure free movement of persons , goods and services among the three countries . It was the first example of international economic integration in Europe since the Second World War . The three countries therefore foreshadowed and provided the model for future European integration , such as the European Coal and Steel Community , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , and the European Community/European Union ( EC/EU ) . The three partners continue to play this pioneering role . They also launched the Schengen process , which came into operation in 1985 , promoting it from the outset . Benelux cooperation has been constantly adapted and now goes much further than mere economic cooperation , extending to new and topical policy areas connected with security , sustainable development , and the economy . Benelux models its cooperation on that of the European Union and is able to take up and pursue original ideas .
Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade ( born 2 November 1986 in Paris ) is a French politician . Since 19 June 2017 , he serves as the member of the National Assembly for the 4th district of French people living abroad , which includes Benelux .
The Fifth constituency for French residents overseas ( cinquième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly . This constituency elected its first ever representative at the 2012 French legislative election - Arnaud Leroy of the Socialist Party . The election of Samantha Cazebonne of REM in 2017 was invalidated by the Constitutional Council . Cazebonne was elected at the subsequent by-election .
Andorra ( /ænˈdɔːrə/ ( listen ) , also UK : /ænˈdɒrə/ ; Catalan : [ ənˈdorə ] ) , officially the Principality of Andorra ( Catalan : Principat d'Andorra ) , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra ( Catalan : Principat de les Valls d'Andorra ) , is a sovereign landlocked microstate on the Iberian Peninsula , in the eastern Pyrenees , bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south . Believed to have been created by Charlemagne , Andorra was ruled by the count of Urgell until 988 , when it was transferred to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell . The present principality was formed by a charter in 1278 . It is known as a principality as it is a diarchy headed by two princes : the Catholic bishop of Urgell in Catalonia , Spain , and the president of the French Republic . Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe , having an area of 468 square kilometres ( 181 sq mi ) and a population of approximately 77,006 . The Andorran people are a Romance ethnic group of originally Catalan descent . Andorra is the 16th-smallest country in the world by land and the 11th-smallest by population . Its capital , Andorra la Vella , is the highest capital city in Europe , at an elevation of 1,023 metres ( 3,356 feet ) above sea level . The official language is Catalan , but Spanish , Portuguese , and French are also commonly spoken . Tourism in Andorra sees an estimated 10.2 million visitors annually . Andorra is not a member of the European Union , but the euro is its official currency . It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993 .
Monaco ( /ˈmɒnəkoʊ/ ( listen ) ; French pronunciation : ​ [ mɔnako ] ) , officially the Principality of Monaco ( French : Principauté de Monaco ) , [ a ] is a sovereign city-state , country , and microstate on the French Riviera in Western Europe . France borders the country on three sides while the other side borders the Mediterranean Sea . Monaco is about 15 km ( 9.3 mi ) from the state border with Italy . Monaco has an area of 2.02 km2 ( 0.78 sq mi ) , making it the second-smallest country in the world after the Vatican . Its population as of 2018 is 38,682 . With 19,009 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 49,230/sq mi ) , it is the most densely-populated sovereign state in the world . Monaco has a land border of 5.47 km ( 3.40 mi ) , the world 's shortest coastline of approximately 3.83 km ( 2.38 mi ) ( regardless of the coastline paradox ) , and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m ( 5,577 and 1,145 ft ) . The highest point in the country is a narrow pathway named Chemin des Révoires on the slopes of Mont Agel , in the Les Révoires Ward , which is 161 metres ( 528 feet ) above sea level . Monaco 's most populous Quartier is Monte Carlo and the most populous Ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins . Through land reclamation , Monaco 's land mass has expanded by 20 percent . In 2005 , it had an area of only 1.974 km2 ( 0.762 sq mi ) . Monaco is known to be the most expensive and the wealthiest place in the world due to its tax laws .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Samantha Cazebonne is a French politician . She is the member of the National Assembly for the fifth constituency for French residents overseas , which includes Spain , Portugal , Monaco and Andorra .
