French Colonial Empire Empire Colonial Français | |||||||||||||
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1534–1980 | |||||||||||||
![]() ![]() Left: Royal Standard of France (before 1792) Right: Flag of the French Empire | |||||||||||||
![]() French colonial empire 17th century-20th century France First colonial empire (after 1534) Second colonial empire (after 1830) | |||||||||||||
Status | Colonial empire | ||||||||||||
Capital | Paris | ||||||||||||
Religion | Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Louisiana Voodoo, Haitian Vodou, Buddhism, Hinduism | ||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||
• Cartier claimed Gaspé Bay | 1534 | ||||||||||||
• Sale of Louisiana | 1803 | ||||||||||||
• Conquest of Algeria | 1830–1852 | ||||||||||||
• French Union | 1946 | ||||||||||||
• French Community | 1958 | ||||||||||||
• Independence of Vanuatu | 1980 | ||||||||||||
Currency | French franc and various other currencies | ||||||||||||
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