2020 Edition

Background

France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing then President Charles DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities -- French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion -- became French regions and were made part of France proper.

Area

land

640,427 sq km ; 549,970 sq km (metropolitan France)

total

643,801 sq km ; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France)

water

3,374 sq km ; 1,530 sq km (metropolitan France)

Area - comparative

slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas

Climate

metropolitan France: 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 the mistral

Coastline

4,853 km

Elevation

highest point

Mont Blanc 4,810

lowest point

Rhone River delta -2 m

mean elevation

375 m

Geographic coordinates

metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Geography - note

largest Western European nation; most major French rivers -- the Meuse, Seine, Loire, Charente, Dordogne, and Garonne -- flow northward or westward into the Atlantic Ocean, only the Rhone flows southward into the Mediterranean Sea

Irrigated land

14,236 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Andorra 55 km; Belgium 556 km; Germany 418 km; Italy 476 km; Luxembourg 69 km; Monaco 6 km; Spain 646 km; Switzerland 525 km

French Guiana - total

1205 km

metropolitan France - total

2751 km

total

3,956 km

Land use

agricultural land

52.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.)

forest

32.7% (2023 est.)

other

15% (2023 est.)

Location

metropolitan France: 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 French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Major aquifers

Paris Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Geneva (shared with Switzerland) - 580 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rhin (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km; Loire - 1,012 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Loire (115,282 sq km), Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Map references

metropolitan France: Europe French Guiana: South America Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean Mayotte: Africa Reunion: World

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean Sea)

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding volcanism: Montagne Pelée (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, although it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufrière (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe has also had explosive eruptions in recent years

Natural resources

metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land, fish; French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

Population distribution

much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second

Terrain

metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Age structure

0-14 years

17.3% (male 6,060,087/female 5,792,805)

15-64 years

60.7% (male 20,875,861/female 20,615,847)

65 years and over

22% (2024 est.) (male 6,621,146/female 8,408,845)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

11.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

6.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.9% (2020 est.)

Death rate

9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

36.8 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.7 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

65.2 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

28.4 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.1% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African (Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian), Indochinese, Basque minorities

Gross reproduction rate

0.93 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

12.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provençal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.5 years

male

79.8 years

total population

82.6 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

11.208 million PARIS (capital), 1.761 million Lyon, 1.628 million Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, 1.079 million Lille, 1.060 million Toulouse, 1.000 million Bordeaux (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

44.2 years

male

41 years

total

42.7 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.6% (2016)

Physician density

3.28 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

34,885,167

male

33,627,639

total

68,512,806 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.2% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2022 est.)

male

16 years (2022 est.)

total

16 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

27.3% (2025 est.)

male

30.7% (2025 est.)

total

28.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

81.8% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

18 regions (régions, singular - région); Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Bretagne (Brittany), Centre-Val de Loire (Center-Loire Valley), Corse (Corsica), Grand Est (Grand East), Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hauts-de-France (Upper France), Ile-de-France, Martinique, Mayotte, Normandie (Normandy), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), Occitanie (Occitania), Pays de la Loire (Lands of the Loire), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Réunion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

name derives from the Parisii, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area from the 3rd century B.C.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then Paris

geographic coordinates

48 52 N, 2 20 E

name

Paris

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunion

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of France

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly

history

many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958

Country name

conventional long form

French Republic

conventional short form

France

etymology

derives from the Latin name Francia, meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D.; the origin of the tribal name is unclear but may come from the Old German word franka, meaning "brave," or from a personal name such as Francio or Francus

local long form

République française

local short form

France

Dependent areas

Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna (8)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles KUSHNER (since 11 July 2025); note - also accredited to Monaco

consulate(s)

Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes

consulate(s) general

Marseille, Strasbourg

email address and website

Citizeninfo@state.gov https://fr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

2 avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris

FAX

[33] (1) 42-66-97-83

mailing address

9200 Paris Place, Washington DC 20521-9200

telephone

[33] (1) 43-12-22-22, [33] (1) 42-66-97-83

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Laurent BILI (since 19 April 2023)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

info@ambafrance-us.org https://franceintheus.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 944-6166

telephone

[1] (202) 944-6000

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)

election results

2022: Emmanuel MACRON reelected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (LREM) 27.8%, Marine LE PEN (RN) 23.2%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (LFI) 22%, Eric ZEMMOUR (Reconquête) 7.1%, Valerie PECRESSE (LR) 4.8%, Yannick JADOT (EELV) 4.6%, other 10.6%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 58.5%, LE PEN 41.5% 2017: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president

expected date of next election

April 2027

head of government

Sébastien LECORNU (since 10 September 2025)

most recent election date

10 April 2022, with a runoff held on 24 April 2022

Flag

description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), white, and red history: known as the le tricolore (tricolor), the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution, when the traditional color of white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia; for the first four years of the flag's use (1790-94), the order of colors was reversed (red-white-blue)