The Sixth constituency for French residents overseas ( sixième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Liechtenstein ( /ˈlɪktənstaɪn/ ( listen ) LIK-tən-styne ; German : [ ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn ] ) , officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( German : Fürstentum Liechtenstein ) , is a German-speaking microstate situated in the Alps and in the southwest of Central Europe . The principality is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein ; the Prince 's extensive powers are equivalent to those of a President in a semi-presidential system . Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north . It is Europe 's fourth-smallest country , with an area of just over 160 square kilometres ( 62 square miles ) and a population of 38,557 . Divided into 11 municipalities , its capital is Vaduz , and its largest municipality is Schaan . It is also the smallest country to border two countries . Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world . Economically , Liechtenstein has one of the highest gross domestic products per person in the world when adjusted for purchasing power parity . It was once known as a billionaire tax haven , but is no longer on any blacklists of uncooperative tax haven countries . An Alpine country , Liechtenstein is mountainous , making it a winter sport destination . The country has a strong financial sector centered in Vaduz . Liechtenstein is a member of the United Nations , the European Free Trade Association , and the Council of Europe , and although not a member of the European Union , it participates in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area .
Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a country situated in the confluence of western , central , and southern Europe . [ note 4 ] It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities seated in Bern . [ note 1 ] Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps , and the Jura , spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 ( 15,940 sq mi ) , and land area of 39,997 km2 ( 15,443 sq mi ) . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau , where the largest cities are located , among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva . The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period , resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy . Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 . The Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the founding document of Switzerland which is celebrated on Swiss National Day . Since the Reformation of the 16th century , Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality ; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002 . Nevertheless , it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world . Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross , one of the world 's oldest and best known humanitarian organisations , and is home to numerous international organisations , including the second largest UN office . It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association , but notably not part of the European Union , the European Economic Area or the Eurozone .
Joachim Jean-Marie Forget , also known as Joachim Son-Forget ( French pronunciation : ​ [ ʒɔ.a.kim sɔn fɔʁ.ʒɛ ] ; born 15 April 1983 ) is a South Korean-born , French politician and professional radiologist . Since 2017 , he has been a member of the French National Assembly ( lower house of the French Parliament ) representing French residents overseas . He works part-time as a radiologist in Switzerland . He has held Kosovar citizenship since 2018 . Adopted by a French family as a child , and holder of a doctorate in cognitive neuroscience , Son-Forget was previously active within the French Socialist Party and later La République En Marche ( LaREM ) until he resigned from the party in late 2018 . He has since founded his own political party , Je suis français et européen ( JSFee ) .
An independent or nonpartisan politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party . There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent .
The Seventh constituency for French residents overseas ( septième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Central Europe is the region comprising the central part of Europe . Central Europe occupies continuous territories that are otherwise sometimes considered parts of Western Europe , Southern Europe , and Eastern Europe . The concept of Central Europe is based on a common historical , social , and cultural identity . [ a ] Central Europe is going through a strategic awakening , with initiatives such as the Central European Initiative ( CEI ) , Centrope , and the Visegrád Four Group . While the region 's economies shows considerable disparities of income , all the Central European countries are listed by the Human Development Index as very highly developed .
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of the European continent . There is no consistent definition of the precise area it covers , partly because the term has a wide range of geopolitical , geographical , cultural , and socioeconomic connotations . There are almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region . A related United Nations paper adds that every assessment of spatial identities is essentially a social and cultural construct . One definition describes Eastern Europe as a cultural entity : the region lying in Europe with the main characteristics consisting of Greek , Byzantine , Eastern Orthodox , Russian , and some Ottoman cultural influences . Another definition was created during the Cold War and used more or less synonymously with the term Eastern Bloc . A similar definition names the formerly communist European states outside the Soviet Union as Eastern Europe . Most historians and social scientists view such definitions as outdated or relegated , but they are still sometimes used for statistical purposes .
Frédéric Petit is a French politician belonging to the Democratic Movement . Since 19 June 2017 , he serves as a member of the National Assembly , where he represents the Seventh constituency for French residents overseas , which consists of Central Europe and the Balkans .
The Democratic Movement ( French : Mouvement démocrate French pronunciation : ​ [ muv.mɑ̃ de.mɔ.kʁat ] ; MoDem French : [ mɔ.dɛm ] ) is a centrist political party in France that is characterised by a strong pro-European stance . MoDem was founded by François Bayrou to succeed the Union for French Democracy ( UDF ) and contest the 2007 legislative election , after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential election . Initially named the Democratic Party ( Parti démocrate ) , the party was renamed Democratic Movement , because there was already a small Democratic Party in France . MoDem secured an agreement with En Marche ! in the 2017 legislative election after Bayrou endorsed the candidacy of Emmanuel Macron in February . In June 2017 , the MoDem and its MEPs were accused of potentially fictitious employment practices within the European Parliament . Bayrou resigned on 21 June from his post as Justice Minister soon after he became embroiled in the fictitious employment scandals , and allegations of harassment against a journalist reporting on the scandal . [ citation needed ]
The Eighth constituency for French residents overseas ( huitième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly . This constituency elected its first ever representative at the 2012 French legislative election .
