Original sentence: In the 18th and 19th centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, stretching across West Africa and Southeast Asia, prominently influencing the cultures and politics of the regions.It is a  developed country, with the fifth or sixth largest economy depending on source
Edited sentence: France is a developed country with the fifth-largest economy in the world.In the 18th and 19th centuries, France built one of the largest colonial empires of the time, stretching across West Africa and Southeast Asia, prominently influencing the cultures and politics of the regions