2024 Edition Primary

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)

note

note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion

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

note

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

Coastline

4,853 km

note

metropolitan France: 3,427 km

Elevation

highest point

Mont Blanc 4,810

lowest point

Rhone River delta -2 m

mean elevation

375 m

note

note: to assess the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been extensively measured in recent years; these new peak measurements have exceeded the traditional height of 4,807 m and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the actual rock summit is 4,792 m and is 40 m away from the ice-covered summit

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 West 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

52.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 33.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest

29.2% (2018 est.)

other

18.1% (2018 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 kmnote – [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 near the Mediterranean; overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

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

10.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

12.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

10 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

34.8

potential support ratio

2.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

63.1

youth dependency ratio

28.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

note

note: overseas departments: Black, White, Mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Indigenous

Gross reproduction rate

0.93 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

5.9 beds/1,000 population (2018)

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 (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, 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.

note

note: overseas departments - French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.5 years

male

79.8 years

total population

82.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

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

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

44.2 years

male

41 years

total

42.6 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.6% (2016)

Physician density

3.27 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

34,817,497 (2024 est.)

male

33,557,094

total

68,374,591

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

Population growth rate

0.2% (2024 est.)

Religions

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

note

note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

16 years

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

31.9% (2020 est.)

male

34.9% (2020 est.)

total

33.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2024 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 (regions, singular - region); Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (Burgundy-Free County), 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-Cote d'Azur, Reunion

note

note: France is divided into 13 metropolitan regions (including the "collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 5 overseas regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 5 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)

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., but who were conquered by the Romans in the 1st 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 just 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

amendments

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; amended many times, last in 2008

history

many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958

Country name

conventional long form

French Republic

conventional short form

France

etymology

name derives from the Latin "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. who merged with Gallic-Roman populations in succeeding centuries and to whom they passed on their name

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)

note

note: the US Government does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Denise Campbell BAUER (since 5 February 2022); note - also accredited to Monaco

consulate(s)

Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes

consulate(s) general

Marseille, Strasbourg

email address and website

Citizeninfo@state.govhttps://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.orghttps://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%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 April 2022 with a runoff held on 24 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

François BAYROU (since 13 December 2024)

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 when the "ancient French color" of white was combined with the blue and red colors of the Parisian militia; the official flag for all French dependent areas

note

note: for the first four years, 1790-94, the order of colors was reversed, red-white-blue, instead of the current blue-white-red; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands

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 founded); 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 members - 3 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

note

note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament

subordinate courts

appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts

Legal system

civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Sénat (348 seats; members indirectly elected; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties) LR 139, SER 69, UC 51, RDPI 21, CRCE 17, LIRT 17, EST 16, RDSE 14; composition - men 222, women 126, percentage women 36.2%.National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition in the first round - RN 29.26%, NPF 28.06%, ENS 20.04%, LR 6.57%, UXD 3.96%, other 12.11%; seats by party/coalition in the first round - RN 37, NPF 32, ENS 2, LR 1, UXD 1, other 3; percent of vote in the second round - RN 32.05%, NPF 25.68, ENS 23.14% LR 5.41%, UXD 5.0%, other 8.72%, seats by party/coalition in the second round - NPF 146, ENS 148, RN 88, LR 38, UXD 16, other 65; composition - men 369, women 208, percentage women 36%

elections

Senate - last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held by 30 September 2026)National Assembly - last held on 30 June and 7 July 2024 (next to be held on 30 June 2029)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

name

"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

note

note: adopted 1795, restored 1870; originally known as "Chant de Guerre pour l'Armee du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine), the National Guard of Marseille made the song famous by singing it while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolutionary Wars

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Chartres Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Versailles (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); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (n)

total World Heritage Sites

53 (45 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); note - often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)

National symbol(s)

Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country); national colors: blue, white, red

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 EELVFrench 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 UDIUnion of Far Right or UXD (electoral coalition of LR, RN)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, maize, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, sunflower seeds (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

13.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.362 trillion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.229 trillion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA (2014)