Southern Europe is the southern region of the European continent . Most definitions of Southern Europe , also known as Mediterranean Europe , include Italy , Malta , Greece , Croatia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Montenegro , Albania , Slovenia , Spain , East Thrace of European Turkey and Cyprus . Also often included despite not having a coast in the Mediterranean are Portugal , Serbia , North Macedonia , Andorra , San Marino and Vatican City . Some definitions may also include Southern France ( Corsica , Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ) and Monaco , which are otherwise considered parts of Western Europe , and Bulgaria , which is otherwise considered part of Eastern Europe . Different methods can be used to define Southern Europe , including its political , economic , and cultural attributes . Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features - its geography , climate , and flora . Politically , seven of the Southern European states form the EU Med group .
Israel , formally known as the State of Israel ( Hebrew : מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל ) , is a country in Western Asia , located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea . It has land borders with Lebanon to the north , Syria to the northeast , Jordan on the east , the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the east and west , respectively , and Egypt to the southwest . The country contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area . Israel 's economic and technological center is Tel Aviv , while its seat of government and proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , although the state 's sovereignty over Jerusalem has only partial recognition . [ fn 4 ] Israel has evidence of the earliest migration of hominids out of Africa . Canaanite tribes are archaeologically attested since the Middle Bronze Age , while the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah emerged during the Iron Age . The Neo-Assyrian Empire destroyed Israel around 720 BCE . Judah was later conquered by the Babylonian , Persian and Hellenistic empires and had existed as Jewish autonomous provinces . The successful Maccabean Revolt led to an independent Hasmonean kingdom by 110 BCE , which in 63 BCE however became a client state of the Roman Republic that subsequently installed the Herodian dynasty in 37 BCE , and in 6 CE created the Roman province of Judea . Judea lasted as a Roman province until the failed Jewish revolts resulted in widespread destruction , the expulsion of the Jewish population and the renaming of the region from Iudaea to Syria Palaestina . Jewish presence in the region has persisted to a certain extent over the centuries . In the 7th century CE , the Levant was taken from the Byzantine Empire by the Arabs and remained in Muslim control until the First Crusade of 1099 , followed by the Ayyubid conquest of 1187 .
The term Palestinian territories has been used for many years to describe the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 , namely the West Bank ( including East Jerusalem ) and the Gaza Strip . More recently , the official United Nations ( UN ) terminology has been used , occupied Palestinian territory ( OPT or oPt ) increasingly replacing other terms since 1999 . The European Union ( EU ) also has adopted this usage . The term Occupied Palestinian Territory was used by the UN and other international organizations between October 1999 and December 2012 to refer to areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority . The EU had utilized a parallel term Palestinian Authority territories occasionally during the same period . The International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) referred to the West Bank , including East Jerusalem , as the Occupied Palestinian Territory and this term was used as the legal definition by the ICJ in the ruling in July 2004 . The West Bank and Gaza Strip had been ruled by Jordan and Egypt , respectively , since the 1948 war until 1967 . Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the Six-Day War of 1967 and has since maintained control . In 1980 , Israel officially absorbed East Jerusalem and has proclaimed the whole of Jerusalem to be its capital . The inclusion , though never formally amounting to legal annexation , was condemned internationally and declared null and void by the United Nations Security Council . The Palestinian National Authority , the United Nations , the international legal and humanitarian bodies and the international community regard East Jerusalem as part of the West Bank , and consequently a part of the Palestinian territories . The Palestinian National Authority never exercised sovereignty over the area , although it housed its offices in Orient House and several other buildings as an assertion of its sovereign interests .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .
Meyer Habib is a French-Israeli politician representing the Union of Democrats and Independents . He was re-elected to the French National Assembly on 18 June 2017 , representing the eighth constituency for French residents overseas . Shortly after his re-election , Habib criticized the French media for bashing his long-standing friendship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . `
The Union of Democrats and Independents ( French : Union des démocrates et indépendants , UDI ) is a centrist , liberal political party in France founded on 18 September 2012 on the basis of the parliamentary group of the same name in the National Assembly . The party was composed of separate political parties who retained their independence . As most of them have been expelled or have left , the Democratic European Force is the last founding party to participate in the UDI . The party 's current president is Jean-Christophe Lagarde , who was elected at the congress of the party on 15 November 2014 , after the resignation of Jean-Louis Borloo on 6 April 2014 for health reasons .
