CIA World Fact Book, 2004/France


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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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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: land: 545,630 sq km note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions water: 1,400 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: 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 !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean) !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 2.07% other: 64.4% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants !| Geography - note:
 * 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
 * 46 00 N, 2 00 E
 * Europe
 * total: 547,030 sq km
 * slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
 * total: 2,889 km
 * 3,427 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * 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
 * mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
 * lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
 * coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish
 * arable land: 33.53%
 * 20,000 sq km (1998 est.)
 * flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
 * some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
 * party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, 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
 * largest West European nation
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,698,497; female 19,663,776) 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,049,970; female 5,841,069) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 37 years female: 40.1 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 75.8 years female: 83.27 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: French !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)
 * 60,424,213 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,724,185; female 5,446,716)
 * total: 38.6 years
 * 0.39% (2004 est.)
 * 12.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 79.44 years
 * 1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.4% (2003 est.)
 * 120,000 (2003 est.)
 * less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
 * Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
 * Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
 * French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: France local long form: Republique Francaise local short form: France !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon) !| Dependent areas: note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in 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% cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister !| Legislative branch: 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 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) !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: 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 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: French Republic
 * republic
 * Paris
 * 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
 * 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
 * 486 (unified by Clovis)
 * Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
 * 28 September 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
 * civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
 * 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 majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)
 * 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
 * Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD. 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]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Gilles LEMAIRE, Francine BAVAY, Jean DESESSARD, Christophe PORQUIER, Maud LELIEVRE]; 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]
 * 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)
 * 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
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
 * 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 - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 24.4% services: 72.9% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Oil - proved reserves: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Natural gas - proved reserves: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - donor: !| Currency: note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * 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 Socialist-led government partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but the government 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 current government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. The government 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 government is also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP, above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, sluggish demand, high debt, and the steep cost of capital.
 * purchasing power parity - $1.661 trillion (2003 est.)
 * 0.5% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 2.7%
 * 19.2% of GDP (2003)
 * 6.5% (2000)
 * lowest 10%: 2.8%
 * 32.7 (1995)
 * 2.1% (2003 est.)
 * 27.39 million (2003 est.)
 * agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)
 * 9.7% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $882.8 billion
 * 68.8% of GDP (2003)
 * wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
 * machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
 * -0.3% (2003)
 * 520.1 billion kWh (2001)
 * 415.3 billion kWh (2001)
 * 72.6 billion kWh (2001)
 * 4.2 billion kWh (2001)
 * 34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 409,600 bbl/day (2001)
 * 2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
 * 144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)
 * 1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
 * $13.8 billion (2003)
 * $346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
 * Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.6%, UK 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, Belgium 7.2%, US 6.8% (2003)
 * $339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
 * Germany 19.1%, Belgium 9.4%, Italy 9%, Spain 7.4%, Netherlands 7%, UK 7%, US 5.4% (2003)
 * $70.76 billion (2003)
 * NA
 * ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)
 * euro (EUR)
 * EUR
 * euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: 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: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 33,905,400 (2003)
 * 41,683,100 (2003)
 * general assessment: highly developed
 * AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
 * 55.3 million (1997)
 * 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
 * 34.8 million (1997)
 * .fr
 * 2,396,761 (2004)
 * 62 (2000)
 * 21.9 million (2003)
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!| Railways: standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) !| Highways: paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) !| Waterways: !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 4 registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95 !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.) !| Heliports:
 * total: 32,175 km
 * total: 894,000 km
 * 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)
 * gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)
 * Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg (2003)
 * total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
 * 477 (2003 est.)
 * total: 283
 * total: 195
 * 3 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
 * 17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)
 * males age 15-49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)
 * males: 394,413 (2004 est.)
 * $45,238.1 million (2003)
 * 2.6% (2003)
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