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National Map
Of |
France |
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National Flag
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France |
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Flag Description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor),
the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French
Revolution; 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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
France |
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National Anthem
Of |
France |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
France |
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Background:
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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 introduction of a common exchange currency, the
euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the
forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military
capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign
policy. |
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Location:
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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
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Geographic coordinates:
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46 00 N,
2 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes
the overseas administrative divisions |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than twice the size of Colorado |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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3,427 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply
to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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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
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Terrain:
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mostly
flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south,
Alps in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal,
iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic,
potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 33.53%
permanent crops: 2.07%
other: 64.4% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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20,000 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding;
avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
in south near the Mediterranean |
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Environment - current issues:
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some
forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from
industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from
urban wastes, agricultural runoff |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, 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: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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largest
West European nation |
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Population:
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60,656,178 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 18.4% (male 5,717,761/female 5,440,060)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,784,749/female
19,752,432)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,084,193/female
5,876,983) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.85 years
male: 37.3 years
female: 40.39 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.37%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.15
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.08
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.66
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.6 years
male: 75.96 years
female: 83.42 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.85
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.4%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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120,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
1,000 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
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Ethnic groups:
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Celtic
and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
Indochinese, Basque minorities |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% |
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Languages:
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French
100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Paris
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Administrative divisions:
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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) |
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Dependent areas:
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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 |
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Independence:
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486
(unified by Clovis) |
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National holiday:
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Bastille
Day, 14 July (1789) |
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Constitution:
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adopted
by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October
1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962;
amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice;
amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in
2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
five-year term |
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Legal system:
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civil law
system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE
VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president on the suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in
October 2000); election last held 21 April and 5 May
2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007, second
round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the
National Assembly majority and appointed by the
president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected
president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques
CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04% |
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Legislative branch:
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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); note - between now and 2010,
25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of
346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories,
and 12 for French nationals abroad; members will be
indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
six-year terms, with one-half the seats being renewed
every three years; and the National Assembly or
Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by
popular vote under a single-member majority system to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004
(next to be held September 2007); National Assembly -
last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than
June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33,
PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140,
UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22 |
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Judicial branch:
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Citizen
and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly
Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG)
[Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF
[Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG
(previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left
Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement
for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front
or NF [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF
[Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING, national secretary];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL,
and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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historically-Communist labor union (Confederation
Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000
members (claimed); left-leaning labor union
(Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or
CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du
Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.);
independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale
des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed);
employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France)
or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed) |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA,
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
PIF (partner), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL,
UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional),
WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
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 |
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Flag description:
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three
equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French
Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the
French Revolution; 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 |
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Economy - overview:
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France is
in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern
economy that has featured extensive government ownership
and intervention to one that relies more on market
mechanisms. The government has partially or fully
privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers. It
retains controlling stakes in several leading firms,
including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and
Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly
power, public transport, and defense industries. 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 lowered
income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment
and reform the pension system. In addition, it is
focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and
labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour
workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden
remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP
in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible
budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the
eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit; unemployment stands at 10%.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$1.816
trillion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$2.118
trillion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.5%
(2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $29,900 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 21.4%
services: 76.1% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force:
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27.72
million (2005 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)
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Unemployment rate:
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10% (2005
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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6.5%
(2000) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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32.7
(1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.9%
(2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.4% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.06 trillion
expenditures: $1.144 trillion, including capital
expenditures of $23 billion (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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66.5% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat,
cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy
products; fish |
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Industries:
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machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0.3%
(2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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536.9
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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433.3
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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72.2
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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6.2
billion kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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76,300
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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2.06
million bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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409,600
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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2.281
million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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144.3
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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1.898
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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42.01
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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1.725
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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40.26
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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12.86
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$-30.11
billion (2005 est.) |
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Exports:
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$443.4
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany
15%, Spain 9.5%, UK 9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US
6.7% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$473.3
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany
19.2%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%,
Netherlands 6.7%, US 5.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$77.35
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.826
trillion (30 June 2005) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $5.4
billion (2002) |
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Currency (code):
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euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary
Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be
used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1
January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for
everyday transactions within the member countries |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per
US dollar - 0.79697 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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33,905,400 (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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41,683,100 (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio
relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable;
domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; 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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 41, FM
about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and
includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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584 (plus
9,676 repeaters) (1995) |
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Internet country code:
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.fr |
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Internet hosts:
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2,396,761
(2004) |
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Internet users:
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21.9
million (2003) |
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Airports:
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478 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
288
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 96
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 69 (2005 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
191
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m: 116 (2005 est.) |
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Heliports:
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3 (2005
est.) |
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Pipelines:
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gas
14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km
(2004) |
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Railways:
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total:
29,519 km
standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481
km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
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Roadways:
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total:
891,290 km
paved: 891,290 km (including 10,390 km of
expressways) (2003) |
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Waterways:
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8,500 km
(1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons)
(2000) |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 6, liquefied
gas 4, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker
8, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 6 (Sweden 5, Switzerland 1)
registered in other countries: 139 (2005) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Bordeaux,
Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille,
Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg |
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Military branches:
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Army
(includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation),
Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air
Defense), National Gendarmerie |
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Military service age and obligation:
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17 years
of age with consent for voluntary military service
(2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 13,676,509 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 11,262,661 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
389,204 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$45
billion FY06 (2005) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.6% FY06
(2005 est.) |
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Disputes - international:
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Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island,
Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros
claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island;
territorial dispute between Suriname and the French
overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a
territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France
and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of
New Caledonia |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment point for and consumer of South American
cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
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This page was last updated on 10
January, 2006
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