The Ninth constituency for French residents overseas ( neuvième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
The Maghreb ( /ˈmʌɡrəb/ ; Arabic : المغرب al-Maghrib , the west ) , also known as Northwest Africa , the Arab Maghreb ( المغرب العربي al-Maghrib al-ʻArabī ) , and Barbary , is a region of North Africa that is effectively a western part of the Arab world and is predominantly Muslim . The region includes Algeria , Libya , Mauritania , Morocco , and Tunisia , which are all member states of the Arab Maghreb Union ( AMU ) . The Maghreb additionally includes the disputed territories of Western Sahara ( controlled mostly by Morocco and partly by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ) and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla ( both are controlled by Spain but claimed by Morocco ) . As of 2018 , the region had a population of over 100 million people . Through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries , English and European sources often referred to the region as the Barbary Coast or the Barbary States , a term derived from the Berbers . Sometimes , the region is referred to as the Land of the Atlas , derived from the Atlas Mountains found in the region . In Berber languages , Tamazgha refers to the Maghreb region together with smaller parts of Mali , Niger , Egypt , and the Spanish Canary Islands - the lands traditionally inhabited by Arab-Berbers . The Maghreb is usually defined as much of northern Africa , including a large portion of Africa 's Sahara Desert , but excludes Egypt and Sudan , which are considered to be in the Mashriq , the eastern part of the Arab world . The traditional definition of the Maghreb , which restricted it to the Atlas Mountains and the coastal plains of Morocco , Algeria , Tunisia , and Libya , was expanded by the inclusion of Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara . During the era of Al-Andalus in the Iberian Peninsula ( 711-1492 ) , the Maghreb 's inhabitants , the Muslim Berbers or Maghrebi , were known by Europeans as Moors , or as Afariqah ( Roman Africans ) . [ need quotation to verify ] Morocco transliterates into Arabic as al-Maghreb ( The Maghreb ) . Before the establishment of modern nation states in the region during the 20th century , Maghreb most commonly referred to a smaller area , between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlas Mountains in the south .
M'jid El Guerrab ( born April 25 , 1983 ) is a French politician . Since 19 June 2017 , he serves as the member of the National Assembly for the 9th district of French people living abroad , which includes the Maghreb and part of West Africa .
The Tenth constituency for French residents overseas ( dixième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Central Africa is a region of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions . Angola , Burundi , Cameroon , the Central African Republic , Chad , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , Rwanda , and São Tomé and Príncipe are members of the Economic Community of Central African States ( ECCAS ) . Six of those states ( Cameroon , the Central African Republic , Chad , the Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea , and Gabon ) are also members of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa ( CEMAC ) and share a common currency , the Central African CFA franc . The African Development Bank defines Central Africa as Cameroon , the Central African Republic , Chad , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea , and Gabon . Middle Africa is an analogous term used by the United Nations in its geoscheme for Africa . It includes the same countries as the African Development Bank 's definition , along with Angola , and São Tomé and Príncipe .
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the eastern region of the African continent , variably defined by geography . In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions , 20 territories make up Eastern Africa :
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent , variably defined by geography or geopolitics , and including several countries . The term southern Africa or Southern Africa , generally includes Angola , Botswana , Eswatini ( also known as Swaziland ) , Lesotho , Malawi , Mozambique , Namibia , South Africa , Zambia , and Zimbabwe , though Angola may be included in Central Africa and Malawi , Mozambique , Zambia and Zimbabwe in East Africa . From a political perspective the region is said to be unipolar with South Africa as a first regional power .
The Middle East is a transcontinental region which includes Western Asia ( although generally excluding the Caucasus ) and all of Egypt ( which is mostly in North Africa ) . The term has come into wider usage as a replacement of the term Near East ( as opposed to the Far East ) beginning in the early 20th century . The broader concept of the Greater Middle East ( or Middle East and North Africa ) also adds the Maghreb , Sudan , Djibouti , Somalia , Afghanistan , Pakistan , and sometimes even Central Asia and Transcaucasia into the region . The term Middle East has led to some confusion over its changing definitions . Most Middle Eastern countries ( 13 out of 18 ) are part of the Arab world . The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times , with the geopolitical importance of the region being recognized for millennia . Several major religions have their origins in the Middle East , including Judaism , Christianity , and Islam . Arabs constitute the majority ethnic group in the region , followed by Turks , Persians , Kurds , Azeris , Copts , Jews , Assyrians , Iraqi Turkmen , and Greek Cypriots . The Middle East generally has a hot , arid climate , with several major rivers providing irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas such as the Nile Delta in Egypt , the Tigris and Euphrates watersheds of Mesopotamia ( Iraq , Kuwait , and eastern Syria ) , and most of what is known as the Fertile Crescent . The most populous countries in the region are Egypt , Iran , and Turkey , while Saudi Arabia is the largest Middle Eastern country by area . Most of the countries that border the Persian Gulf have vast reserves of crude oil , with monarchs of the Arabian Peninsula in particular benefiting economically from petroleum exports .
Amal Amélia Lakrafi is a French politician . Since 19 June 2017 , she has been serving as member of the National Assembly for the 10th district of French people living abroad , which includes Africa and the Middle East .
The Eleventh constituency for French residents overseas ( onzième circonscription des Français établis hors de France ) is one of eleven constituencies each electing one representative of French citizens overseas to the French National Assembly .
Belarus ( /bɛləˈruːs/ ; Belarusian : Беларусь , IPA : [ bʲɛlaˈrusʲ ] ) , officially the Republic of Belarus ( Belarusian : Рэспубліка Беларусь , Russian : Республика Беларусь ) , formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia ( Russian : Белоруссия ) , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the northeast , Ukraine to the south , Poland to the west , and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest . Its capital and most populous city is Minsk . Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometres ( 80,200 sq mi ) is forested . Its major economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing . Until the 20th century , different states at various times controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus , including the Principality of Polotsk ( 11th to 14th centuries ) , the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , and the Russian Empire . In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution , Belarus declared independence as the Belarusian People 's Republic , which was conquered by Soviet Russia . The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922 and was renamed as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Byelorussian SSR ) . Belarus lost almost half of its territory to Poland after the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921 . Much of the borders of Belarus took their modern shape in 1939 , when some lands of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland , and were finalized after World War II . During WWII , military operations devastated Belarus , which lost about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources . The republic was redeveloped in the post-war years . In 1945 the Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the United Nations , along with the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR .
Ukraine ( Ukrainian : Україна , romanized : Ukrayina , pronounced [ ʊkrɐˈjinɐ ] ( listen ) ) is a country in Eastern Europe . It is bordered by Russia to the north-east ; Belarus to the north ; Poland , Slovakia and Hungary to the west ; and Romania , Moldova , and the Black Sea to the south . Ukraine is currently in a territorial dispute with Russia over the Crimean Peninsula , which Russia annexed in 2014 . Including Crimea , Ukraine has an area of 603,628 km2 ( 233,062 sq mi ) , making it both the largest country entirely within Europe and the 46th largest country in the world . Excluding Crimea , Ukraine has a population of about 42 million , making it the 32nd most populous country in the world . Its capital and largest city is Kiev . Ukrainian is the official language and its alphabet is Cyrillic . The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodoxy . The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC . During the Middle Ages , the area was a key centre of East Slavic culture , with the powerful state of Kievan Rus ' forming the basis of Ukrainian identity . Following its fragmentation in the 13th century , the territory was contested , ruled and divided by a variety of powers , including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , Austria-Hungary , the Ottoman Empire and Russia . A Cossack republic emerged and prospered during the 17th and 18th centuries , but its territory was eventually split between Poland and the Russian Empire .
Russia ( Russian : Росси́я , tr . Rossiya , IPA : [ rɐˈsʲijə ] ) , or the Russian Federation , [ e ] is a European country located in Eastern Europe with a vast expanse of territory that stretches across Northern Asia . At 17,125,200 square kilometres ( 6,612,100 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest country in the world by area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , spanning eleven time zones , and bordering 16 sovereign nations . The territory of Russia extends from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east , and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south . With 146.7 million inhabitants living in the country 's 85 federal subjects as of 2020 , Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous nation in the world . Russia 's capital and largest city is Moscow ; other major urban areas include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod , Kazan and Chelyabinsk . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states , until it was finally reunified by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 15th century . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR/Soviet Union ) , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state .
Moldova ( /mɒlˈdoʊvə/ ( listen ) , sometimes UK : /ˈmɒldəvə/ ) , officially the Republic of Moldova ( Romanian : Republica Moldova ) , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe , bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north , east , and south . The capital city is Chișinău . Most of the Moldovan territory was a part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812 , when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire ( to which Moldavia was a vassal state ) and became known as Bessarabia . In 1856 , southern Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia , which three years later united with Wallachia to form Romania , but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878 . During the 1917 Russian Revolution , Bessarabia briefly became an autonomous state within the Russian Republic , known as the Moldavian Democratic Republic . In February 1918 , the Moldavian Democratic Republic declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly . The decision was disputed by Soviet Russia , which in 1924 established , within the Ukrainian SSR , a Moldavian autonomous republic ( MASSR ) on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia . In 1940 , as a consequence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact , Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia to the Soviet Union , leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldavian SSR ) , which included the greater part of Bessarabia and the westernmost strip of the former MASSR ( east of the Dniester River ) . On 27 August 1991 , as the dissolution of the Soviet Union was underway , the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova . The constitution of Moldova was adopted in 1994 . The strip of the Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990 . Due to a decrease in industrial and agricultural output following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the service sector has grown to dominate Moldova 's economy and is over 60% of the nation 's GDP .
Oceania ( UK : /ˌoʊsiˈɑːniə , ˌoʊʃi- , -ˈeɪn-/ , US : /ˌoʊʃiˈæniə/ ( listen ) , /-ˈɑːn-/ ) is a geographic region that includes Australasia , Melanesia , Micronesia and Polynesia . Spanning the eastern and western hemispheres , Oceania has a land area of 8,525,989 square kilometres ( 3,291,903 sq mi ) and a population of 42 million . Situated in the southeast of the Asia-Pacific region , Oceania , when compared to continental regions , is the smallest in land area and the second smallest in population after Antarctica . Oceania has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial markets of Australia and New Zealand , which rank high in quality of life and human development index , to the much less developed economies that belong to countries such as Kiribati and Tuvalu , while also including medium-sized economies of Pacific islands such as Palau , Fiji and Tonga . The largest and most populous country in Oceania is Australia , with Sydney being the largest city of both Oceania and Australia . The first settlers of Australia , New Guinea , and the large islands just to the east arrived more than 60,000 years ago . [ citation needed ] Oceania was first explored by Europeans from the 16th century onward . Portuguese navigators , between 1512 and 1526 , reached the Tanimbar Islands , some of the Caroline Islands and west Papua New Guinea . On his first voyage in the 18th century , James Cook , who later arrived at the highly developed Hawaiian Islands , went to Tahiti and followed the east coast of Australia for the first time . The Pacific front saw major action during the Second World War , mainly between Allied powers the United States and Australia , and Axis power Japan . The arrival of European settlers in subsequent centuries resulted in a significant alteration in the social and political landscape of Oceania . In more contemporary times there has been increasing discussion on national flags and a desire by some Oceanians to display their distinguishable and individualistic identity .
Asia ( /ˈeɪʒə , ˈeɪʃə/ ( listen ) ) is Earth 's largest and most populous continent , located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres . It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa . Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres ( 17,212,000 sq mi ) , about 30% of Earth 's total land area and 8.7% of the Earth 's total surface area . The continent , which has long been home to the majority of the human population , was the site of many of the first civilizations . Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population , but also dense and large settlements , as well as vast barely populated regions . Its 4.5 billion people ( as of June 2019 [ update ] ) constitute roughly 60% of the world 's population , more than all other continents combined . In general terms , Asia is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean , on the south by the Indian Ocean , and on the north by the Arctic Ocean . The border of Asia with Europe is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them . It is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity . The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East-West cultural , linguistic , and ethnic differences , some of which vary on a spectrum rather than with a sharp dividing line . The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal separating it from Africa ; and to the east of the Turkish Straits , the Ural Mountains and Ural River , and to the south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas , separating it from Europe . China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE .
Anne Genetet ( born 20 April 1963 ) is a French medical doctor and politician . Since 19 June 2017 , she has been serving as a member of the National Assembly , representing the Eleventh constituency for French residents overseas . In 2005 , Genetet moved to Singapore with her husband and four sons . She subsequently founded the Help Agency , a consultancy to advise maids and their employers on health and legal matters . She also worked with non-governmental organizations on maid issues . In parliament , Genetet serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs . In addition to her committee assignments , she chairs the French-Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group .