1996 Edition

Description

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Location

46 00 N, 2 00 E -- 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 Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Colorado

land area

545,630 sq km

note

includes only metropolitan France (which includes Corsica), but excludes the overseas administrative divisions

total area

547,030 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

3,427 km (mainland 2,783 km, Corsica 644 km)

Environment

current issues

some forest damage from acid rain; 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, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

flooding

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 2 00 E

Geographic note

largest West European nation; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

International disputes

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; Mexico claims Clipperton Island; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France; claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia

Irrigated land

14,850 sq km (1993 est.); note - includes Corsica

Land boundaries

border countries

Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km

total

2,892.4 km

Land use

arable land

32%

forest and woodland

27%

meadows and pastures

23%

note

includes Corsica

other

16%

permanent crops

2%

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash

Terrain

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

highest point

Mont Blanc 4,807 m

lowest point

Rhone River delta -2 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.04% (male 5,688,505; female 5,417,355) 15-64 years: 65.62% (male 19,147,369; female 19,120,935) 65 years and over: 15.34% (male 3,589,100; female 5,354,186) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

10.82 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.11 years (1996 est.)

male

73.98 years

total population

77.93 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

58,317,450 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.34% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.67 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

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 are subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)

Capital

Paris

Constitution

28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993

Data code

FR

Dependent areas

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Francois BUJON DE L'ESTANG

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

telephone

[1] (202) 944-6000

Executive branch

cabinet

the Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister

chief of state

President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) was elected for a seven-year term by direct universal suffrage; election last held 17 May 1995 (next to be held by May 2002); results - Second Ballot Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%

head of government

Prime Minister Alain JUPPE (since 18 May 1995) was appointed by the president

FAX

[33] (1) 42 66 97 83

consulate(s) general

Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Independence

486 (unified by Clovis)

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Appeals (Cour de Cassation), judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlement)

Name of country

conventional long form

French Republic

conventional short form

France

local long form

Republique Francaise

local short form

France

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (577 total) RPR 247, UDF 213, PS 67, PCF 24, independents 26; note - seating as of 24 September 1995: RPR 247, UDF 208, PS 71, PCF 24, independents 27

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Other political or pressure groups

Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - CGT) nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail - CFDT) about 800,000 members (est.); independent labor union (Force Ouvriere) 1 million members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais - CNPF or Patronat)

Political parties and leaders

Rally for the Republic (RPR), Alain JUPPE, president; Union for French Democracy (UDF - coalition of PR, FD, RAD, PSD), Francois LEOTARD; Republican Party (PR), Francois LEOTARD; Democratic Force (FD), Francois BAYROU; Radical (RAD), Andre ROSSINOT; Socialist Party (PS), Lionel JOSPIN; Left Radical Movement (MRG); Communist Party (PCF), Robert HUE; National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN; The Greens, Dominique VOYNET; Generation Ecology (GE), Brice LALONDE; Citizens Movement (MDC), Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT

Senate (Senat)

elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held September 1998; nine-year term, elected by thirds every three years); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (321 total; 296 metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad) RPR 91, UDF 132, PS 75, PCF 16, other 7

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Pamela C. HARRIMAN

embassy

2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08

mailing address

PSC 116, APO AE 09777

telephone

[33] (1) 43-12-22-22

Agriculture

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically

Budget

expenditures

$249.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $47 billion (1993 budget)

revenues

$220.5 billion

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $7.915 billion (1993)

Economic overview

One of the four West European trillion-dollar economies, the French economy features considerable - albeit diminishing - state control over its capitalistic market system. In running important industrial segments (railways, airlines, electricity, telecommunications), administrating an exceptionally generous social welfare system, and staffing an enormous bureaucracy, the state spends about 55% of GDP. France has substantial agricultural resources and a 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. Largely self-sufficient in agricultural products, France is a major exporter of wheat and dairy products. The industrial sector generates about one-quarter of GDP, and the growing services sector has become crucial to the economy. Following stagnation and recession in 1991-93, French GDP expanded 2.4% in 1994 and in 1995. Persistently high unemployment still poses a major problem for the government, as will the need to cut back on welfare benefits and bureaucratic budgets. Paris remains committed to maintaining the franc-deutsche mark parity, which has kept French interest rates high at the expense of jobs. Although the pace of economic and financial integration within the European Union has slowed down, integration will remain a major force in France, shaping the fortunes of the various economic sectors over the next few years.

Electricity

capacity

105,250,000 kW

consumption per capita

6,149 kWh (1993)

production

447 billion kWh

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)

Exports

$235.5 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel products, textiles and clothing

partners

Germany 17.1%, Italy 9.3%, Spain 7.1%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8.7%, UK 9.9%, Netherlands 4.6%, US 7.0%, Japan 2.0%, Russia 0.5%

External debt

$300 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.173 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

2.4%

industry

26.5%

services

71.1% (1994)

GDP per capita

$20,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Imports

$229.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products

partners

Germany 17.8%, Italy 10.1%, US 8.5%, Netherlands 4.9%, Spain 8.8%, Belgium-Luxembourg 9.1%, UK 7.9%, Japan 3.7%, Russia 1.2%

Industrial production growth rate

2.6% (1994 est.)

Industries

steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (1995)

Labor force

24.17 million

by occupation

services 61.5%, industry 31.3%, agriculture 7.2% (1987)

note

includes Corsica

Unemployment rate

11.7% (yearend 1995)

Branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force and Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $47.7 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

14,782,577

males fit for military service

12,299,651

males reach military age (18) annually

383,252 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0

Radios

49 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

35 million (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

846 (mostly repeaters)

note

Eutelsat receive-only TV service

Televisions

29.3 million (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

note

includes Corsica

total

460

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

91

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

26

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

73

with paved runways over 3 047 m

13

with paved runways under 914 m

179

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

75 (1995 est.)

Heliports

3 (1995 est.)

Highways

note

includes Corsica

paved

811,200 km (including 7,700 km of expressways)

total

1,511,200 km

unpaved

700,000 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

note

France also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships in the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1995 est.)

ships by type

bulk 6, cargo 5, chemical tanker 5, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1

total

55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,203,086 GRT/1,779,263 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural gas 24,746 km

Ports

Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Railways

narrow gauge

367 km 1.000-m gauge

note

includes Corsica; does not include 33 tourist railroads, totalling 469 km, many being of very narrow gauge (1995)

standard gauge

33,524 km 1.435-m gauge; 32,275 km are operated by French National Railways (SNCF); 13,741 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132 km are double- or multiple-tracked

total

33,891 km

Waterways

14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled