Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France lost many men, much wealth, its extensive empire, and its rank as a dominant nation-state. France has struggled since 1958_arguably with success_to construct a presidential democracy resistant to the severe instabilities inherent in the parliamentary democracy of early 20th century France.

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 3,427 km (includes Corsica, 644 km)

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf:200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

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

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash

Land use: 32% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures; 27% forest and woodland; 16% other; includes 2% irrigated

Geography
Note: largest West European nation

Population: 55,994,085 (July 1989), growth rate 0.3% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women; adjective - French

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

Languages: French (100% of population; rapidly declining regional dialects (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

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

Birth rate: 14 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 10 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: most of large urban areas and industrial centers in Rhone, Garonne, Seine, or Loire River basins; occasional warm tropical wind known as mistral

Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 80 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 99%

Country name: conventional long form: French Republic

Government type: republic

Capital: Paris

Administrative divisions: metropolitan France - 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 - the 22 regions are subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the territorial collectivities (Mayotte, St. Pierre and Miquelon)

Dependent areas: (10) 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

Independence: unified by Clovis in 486, First Republic proclaimed in 1792

National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962

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

Suffrage: universal over age 18; not compulsory

Executive branch: Chief of State - President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981; Head of Government - Prime Minister Michel ROCARD (since 10 March 1988)

Legislative branch: Army of the Ground, Navy, Army of the Air, National Gendarmerie

International organization participation: ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, EIB, EMA, EMS, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC - International Whaling Commission, NATO (signatory), OAS (observer), OECD, South Pacific Commission, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Emmanuel de MARGERIE; Chancery at 4,101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC 20,007; telephone (202) 944-6,000; there are French Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico; US - Ambassador-Designate Walter J. P. CURLEY; Embassy at 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75,382 Paris Cedex 08 (mailing address is APO New York 9,777; telephone Õ33å (1) 42-96-12-02 or 42-61-80-75; there are US Consulates General in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, and Strasbourg

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Ivory Coast, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy overview: One of the world's most developed economies, France has substantial agricultural resources and a highly diversified modern industrial sector. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make it the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. France is largely self-sufficient in agricultural products and is a major exporter of wheat and dairy products. The industrial sector generates about one-third of GDP and employs about one-third of the work force. Major branches of manufacturing are steel, motor vehicles, aircraft, mechanical and electrical engineering, textiles, chemicals, and food processing. During the period 1982-86 economic growth was sluggish, annually averaging only 1.4%. The economy has had difficulty generating enough jobs for new entrants into the labor force, resulting in an unemployment rate still over 10%, but an upward trend may be beginning with the strong growth of 1988. The steadily advancing economic integration within the European Community is a major force affecting the fortunes of the various economic sectors.

Agriculture products: beef, dairy products, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; self-sufficient for most temperate zone foodstuffs; agricultural shortages include fats and oils, tropical produce

Industries: steel, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, automobiles, food processing, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 2.1% (1987)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1988)

Budget: revenues $189.4 billion; expenditures $208.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $153.6 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel products, textiles and clothing
Partners: FRG 16.1%, Italy 11.8%, Belgium-Luxembourg 9.1%, UK 8.8%, US 7.4%, Netherlands 4.9%, Spain 4.1%, Japan 1.4%, USSR 1.3% (1986)

Imports: $162.4 billion (c.i.f., 1988 est.)
Commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products
Partners: FRG 19.3%, Italy 11.6%, Belgium-Luxembourg 9.4%, US 7.5%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 5.7%, Spain 4.1%, Japan 3.6%, USSR 2.1% (1986)

Debt external: $59.3 billion (December 1987)

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 6.2503 (January 1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 103,417,000 kW capacity; 384,350 million kWh produced, 6,910 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $36.7 billion, 16% of central government budget (1988 est.)

Airports: 471 total, 460 usable; 213 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 34 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 132 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: crude oil, 3,059 km; refined products, 4,487 km; natural gas, 24,746 km

Waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled

Merchant marine: 185 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,226,549 GRT/7,852,321 DWT; includes 11 short-sea passenger, 24 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 20 container, 1 heavy-lift carrier, 33 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 43 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 4 specialized tanker, 22 bulk, 2 combination bulk

Disputes international: maritime boundary dispute with Canada (St. Pierre and Miquelon; Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; Seychelles claims Tromelin Island; Suriname claims part of French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land)