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France |
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Travel Information Places to Visit Other Countries |
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France Travel Guide:Facts on France |
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| History Geography People Economy Communications Transportation | |||
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Map of France and its major cities
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| History | Top of Page |
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| 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. | ||
| Geography | Top of Page | |
| 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 | |
| Geographic Coordinates | 46 00 N, 2 00 E | |
| Area |
Total: 547,030 sq km Land: 545,630 sq km Note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions Water: 1,400 sq km |
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| Area - Comparative | Slightly less than twice the size of Colorado | |
| Land Boundaries |
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 |
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| Coastline | 3,427 km | |
| 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 Highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
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| Natural Resources | Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish | |
| Geography Note | Largest West European nation | |
| Natural hazards | Flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean | |
| People | Top of Page |
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| Population | 60,876,136 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age Structure |
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.) |
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| Nationality |
Noun: Frenchman (men), Frenchwoman (women) Adjective: French |
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| Ethnic Groups | Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities | |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% | |
| Language | French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish | |
| Literacy |
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 99%
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| Government | Top of Page |
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| Country Name |
Conventional long form: French Republic Conventional short form: France Local long form: Republique Francaise Local short form: France |
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| Government Type | Republic | |
| Capital | Paris | |
| 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 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) |
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| Independence | 486 (unified by Clovis) | |
| 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 | Top of Page | |
| 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. It retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is 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 government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In addition, it is 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 tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the Eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit; unemployment stands at 10%. | |
| Currency | Euro | |
| Currency Code |
EUR
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| Communications | Top of Page | |
| Telephone System |
General assessment: highly developed Domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable |
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| Internet Country Code | .fr | |
| Transportation | Top of Page | |
| Railways |
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) |
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| Roadways |
total: 891,290 km paved: 891,290 km (including 10,390 km of expressways) (2003) |
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| Waterways | 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000) | |
| Ports and Harbors | Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg | |
| France: | Travel Information Places to Visit Other Countries Top of Page |