Moody's rating

Aa2 (2015)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$9.868 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$56.672 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$22.792 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

high-income, advanced and diversified EU economy and euro user; 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 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

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.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$925.551 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.013 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.052 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

aircraft, packaged medicine, cars, natural gas, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 13%, Italy 9%, US 8%, Belgium 8%, Spain 8% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

32.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

23.3% (2023 est.)

household consumption

53.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-34.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.8% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.9% (2023 est.)

industry

18.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

69.2% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.031 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

31.5 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.9% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$963.999 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$1.103 trillion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.099 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

natural gas, cars, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, garments (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Germany 15%, Belgium 9%, Spain 8%, Italy 8%, Netherlands 8% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

0.74% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.64% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.22% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.88% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

31.825 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

15.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

98.66% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$3.648 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.738 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$3.764 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.44% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.45% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$53,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$55,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$55,200 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

1.11% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.22% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.15% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$244.28 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$242.416 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$240.792 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.62% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

7.87% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

7.31% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.32% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16% (2023 est.)

male

18.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

17.1% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

27.266 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

76.84 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

207.798 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

311.904 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

12.985 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

120,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

10.181 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

2.419 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

160 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

425.994 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

37.329 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

53.255 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

148.914 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

36.223 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

12.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

9.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

62.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

4.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

tide and wave

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

8.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

121.928 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

37.001 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

15.25 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

56.281 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

20.132 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

7.787 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

61.37GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

14 (2023)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

56 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

64.8% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

61.719 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1.554 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2020 est.)

total

30.627 million (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

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

Internet users

percent of population

86% (2021 est.)

total

55.9 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

nearly 59 per 100 persons for fixed-line and over 110 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)

general assessment

France's telecom market is one of the largest in Europe; there is a multi-year Engage 2025 plan which is focused on growth in the developing markets, and on the greater use of artificial intelligence and data; there are many MVNOs in the market; LTE networks provide near universal coverage, and carry about 95% of mobile data traffic; operators have launched 5G services, and these have been supported by the late-2020 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range; France’s fixed broadband market is increasingly focused on fiber, which accounted for 71% of all fixed lines at the beginning of 2021; growth in the fiber sector has been stimulated by households securing faster data packages during the pandemic; the number of DSL lines has fallen sharply as customers migrate to fiber infrastructure (2021)

international

country code - 33; landing points for Circe South, TAT-14, INGRID, FLAG Atlantic-1, Apollo, HUGO, IFC-1, ACE, SeaMeWe-3 & 4, Dunant, Africa-1, AAE-1, Atlas Offshore, Hawk, IMEWE, Med Cable, PEACE Cable, and TE North/TGN-Eurasia/SEACOM/Alexandros/Medex submarine cables providing links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa and US; satellite earth stations - more than 3 (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 (2019)

overseas departments

country codes: French Guiana - 594; landing points for Ella Link, Kanawa, Americas II to South America, Europe, Caribbean and US; Guadeloupe - 590; landing points for GCN, Southern Caribbean Fiber, and ECFS around the Caribbean and US; Martinique - 596; landing points for Americas II, ECFS, and Southern Caribbean Fiber to South America, US and around the Caribbean;  Mayotte - 262; landing points for FLY-LION3 and LION2 to East Africa and East African Islands in Indian Ocean; Reunion - 262; landing points for SAFE, METISS, and LION submarine cables to Asia, South and East Africa, Southeast Asia and nearby Indian Ocean Island countries of Mauritius, and Madagascar (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

58 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

37.74 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

119 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

76.807 million (2022 est.)

