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KOSHER DELIGHT - YOUR JEWISH ONLINE MAGAZINE!
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FRANCE |
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FRANCE
GENERAL INFO:
| Introduction |
France
| Top
of Page
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Background:
|
Although
ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered
extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a
dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier
parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and
cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic
integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common
exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France
is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military
capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.
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| Geography |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
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 |
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Geographic coordinates:
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46
00 N, 2 00 E |
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Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total:
547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the
overseas administrative divisions |
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Area - comparative:
|
slightly
less than twice the size of Colorado |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany
451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623
km, Switzerland 573 km |
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Coastline:
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3,427
km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the
Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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generally
cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers
along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral |
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Terrain:
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mostly
flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder
is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east |
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Elevation extremes:
|
lowest
point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal,
iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish |
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Land use:
|
arable
land: 33.53%
permanent crops: 2.07%
other: 64.4% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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20,000
sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding;
avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south
near the Mediterranean |
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Environment - current issues:
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some
forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and
vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural
runoff |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
|
largest
West European nation
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| People |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
Population:
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60,656,178
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 18.4% (male 5,717,761/female 5,440,060)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,784,749/female 19,752,432)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,084,193/female 5,876,983)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.85 years
male: 37.3 years
female: 40.39 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.37%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.15
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.08
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.66
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.6 years
male: 75.96 years
female: 83.42 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.85
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.4%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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120,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less
than 1,000 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
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Ethnic groups:
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Celtic
and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4% |
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Languages:
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French
100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.)
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| Government |
France |
Top
of Page |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Paris |
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Administrative divisions:
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22
regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne,
Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne,
Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France,
Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,
Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote
d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions
(including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or
Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate
entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe,
Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte,
Saint Pierre and Miquelon) |
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Dependent areas:
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Bassas
da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia,
French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de
Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica |
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Independence:
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486
(unified by Clovis) |
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National holiday:
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Bastille
Day, 14 July (1789) |
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Constitution:
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adopted
by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958; amended
concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with
provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty,
2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;
amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
five-year term |
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Legal system:
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civil
law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but
not legislative acts |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN
(since 31 May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on
the suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000);
election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first
round April 2007, second round May 2007); prime minister nominated
by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president;
percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%,
Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats
- 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and
territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are
indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year
terms; elected by thirds every three years); note - between now
and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of
346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments,
2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and
Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college
to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being renewed
every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be
held September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002
(next to be held not later than June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7;
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3,
other 22 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the
president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary);
Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members
appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of
the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the
Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Citizen
and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical
Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];
French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical
Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the
Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for
France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or NF
[Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA];
Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING,
national secretary]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois
BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL,
and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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historically-Communist
labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT,
approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union
(Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT,
approximately 889,000 members (claimed); independent labor union
(Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO,
300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union
(Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France)
or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed) |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA,
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-
8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU,
WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg |
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Flag description:
|
three
equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known
as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the
origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the
design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,
including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,
Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French
dependent areas
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| Economy |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
Economy - overview:
|
France
is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern economy
that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention
to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has
partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and
insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several leading firms,
including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is
dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport,
and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually
being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to
a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of
laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income
disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
welfare. The government has lowered income taxes and introduced
measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In
addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor
and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek
and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the
highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The lingering economic
slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget
deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit. Finance Minister
Herve GAYMARD has promised that the 2005 deficit will fall below
3%. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$1.737
trillion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.1%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
2.7%
industry: 24.3%
services: 73% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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27.7
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10.1%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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6.5%
(2000) |
|
Household income or consumption by
percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini
index:
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32.7
(1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.3%
(2004 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
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19.2%
of GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$1.005 trillion
expenditures: $1.08 trillion, including capital
expenditures of $23 billion (2004 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
67.7%
of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat,
cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products;
fish |
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Industries:
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machinery,
chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics;
textiles, food processing; tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
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1.7%
(2004 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
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528.6
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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414.7
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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79.9
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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3
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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34,920
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
2.026
million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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409,600
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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2.281
million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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144.3
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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1.898
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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42.01
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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1.725
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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40.26
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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12.86
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
|
$-305
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$419
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals,
pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany
15%, Spain 9.5%, UK 9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US 6.7% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$419.7
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals |
|
Imports - partners:
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Germany
19.2%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%, Netherlands
6.7%, US 5.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$70.76
billion (2003) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA,
$5.4 billion (2002) |
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Currency (code):
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euro
(EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial
institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro
became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the
member countries |
|
Exchange rates:
|
euros
per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year
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| Communications |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
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33,905,400
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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41,683,100
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay;
extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite
system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3
for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean
region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20
countries |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM
41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes
many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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584
(plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995) |
|
Internet country code:
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.fr |
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Internet hosts:
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2,396,761
(2004) |
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Internet users:
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21.9
million (2003)
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| Transportation |
France |
Top
of Page |
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Railways:
|
total:
29,519 km
standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
893,100 km
paved: 893,100 km (including 12,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
|
Waterways:
|
8,500
km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas
14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Bordeaux,
Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris,
Rouen, Strasbourg |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 4,
passenger 3, passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll
off 1
foreign-owned: 6 (Sweden 5, Switzerland 1)
registered in other countries: 139 (2005) |
|
Airports:
|
478
(2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
283
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
195
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
3
(2004 est.)
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| Military |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
Military branches:
|
Army
(includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy
(includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National
Gendarmerie |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
17
years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 17-49: 13,676,509 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 17-49: 11,262,661 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age
annually:
|
males:
389,204 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$45
billion FY06 (2005) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2.6%
FY06 (2005 est.)
|
| Transnational
Issues |
France |
Top
of Page |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Madagascar
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin
Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French
overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial
claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim
Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
transshipment
point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian
heroin, and European synthetics
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Source:
CIA.GOV
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KOSHER DELIGHT MAGAZINE
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