| Background: |
Although
ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered
extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is
one of the most modern countries in the world and is a
leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has
constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the
instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and
cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic
integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro in
January 1999. Presently, France is at the forefront of
European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary
union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable
European defense and security apparatus. |
| Location: |
Western Europe,
bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between
Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
46 00 N, 2 00 E |
| Area: |
total:
547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France, but
excludes the overseas administrative divisions |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly less
than twice the size of Colorado |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620
km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco
4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth
of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply
to the Mediterranean)
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
generally cool
winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers
along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat
plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder
is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
| Natural
resources: |
coal, iron ore,
bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
33%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 18% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
16,300 sq km
(1995 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
flooding;
avalanches |
| Environment
- current issues: |
some forest
damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a
result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution
from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from
urban wastes, agricultural runoff |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
largest West
European nation |
| Population: |
59,551,227 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
18.68% (male 5,698,604; female 5,426,838)
15-64 years: 65.19% (male 19,424,018; female
19,399,588)
65 years and over: 16.13% (male 3,900,579;
female 5,701,600) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.37% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
12.1 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.09 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.64 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
4.46 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 78.9 years
male: 75.01 years
female: 83.01 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.75 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.44% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
130,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
2,000 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Celtic and Latin
with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque
minorities |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic
90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North African
workers) 3%, unaffiliated 4% |
| Languages: |
French 100%,
rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
22 regions
(regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne,
Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne,
Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France,
Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees,
Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22
regions (including the "territorial collectivity"
of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments;
see separate entries for the overseas departments (French
Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas
territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon) |
| Dependent
areas: |
Bassas da India,
Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French
Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova
Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to
Antarctica |
| Independence: |
486 (unified by
Clovis) |
| National
holiday: |
Bastille Day, 14
July (1789) |
| Constitution: |
28 September
1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962,
amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in
1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993 |
| Legal
system: |
civil law system
with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not
legislative acts |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Lionel
JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president on the suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a seven-year term; election last held 23 April and 7 May
1995 (next to be held by May 2002); prime minister nominated
by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the
president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected
president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR)
52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN (PS) 47.36% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321
seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral
college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every
three years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote
under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 27 September 1998
(next to be held September 2001); National Assembly - last
held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 99, UDC 52, DL 47, PS 78,
PCF 16, other 29; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF
37, PRS 13, MEI 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9,
various right 7 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of
Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the
president from nominations of the High Council of the
Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil
Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president,
three appointed by the president of the National Assembly,
and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council
of State or Conseil d'Etat |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Citizens Movement
or MdC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; French Communist Party or
PCF [Robert HUE]; Independent Ecological Movement or MEI
[Antoine WAECHTER]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement
or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal Democracy or DL
(originally Republican Party or PR) [Alain MADELIN];
Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DEVILLIERS]; National
Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for the Republic or
RPR [Michelle ALLIOT-MARIE]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of
UDC, FD, RRRS, PPDF) [Francois BAYROU]; Union of the Center
or UDC [leader NA] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Communist-controlled
labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT,
nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); independent labor
union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members (est.);
independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale des
Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of
French Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or
CNPF or Patronat; Socialist-leaning labor union
(Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT,
about 800,000 members (est.) |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA,
ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security
Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNTSO,
UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON DE L'ESTANG
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington,
DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San
Francisco |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador-designate Howard H. LEACH;
Charge d'Affaires Douglas L. McELHANEY
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg |
| Flag
description: |
three equal
vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known
as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or
colors are similar to a number of other flags, including
those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg,
and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent
areas |
| Economy
- overview: |
France is in the
midst of transition, from an economy that featured extensive
government ownership and intervention to one that relies
more on market mechanisms. The government remains dominant
in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and
defense industries, but it has been relaxing its control
since the mid-1980s. The Socialist-led government has sold
off part of its holdings in France Telecom, Air France,
Thales, Thomson Multimedia, and the European Aerospace and
Defense Company (EADS). The telecommunications sector is
gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders
remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain
social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social
spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free
markets on public health and welfare. The government has
done little to cut generous unemployment and retirement
benefits which impose a heavy tax burden and discourage
hiring. It has also shied from measures that would
dramatically increase the use of stock options and
retirement investment plans; such measures would boost the
stock market and fast-growing IT firms as well as ease the
burden on the pension system, but would disproportionately
benefit the rich. In addition to the tax burden, the
reduction of the work week to 35-hours has drawn criticism
for lowering the competitiveness of French companies. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $1.448 trillion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.1% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $24,400 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3.3%
industry: 26.1%
services: 70.6% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.7% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
25 million (2000) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 71%,
industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
9.7% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$210 billion
expenditures: $240 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
machinery,
chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics;
textiles, food processing; tourism |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
3.5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
497.26 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
9.69%
hydro: 14.39%
nuclear: 75.43%
other: 0.49% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
398.752 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
68.7 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
5 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, cereals,
sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products;
fish |
| Exports: |
$325 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals,
pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 63% (Germany
16%, UK 10%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8%), US
8% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$320 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 62% (Germany
16%, Belgium-Luxembourg 11%, Italy 9%, UK 8%), US 7% (2000
est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$106 billion
(1998) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $6.3 billion
(1997) |
| Currency: |
French franc (FRF);
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the
euro as a common currency that is now being used by
financial institutions in France at a fixed rate of 6.55957
French francs per euro and will replace the local currency
for all transactions in 2002 |
| Exchange
rates: |
euros per US
dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386
(1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
34.86 million
(yearend 1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
11.078 million
(yearend 1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio
relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic
satellite system
international: satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and
3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more
than 20 countries |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 41, FM about
3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many
repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios: |
55.3 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
584 (plus 9,676
repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: |
34.8 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.fr |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
62 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
9 million (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
31,939 km (31,939 km are operated by French National
Railways (SNCF); 14,176 km of SNCF routes are electrified
and 12,132 km are double- or multiple-tracked)
standard gauge: 31,840 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gauge (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
892,900 km
paved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
14,932 km (6,969
km heavily traveled) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 3,059
km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural gas 24,746 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bordeaux,
Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre,
Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint
Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 942,333 GRT/1,304,754
DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, chemical tanker
6, combination bulk 1, container 1, liquefied gas 3,
multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 3,
petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger
3
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2000
est.) |
| Airports: |
475 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
268
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 94
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m: 58 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
207
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 130 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army (includes
Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force (includes Air
Defense), National Gendarmerie |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 14,573,199 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 12,127,793 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
390,064 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$39.831 billion
(FY97) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.5% (FY97) |
| Disputes
- international: |
Madagascar claims
Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de
Nova Island, and Tromelin Island; Comoros claims Mayotte;
Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute
between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in
Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east of
New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment
point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest
Asian heroin, and European synthetics |
|
