When did France first became a country?

France's origins as a unified country can be traced back to the Treaty of Verdun in 843, which divided the Carolingian Empire among the three grandsons of Charlemagne. This division laid the groundwork for the emergence of the West Frankish Kingdom, which evolved into modern France. The Capetian dynasty, starting with Hugh Capet in 987, further solidified France's identity as a nation-state, culminating in the establishment of a centralized monarchy.