Government type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic established); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions -- 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council has 3 members appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

appellate courts or cours d'appel; regional courts or tribunaux judiciaires; first instance courts or tribunaux de proximité; administrative courts

Legal system

civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Parliament (Parlement)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

June 2029

most recent election date

9/24/2023

number of seats

577 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

New Popular Front (NFP)/UG (178); Ensemble (presidential majority) (150); National Rally (RN) (125); The Republicans (LR) (39); Other (85)

percentage of women in chamber

36.2%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Sénat)

expected date of next election

September 2026

most recent election date

6/30/2024 to 7/7/2024

number of seats

348 (all indirectly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

37.1%

scope of elections

partial renewal

term in office

6 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1795, restored 1870; acquired its name when the National Guard of Marseille sang the song while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolution; one of the most recognized anthems in the world

lyrics/music

Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

title

"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

National color(s)

blue, white, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Chartres Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Versailles (c); Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (c); Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (c); Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (m); Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (c); Paris, Banks of the Seine (c); The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (c); Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (c); Amiens Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (c); Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (c); The Maison Carrée of Nîmes (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (Corsica) (n); Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan (c)

total World Heritage Sites

54 (46 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in New Caledonia and one site in French Polynesia

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

National symbol(s)

Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country)

Political parties

Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC  Debout la France or DLF  Democratic Movement or MoDem  Ensemble or ENS (electoral coalition including RE, MoDem, Horizons, PRV, UDI) The Ecologists - the Greens or EELV French Communist Party or PCF  Horizons  La France Insoumise or FI  Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories or LIOT  Movement of Progressives or MDP  National Rally or RN (formerly National Front or FN) New Democrats or LND (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS) New Popular Front or NFP (electoral coalition including FI, EELV, PS, PCF) Radical Party of the Left or PRV  Reconquete or REC  Renaissance or RE  Résistons!  Socialist Party or PS  The Republicans or LR  Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI Union of Far Right or UXD (electoral coalition of LR, RN)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, maize, barley, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, sunflower seeds (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

12.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.447 trillion (2023 est.)

revenues

$1.29 trillion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$33.069 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$30.334 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$12.382 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, advanced EU economy and eurozone member; strong tourism, aircraft manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial sectors; high public debt; ongoing pension reform efforts; transitioning to a green economy via "France 2030" strategy

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.021 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.05 trillion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$1.071 trillion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

aircraft, cars, packaged medicine, gas turbines, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

Exports - partners

Germany 11%, Italy 9%, USA 8%, Belgium 8%, Spain 7% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

34.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption

23.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

53.4% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-36.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.4% (2024 est.)

industry

17.5% (2024 est.)

services

70.4% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.162 trillion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

31.2 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.6% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

3% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$1.092 trillion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.094 trillion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$1.074 trillion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, garments (2023)

Imports - partners

Germany 15%, Belgium 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, Italy 8% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2% (2024 est.)

Labor force

31.725 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

15.6% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

98.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.655 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$3.689 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$3.732 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.9% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$53,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$54,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$54,500 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$242.416 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$240.792 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$282.857 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

7.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

7.4% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16% (2024 est.)

male

17.1% (2024 est.)

total

16.6% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

12.57 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

64,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

10.347 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

2.157 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

160 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

415.542 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

76.207 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

25.107 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

151.463 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

35.282 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

63.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

tide and wave

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

10.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

123.526 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

33.238 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

13.584 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

46.909 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

17.928 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

7.787 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

61.37GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

14 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

57 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

64.8% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

61.719 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1.536 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

49 (2023 est.)

total

32.3 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

a mix of both publicly operated and privately owned TV stations; state-owned TV stations operate 4 networks and have part-interest in several thematic cable/satellite channels and international channels; large number of privately owned regional and local TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable services; public broadcaster Radio France operates 7 national networks, a series of regional networks, and services for overseas territories and foreign audiences; Radio France Internationale, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a leading international broadcaster; large number of commercial FM stations

Internet country code

metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re

Internet users

percent of population

87% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

56 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

37.3 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

117 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

77.5 million (2023 est.)

