Why+is+French+spoken+in+so+many+places?

Here's a map of THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD (La Francophonie)**
 * Why is French spoken in so many places?

**Here's a list of French-speaking places in the world:**
La Francophonie refers to the world-wide links among those who speak French. There are many French-speaking countries around the world, which are collectively referred to as **//La Francophonie//**. The countries listed here are members of the [|Intergovernmental Francophone Agency]. Thirty-two countries use French as an official language (marked with *), others as a common language for business, government, or education.

[|East Africa & the Indian Ocean:] Comoros*, Djibouti*, Madagascar*, Mauritius, Seychelles* [|West Africa]: Benin*, Burkina Faso*, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire*, Guinea*, Guinea Bissau, Mali*, Niger*, Senegal*, Togo* [|North Africa & Middle East:] Egypt, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia || **[|Europe]:** Albania, Andorra, Belgium*, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, France*, Greece, Luxembourg*, Moldavia, Monaco*, Romania, Switzerland* [|Overseas Departments and Territories] of France ||
 * [[image:http://ms.loganhocking.k12.oh.us/%7Emadame/francophonie/images/east.gif width="105" height="100" align="center"]] || [[image:http://ms.loganhocking.k12.oh.us/%7Emadame/francophonie/images/west.gif width="105" height="100" align="center"]] ||
 * **[|Central Africa]:** Burundi*, Cameroon*, Central African Republic*, Chad*, Congo* (Rep), Congo RD* (Dem. Rep), Equatorial Guinea*, Gabon*, Rwanda*, Sao Tomé & Principe
 * [|The Americas & Caribbean:]** Canada*, Quebec* (Canada), New Brunswick* (Canada), Dominica, Haiti*, Saint Lucia
 * [|Asia & Pacific]:** Cambodia, Laos,Vanuatu*, Vietnam