Airports

689 (2024)

note

note: Includes 27 airports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

F

Heliports

290 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

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

note

note: includes Monaco

total

553 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

4,443,790,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

70,188,028 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

553

number of registered air carriers

19 (2020)

Pipelines

15,322 km gas, 2,939 km oil, 5,084 km refined products (2013)

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

Roadways

total

1,090,059 km (2022)

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 beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover that runs from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France; it is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

Waterways

metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010)

Military - note

the French military has a global footprint and a wide range of missions and responsibilities; it operates under France’s overall defense and national security strategy, currently defined through the five major strategic functions of anticipation, prevention, deterrence, protection, and intervention; the military’s responsibilities 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, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; combined training exercises began in 2011, and as of 2020, the CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel capable of high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance the French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French military for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army and is comprised of approximately 8,000 personnel; its combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry regiments (2024)

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 (Reserves), National Gendarmerie (2024)

note

note: under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior, the civilian National Police and the National Gendarmerie maintain internal security; the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary police force that is a branch of the Armed Forces and therefore part of the Ministry of Defense but under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior; it also has additional duties to the Ministry of Justice; the Gendarmerie includes the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale or GIGN), an elite national-level tactical police unit set up in 1973 in response to the 1972 Munich massacre

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 205,000 active-duty troops (120,000 Army; 35,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force; 10,000 other, such as joint staffs, administration, logistics, procurement, medical service, etc.); approximately 100,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 75,000 National Guard (2024)

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 (1,400); French Guyana (2,000); French Polynesia (900); French West Indies (1,000); Reunion Island (1,700); West Africa (1,600; Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Senegal), and the UAE (700)other non-permanent deployments include operations in Chad (1,000), NATO missions in Europe (2,000), the Middle East (850), and various EU (500) and UN (over 700, mostly in Lebanon under UNIFIL) missions (2024)

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 (2024)

note

note: two major future acquisition programs for the French military included the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, or FCAS (known in France as the système combat aérien du futur, or SCAF) and a next-generation tank development project with Germany known as the Main Ground Combat System, or MGCS

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.9% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.9% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.9% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.1% of GDP (2024 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; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2024)

note

note 1: in 2023, women comprised more than 16% of the uniformed armed forces  note 2: French citizens can also volunteer for the Voluntary Military Service (VMS), which allows unemployed youth aged 18-25 to learn a trade or gain work experience while receiving basic military training and sports activities; French citizens may also join the military operational reserve up to age 72note 3: men between the ages of 17.5 and 39.5 years of age, of any nationality, may join the French Foreign Legion; those volunteers selected for service sign five-year contracts

Illicit drugs

metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics; French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe; Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

55,681 (Afghanistan), 39,091 (Syria), 33,834 (Sri Lanka), 33,148 (Russia), 31,935 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 24,223 (Sudan), 21,225 (Guinea), 18,008 (Serbia and Kosovo), 17,032 (Turkey), 13,974 (Iraq), 12,286 (Cote d'Ivoire), 11,489 (Eritrea), 11,012 (Cambodia), 10,543 (China), 10,236 (Albania), 10,210 (Somalia), 8,858 (Bangladesh), 8,124 (Mauritania), 8,101 (Mali), 7,991 (Vietnam), 6,913 (Bosnia and Herzegovina), 6,910 (Haiti), 6,808 (Angola), 6,498 (Laos), 6,417 (Armenia), 6,111 (Nigeria), 5,896 (Georgia) (mid-year 2022); 69,462 (Ukraine) (as of 31 January 2024)

stateless persons

3,633 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

National Center for Space Studies (Centre National D'études Spatiales, CNES; established 1961); established a military Space Command (Le Commandement de l’Espace, CDE) under the Air and Space Force, 2020 (2024)

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 (2024)

Space program overview

has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is a key member of the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as one of its largest contributors; has independent capabilities in all areas of space categories 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; trained astronauts until training mission shifted to ESA in 2001; develops a wide range of space-related technologies; hosts the ESA headquarters; participates in international space programs such as the Square Kilometer Array Project (world’s largest radio telescope) and International Space Station (ISS); cooperates 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 such areas as satellite construction and payloads, launch capabilities, and a range of other space-related capabilities and technologies (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

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

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

methane emissions

55.99 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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

note

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

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-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

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)

Land use

agricultural land

52.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 33.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest

29.2% (2018 est.)

other

18.1% (2018 est.)

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

211 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

17.78 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

5.31 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

81.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

33.399 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

7,434,617 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

22.3% (2015 est.)