Airports

1,218 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

F

Heliports

405 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 32, general cargo 48, oil tanker 25, other 448

total

553 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Bayonne, Bordeaux, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkerque Port Est, Dunkerque Port Ouest, La Pallice, La Rochelle, Les Sables d'Olonne, Lorient, Montoir, Nantes, Le Havre, Rouen, Rade de Brest, Rade de Cherbourg, Rochefort, St. Nazaire, Toulon

large

6

medium

12

ports with oil terminals

31

small

22

total ports

66 (2024)

very small

26

Railways

narrow gauge

-5 km

total

27,860 km (2020) 16,660 km electrified

Transportation - note

begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel under the English Channel at the Strait of Dover; it runs from Folkestone, Kent, in England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France and is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

Military - note

the French military has a global footprint and a wide range of missions and responsibilities, to include protecting French territory, population, and interests, and fulfilling France’s commitments to NATO, European security, and international peacekeeping operations under the UN; it is the largest military in the EU and has a leading role in the EU security framework, as well as in NATO; in recent years, it has actively participated in coalition peacekeeping and other security operations in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans, often in a lead role; the military regularly conducts large-scale exercises and participates in a variety of bi-lateral and multinational exercises; it also has a domestic security mission, including providing enhanced security at sensitive sites and large events and support during national crises or disasters, such as fighting forest fires; in recent years, defense responsibilities have expanded to include cyber and space domains  in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, including high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations (2025)

Military and security forces

French Armed Forces (Forces Armées Françaises): Army (l'Armee de Terre; includes Foreign Legion), Navy (Marine Nationale), Air and Space Force (l'Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace); includes Air Defense), National Guard (Garde Nationale), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 200,000 active duty Armed Forces; approximately 150,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 80,000 National Guard (2025)

Military deployments

France typically has up to 30,000 total air, ground, and naval forces deployed on permanent or temporary foreign missions; up to 10,000 are permanently deployed, including Djibouti (1,500); French Guyana (2,600); French Polynesia (1,000); French West Indies (1,000); Reunion Island (2,100); UAE (800) other non-permanent deployments include military missions under NATO, the EU, and the UN, as well as some unilateral operations, in such places as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and adjacent waters (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the French military's inventory consists mostly of domestically produced weapons systems, including some jointly produced with other European countries; there is a smaller mix of armaments from other Western countries, particularly the US; France has a large and sophisticated defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.1% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

59 (2024 est.)

refugees

810,325 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

2,634 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

early 1960s - began rocket program and launched animals into space 1965 - launched first domestically produced satellite (Asterix) into space on a French Diamant rocket (third country to do so after the Soviet Union and US) 1973 - began development of Ariane heavy-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) along with other European states, particularly Germany and the UK; Ariane would become the ESA's SLV 1970s-1990s - development of a space plane/shuttle program (Hermes) 1982 - first French astronaut into space on a Soviet rocket 1986 - launched first joint European Earth observation/remote sensing program (SPOT) 2018 - launched project (Spaceship FR) to lay the groundwork for robotic and crewed missions to the Moon and Mars 2024 - debut launch of Ariane-6 SLV; claimed world's first satellite to ground communications via laser

Space agency/agencies

National Center for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, CNES; established 1961) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Guiana Space Center (Kourou, French Guiana; also serves as the spaceport for the ESA); note – prior to the completion of the Guiana Space Center in 1969, France launched rockets from Algeria (2025)

Space program overview

has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is one of the top contributors to the ESA; has independent capabilities in all areas, except for autonomous manned space flight; can build, launch, and operate a range of space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs) and spacecraft, including exploratory probes and a full spectrum of satellites; shifted astronaut training to ESA in 2001; hosts the ESA headquarters and its space launch facility; participates in international space programs such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope and International Space Station; works with a broad range of space agencies and commercial space companies, including those of China, Egypt, individual ESA and EU member countries, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the UAE, the US, and several African countries; has a large commercial space sector involved in satellite construction and payloads, launch capabilities, and a range of other space-related capabilities and technologies (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

25.355 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

69.025 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

209.4 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

303.779 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution and acid rain from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Armorique; Beaujolais; Causses du Quersey; Chablais; Haute-Provence; Luberon; Massif des Bauges; Monts d'Ardèche; Normandie-Maine (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

9 (2024)

International environmental agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

1,496.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

232 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

37.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

550.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

211 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.515 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

16.641 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

5.271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

36.749 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

31.6% (2022 est.)