France regions (five of which are situated overseas) span a combined area of and a total population of 67.3 million (). France, a sovereign state, is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Other major urban areas include Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille and Nice. During the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. Rome annexed the area in 51 BC, holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476, who formed the Kingdom of France. France emerged as a
Provinces of France Revolution. Capital cities are shown in parentheses. Bold indicates a city that was also the seat of a judicial and quasi-legislative body called either a "parlement" (not to be confused with a parliament) or a "conseil souverain" (sovereign council). In some cases, this body met in a different city from the capital. Areas that were not part of the Kingdom of France, though they are currently parts of Metropolitan France: Partial display of historical provincial arms: Provinces of France The Kingdom of France was organized into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the department (French: "département") system