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 the euro in January 2002. At present France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 2 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 547,030 km²
Land: 545,630 km²
Note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
Water: 1,400 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries
Total: 2,889 km
Border countries: (8) 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: 3,427 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

Climate: 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

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: coal iron ore bauxite zinc potash timber fish

Land use
Arable land: 33.3%
Permanent crops: 2.11%
Other: 64.59% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20,000 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

Geography
Note: largest West European nation

Population: 60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 0.42% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: 6.4% (1999)

Nationality
Noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
Adjective: French

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

Languages: French 100% rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal Breton Alsatian Corsican Catalan Basque Flemish)

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%-88% Protestant 2% Jewish 1% Muslim 5%-10% unaffiliated 4%

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850)
65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.3 years
Male: 36.8 years
Female: 39.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.54 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 9.05 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Environment
Current issues: some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes agricultural runoff
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.37 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.83 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 4.89 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.28 years
Male: 75.63 years
Female: 83.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 100,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 800 (2001 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (1980 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: French Republic
Conventional short form: France
Local long form: Republique Francaise
Local short form: France

Government type: republic

Capital: Paris

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: 486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday: Bastille Day 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 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 1993

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
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 2001); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second round NA 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 - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66; 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 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)

Judicial branch: 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

Political parties and leaders: Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; 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]; Liberal Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR; now merged into the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (merged into UMP) [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Martine BILLARD Denis BAUPIN Stephane POCRAIN Maryse ARDITI]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL CDS UDF RP and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR DL and a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]

International organization participation: ACCT AfDB AsDB Australia Group BDEAC BIS BSEC (observer) CDB (non-regional) CE CERN EAPC EBRD ECA (associate) ECE ECLAC EIB EMU ESA ESCAP EU FAO 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 MINURSO MIPONUH MONUC NAM (guest) NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE PCA SPC UN UN Security Council UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNIKOM UNITAR UNMEE UNMIBH UNMIK UNMOVIC UNOMIG UNRWA UNTSO UNU UPU WADB (nonregional) WCL WCO WEU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
In the us chancery: 4,101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us fax: [1] (202) 944-6,166
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 944-6,000
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
From the us embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75,382 Paris Cedex 08
From the us mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 9,777
From the us telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
From the us fax: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
From the us consulates general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side) white and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); 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

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 Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many large companies banks and insurers but still retains controlling stakes in several leading firms including Air France France Telecom Renault and Thales and remains 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. At the end of 2002 the government was 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 was also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization high debt and the steep cost of capital.

Real gdp growth rate: 1.2% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 26%
Services: 71% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat cereals sugar beets potatoes wine grapes; beef dairy products; fish

Industries: machinery chemicals automobiles metallurgy aircraft electronics; textiles food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2002)

Labor force: 26.6 million (2001 est.)
By occupation services: 71%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation agriculture: 4% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 9.1% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 6.4% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income gini index: 32.7 (1995)

Budget
Revenues: $286 billion
Expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2002 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.8% (2002 est.)

Exports: $307.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment aircraft plastics chemicals pharmaceutical products iron and steel beverages
Partners: Germany 15% UK 9.8% Spain 9% Italy 9% US 7.8% Belgium 6.9% (2002)

Imports: $303.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles crude oil aircraft plastics chemicals
Partners: Germany 19.4% Belgium 9.2% Italy 8.8% UK 7.3% Netherlands 7% US 6.8% Spain 6.7% (2002)

Debt external: NA (1998)

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002) 1.12 (2001) 1.09 (2000) 0.94 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 8.2%
Production by source hydro: 14%
Production by source other: 0.7% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 77.1%
Consumption: 415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 4.2 billion kWh (2001)

Natural gas
Production: 1.898 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 42.01 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 1.725 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 40.26 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 12.86 billion m³ (37,257)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 34.86 million (yearend 1998)
Mobile cellular: 11.078 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system
General assessment: highly developed
Domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
International: 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

Internet
Country code: .fr
Service providers isps: 62 (2000)
Users: 16.97 million (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $46.5 billion (2000)
Percent of gdp: 2.57% (2002)

Airports: 477 (2002)
With paved runways total: 273
With paved runways over 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 28
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 80
With paved runways under 914 m: 57 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 95
With unpaved runways total: 204
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 74
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 128 (2002)

Heliports: 3 (2002)

Pipelines: gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)

Railways
Total: 32,682 km
Standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Waterways: 14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

Merchant marine
Total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 4
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden 9 (2002 est.)

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 French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine Southwest Asian heroin and European synthetics