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This page was last updated on 15 March, 2007


Map of France



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    France Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    France Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
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
French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
46 00 N, 2 00 E
French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W
Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
French Guiana: South America
Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean
Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean
Reunion: World
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France)
land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France)
water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France)
note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km
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
Guadeloupe - total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
French Guiana - total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,668 km
metropolitan France: 3,427 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
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 devasting 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)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
total: 26,190 sq km;
metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
largest West European nation
   People    France Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 62,752,136
note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 39.1 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.35% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.73 years
male: 76.1 years
female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
120,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
   Government    France Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique francaise
local short form: France
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Paris
geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne, Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica), Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martinique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 overseas departments
Dependent areas:
Definition Field Listing
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; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas deparment
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 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; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister
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 22 April 2007, second round 6 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 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 18.04%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats - 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, 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 2006 and 2010, 15 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; starting in 2008, 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 - 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007)
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, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING, national secretary]; 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]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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)
French Guiana: NA
Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement of Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement
Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
Reunion: NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (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, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFTU, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 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:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    France Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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. The government in 2006 focused on introducing measures that attempt to boost employment through increased labor market flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor reforms, hampering the government's ability to revitalize the economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.871 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$2.154 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$30,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 20.6%
services: 77.2% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27.88 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 24.4%
services: 71.5% (1999)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.7% (December 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
6.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
26.7 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $1.15 trillion
expenditures: $1.211 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.2% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
549.4 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
482.4 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
68.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
8 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
73,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.97 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
474,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.89 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
159 million bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
45.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
770 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
44.78 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
341 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$-38 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$490 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, Belgium 7.1%, US 7.1% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 6.6%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$98.54 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.461 trillion (30 June 2006)
Economic aid - donor:
Definition Field Listing
ODA, $10.1 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
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
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    France Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.433 million; 35.7 million (metropolitan France) (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
49.37 million; 48.058 million (metropolitan France) (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: highly developed
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
overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe - 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.149 million; 3.148 million (metropolitan France) (2006)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29.945 million; 29.521 million (metropolitan France) (2006)
   Transportation    France Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 501
metropolitan France: 477 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 292 (metropolitan France) 15 (overseas departments)
over 3,047 m: 13 (metropolitan France) 3 (overseas departments)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 (metropolitan France) 1 (overseas departments)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 (metropolitan France)
914 to 1,523 m: 81 (metropolitan France) 5 (overseas departments)
under 914 m: 74 (metropolitan France) 6 (overseas departments) (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 185 (metropolitan France) 9 (overseas departments)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (metropolitan France)
914 to 1,523 m: 73 (metropolitan France) 2 (overseas departments)
under 914 m: 108 (metropolitan France) 7 (overseas departments) (2006)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
3 (2006)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 29,085 km
standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 956,303 km (including 5,083 km of roads in the overseas departments)
paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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) (2000)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway 1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)
registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6, Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5)
note: Reunion owns one ship registered in the Bahamas (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes (French Guiana), Dunkerque, Fort-de-France (Martinique), Gustavia (Guadeloupe), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port (Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg
   Military    France Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National Gendarmerie
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 17-49: 13,676,509
females age 17-49: 13,504,539 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 17-49: 11,262,661
females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 17-49: 389,204
females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.6% (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    France Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 15 March, 2007


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