For most of the period from 1870 to 1945, France was territorially the third largest nation on Earth, after Britain and Russia (later the Soviet Union), and had the most overseas possessions following Britain.
在1870年至1945年的大部分时间内，法国是继英国和俄罗斯（后来为苏联）之后的世界上领土面积第三大的国家。