| Country Profile 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 hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary administrations. 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. Disputes
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Population and Demographics
France has a population of total: 64,057,790 note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2008 est.) .
Country Outline Map
Guadeloupe: 10.2 (Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2)
French Guiana: 1,183 (Brazil 673, Suriname 510) (km), and a coastline of 4,668 (3,427 mainland France) (km). Major urban areas: Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, Nice, Strasbourg, Toulouse.
Elevations
Lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
Highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Physical Features
River Seine, Alps (Mont Blanc, 4,807 m), Pyrenees, Jura Mountains, Armorican Massif, Massif Central, Cevennes Mountains, Vosges Mountains, Ardennes, Loire valley, Loire river, River Rhone, Garonne river, Jean Bernard caves, Pierre-Saint-Martin caves, Berger caves
Hazards
Flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean (overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion))
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 mistral
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
Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)
Natural Resources
Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish. French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
Land Use
Arable land: 33.46% permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64.51% note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land 11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)
Renewable Water Resources
189 cu km (2005)
Fresh Water Withdrawal
total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%) per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)
Environmental Issues
Some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Economic Data
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, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales.
It maintains a strong presence 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.
Widespread opposition to labor reform has in recent years hampered the government’s ability to revitalize the economy. In 2007, the government launched divisive labor reform efforts that will continue into 2008. France’s tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005).
France brought the budget deficit within the eurozone’s 3%-of-GDP limit for the first time in 2007 and has reduced unemployment to roughly 8%. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism.
Debt and Aid
Debt: $4.396 trillion (30 June 2007)
Aid Given: ODA, $10.6 billion (2006)
Aid Received:
Labour Force
Number in labour force: 27.81 million (2007 est.)
Sectors: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 24.4% services: 71.5% (1999)
Unemployment: 8.3% (2007 est.)
GDP Facts and Figures
Currency: euro (EUR)
GDP: $2.047 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $33,200 (2007 est.)
GDP Real Growth: 1.9% (2007 est.)
GDP Composition: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 21% services: 76.7% (2007 est.)
Production Growth Rate: 2% (2007 est.)
Industries, Land Use and Resource Consumption
Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Land use: arable land: 33.46% permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64.51% note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land 11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)
Exports: machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Electricity Consumption: 451.5 billion kWh (2005)
Natural Gas Consumption: 47.26 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Oil Consumption: 1.999 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
A selection of key transport and communications information for France
Number of main telephone lines
34.63 million; 33,897,000 (metropolitan France) (2006)
Mobile (cellular) phones
53.023 million; 51,662,000 (metropolitan France) (2006)
Radio stations
AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Television stations
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Internet users
31.295 million; 30.838 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Country internet code
.fr
Railways
total: 29,370 km standard gauge: 29,203 km 1.435-m gauge (14,778 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Highways
total: 956,303 km (includes 5,083 km of roads in the overseas departments) paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways
metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons)
French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2006)
Pipelines
gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)
Ports and harbours
Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg
Airports
476 (2007)
Heliports
3 (2007)
