|
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. |
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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 |
|
Geographic coordinates:
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46 00 N, 2 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
|
Area:
|
total: 547,030
sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions
water: 1,400 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly less than
twice the size of Colorado |
|
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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contiguous zone:
24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the
Mediterranean) |
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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:
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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, potash, timber, fish |
|
Land use:
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arable land: 33%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 65% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
|
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:
|
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:
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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:
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59,765,983 (July 2002
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
18.5% (male 5,675,269; female 5,401,661)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,503,556; female 19,479,646)
65 years and over: 16.3% (male 3,948,433; female 5,757,418)
(2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
|
0.35% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.94 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.04 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.64 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
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4.41 deaths/1,000 live
births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population:
79.05 years
female: 83.14 years (2002 est.)
male: 75.17 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
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1.74 children
born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.44% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
130,000 (1999 est.)
|
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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2,000 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
|
Ethnic groups:
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Celtic and Latin with
Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities |
|
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) |
|
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 |
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Independence:
|
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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28 September 1958,
amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply
with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in 1992, Amsterdam Treaty in
1996, Treaty of Nice in 2000; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
|
|
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:
|
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since
7 May 2002)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21
April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007,
second round NA 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%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister |
|
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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDC 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other
66; 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
elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
held NA September 2004); National Assembly - last held 25 May-1 June
1997 (next to be held, first round 9 June 2002; second round 16 June
2002) |
|
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]; Communist, Republican, and Citizen or
CRC (mainly PCF) [leader NA]; Democratic and European Social Rally or
RDES (mainly RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF
[Robert HUE]; Generation Ecology [Brice LALONDE]; 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-Christian Right
[Charles MILLON]; Liberal Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party
or PR) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
VILLIERS]; Movement of Reformers [Jean-Pierre SOISSON]; National Front
or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; National Republican Movement [Bruno MEGRET];
Popular Party for French Democracy or PPDF [Herve DE CHARETTE];
Radical Party or RP [Francois LOOS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles
PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michelle ALLIOT-MARIE];
Republicans and Independents or RI (mainly DL) [leader NA]; Socialist
Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; The Greens [Dominique VOYNET]; Union
for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP, and other
parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for the Presidential Majority or UMP
[leader NA]; 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- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, 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
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission:
Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris
mailing address: PSC 116, B210 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:
|
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 a well-to-do modern economy that featured
extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies
more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government has partially
or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but
still retains large stakes in several leading firms, including Air
France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains 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 current government has
lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment, but
has done little to reform an overly expensive pension system, rigid
labor market, and restrictive bureaucracy that discourage hiring and
make the tax burden one of the highest in Europe. In addition to the
tax burden, the reduction of the workweek to 35 hours, which is to be
extended to small firms in 2002, has drawn criticism for lowering the
competitiveness of French businesses. The current economic slowdown
has thrown the government's goal of balancing the budget by 2004 off
track. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity
- $1.51 trillion (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.1% (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity
- $25,400 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
3.3%
industry: 25.7%
services: 71% (2000) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
32.7 (1995) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.7% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
26.6 million (2001
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
services 71%, industry
25%, agriculture 4% (1997) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
8.9% (2001 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:
|
1.3% (2001) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
513.924 billion kWh
(2000) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
9.55%
hydro: 12.98%
other: 0.73% (2000)
nuclear: 76.74% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
408.514 billion kWh
(2000) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
73.172 billion kWh
(2000) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
3.737 billion kWh
(2000) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, cereals, sugar
beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish |
|
Exports:
|
$293.3 billion (f.o.b.,
2001) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
machinery and
transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals,
pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages |
|
Exports - partners:
|
EU 61% (Germany 14%, UK
10%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, Benelux 8%), US 9% (2000) |
|
Imports:
|
$292.6 billion (f.o.b.,
2001) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and
equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals |
|
Imports - partners:
|
EU 63% (Germany 17%,
Benelux 10%, Italy 9%, UK 8%), US 7% (2000) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$106 billion (1998)
|
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $6.3 billion
(1997) |
|
Currency:
|
euro (EUR); French
franc (FRF)
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 |
|
Currency code:
|
EUR; FRF |
|
Exchange rates:
|
euros per US dollar -
1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999);
French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998),
5.8367 (1997) |
|
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:
|
11.7 million (2001)
|
|
Railways:
|
total: 31,939 km
(operated by French National Railways (SNCF); 14,176 km of SNCF routes
are electrified and 12,132 km are double- or multiple-track)
standard gauge: 31,840 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.) |
|
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: 49 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,263,691 GRT/1,769,932 DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, combination
bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
15, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a
flag of convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1,
Sweden 9 (2002 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
477 (2001) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 270
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 29
914 to 1,523 m: 75
under 914 m: 56 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 207
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 131 (2001) |
|
Heliports:
|
3 (2001) |
|
Military branches:
|
Army (includes
marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense),
National Gendarmerie |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age (2002
est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 15-49:
14,534,480 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 15-49:
12,092,938 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 390,064
(2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$46.5 billion (2000)
|
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2.57% (2002) |
|
Transnational Issues |
France |
|
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 |
|
