1998 Edition

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

Climate

generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean

Coastline

3,427 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Environment-current issues

some forest damage from acid rain; 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 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: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 2 00 E

Geography-note

largest West European nation; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Irrigated land

16,300 sq km (1995 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,892.4 km border countries: Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km

Land use

arable land: 33% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 27% other: 18% (1993 est.)

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

Map references

Europe

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

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash

Terrain

mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 5,674,417; female 5,411,685) 15-64 years: 65% (male 19,243,919; female 19,182,933) 65 years and over: 16% (male 3,759,565; female 5,532,425) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

11.68 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

9.12 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities

Infant mortality rate

5.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.51 years male: 74.6 years female: 82.62 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Net migration rate

0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

58,804,944 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.31% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.63 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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)

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

Country name

conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique Francaise local short form: France

Data code

FR

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

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 appointed by the president election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote, second ballot-Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%

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 Felix G. ROHATYN embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22

[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 colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Government type

republic

Independence

486 (unified by Clovis)

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G5, G7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, 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

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 members 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: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Philippe SEGUIN]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of PR, FD, RAD, PPDF) [Francois LEOTARD]; Democratie Liberale or DL [Alain MADELIN]; Democratic Force or FD [Francois BAYROU]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Communist Party or PCF [Robert HUE]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; The Greens [Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS]; Generation Ecology or GE [Brice LALONDE]; Citizens Movement or MDC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; National Center of Independents and Peasants or CNIP [Oliver d'ORMESSON]; Radical Socialist Party or PRS (previously the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or LDI-MPF [Philippe DEVILLIERS]; Mouvement des Reformateurs [Jean-Pierre SOISSON]; Mouvement Ecologiste Independant [Jenevieve ANDUEZA]; Parti Populaire Pour la Democratie Francaise or PPDF [Herve de CHARETTE]; Parti Radical [Thierry CORNILLET]; Adherents Directs [Pierre-Andre WILTZER] Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members (est.); 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

Legal system

civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts

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 under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate-last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held September 1998); 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 94, UDF 127, PS 75, PCF 15, other 10; National Assembly-percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party-PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7

National capital

Paris

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically

Budget

revenues: $222 billion expenditures: $265 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Debt-external

$117.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $7.915 billion (1993)

Economy-overview

One of the four West European trillion-dollar economies, France matches a growing services sector with a diversified industrial base and substantial agricultural resources. Services now account for more than 70% of GDP, while industry generates about one-quarter of GDP and more than 80% of export earnings. The government retains considerable influence over key segments of each sector, with majority ownership of railway, electricity, aircraft, and telecommunication firms. It nevertheless has been slowly relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s, most recently selling 23% of France Telecom. The government also plans to sell its stakes in Air France and in the insurance, banking, and defense industries. Meanwhile, large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. A major exporter of wheat and dairy products, France is virtually self-sufficient in agriculture. The economy expanded by 2.3% last year, following a 1.3% gain in 1996. Persistently high unemployment still poses a major problem for the government, however, as does the need to control government spending to keep the economy internationally competitive and meet membership qualifications for the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) which is slated to introduce a common European currency in January 1999. Succeeding governments have shied away from cutting exceptionally generous social welfare benefits or the enormous state bureaucracy, preferring to pare defense spending and raise taxes to keep the deficit down. The JOSPIN administration has pledged both to lower unemployment and bring France into EMU, pinning its hopes for new jobs on economic growth and on legislation to gradually reduce the workweek from 39 to 35 hours by 2002.

Electricity-capacity

102.94 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

6,841 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

467.541 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)

Exports

total value: $275 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel products, textiles and clothing partners: Germany 17%, Italy 9%, UK 9%, Spain 8%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.5%, Japan 2%, Russia 0.7% (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$1.32 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 2.4% industry: 26.5% services: 71.1% (1994)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$22,700 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $256 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products partners: Germany 17%, Italy 10%, US 9%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 3%, China 2% (1997 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (1997 est.)

Industries

steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2% (1996)

Labor force

total: 25.5 million by occupation: services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1995)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters), shortwave

Radios

49 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

35 million (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

846 (mostly repeaters) note: Eutelsat receive-only TV service

Televisions

29.3 million (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.4% (1997)

Airports

473 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 266 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 56 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 207 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 75 under 914 m: 129 (1997 est.)

Heliports

3 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 892,500 km paved: 892,500 km (including 9,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,528,107 GRT/2,354,235 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 8, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 4, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 18, passenger 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1 note: France also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships in Iles Kerguelen (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1997 est.)

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

Railways

total: 32,027 km standard gauge: 31,928 km 1.435-m gauge; 31,940 km are operated by French National Railways (SNCF); 13,805 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132 km are doubleor multiple-tracked narrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gauge note: does not include 33 tourist railroads, totaling 469 km, many being of very narrow gauge (1996)

Waterways

14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled

Military branches

Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force (includes Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$47.7 billion (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2.5% (1995)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 14,739,065 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 12,264,824 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 407,794 (1998 est.)

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; Suriname claims part of 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 and Southwest Asian heroin (overseas department of France)