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| France | Plants and Animal | Back to Top |
France’s generally mild climate, ample rainfall, mixture of elevations, and long growing season, offer habitat for many species of plants and animals. Centuries of human settlement have profoundly altered the land and greatly reduced the number and variety of indigenous species. Conservation efforts in recent decades have helped protect valuable undeveloped areas that remain.The natural vegetation of France is closely related to climatic conditions. In the mountains, the highest elevations near the snow line consist of expanses of bare rock with only a few mosses and lichens growing in sheltered areas.
| France | Communications | Back to Top |
highly developed
domestic: considerable cable and microwave radio relay; considerable 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
| France | Culture | Back to Top |
French culture is derived from an ancient civilization composed of a complex mix of Celtic, Greco-Roman, and Germanic elements. Monuments, particularly from the time of Roman occupation, are numerous and include the amphitheatre at Arles, the arénes in Paris, and the aqueduct at Pont du Gard.During the Middle Ages a valuable culture developed, fostered in particular by scholars in monasteries and in universities and promoted well into the 18th century by a system of royal and aristocratic patronage. From the early 1700s and with the development of a middle class, the bourgeoisie, culture became more generally accessible. This time, extending into the 18th century, was the age of the Enlightenment, of inquiry and question. Cultural activity remained largely centred on Paris, though certain provincial cities such as Aix-les-Bains or Lyon had an active life of their own. With free primary education compulsory by the late 19th century, basic literacy ensured that the general cultural level was raised.
The culture of France has profoundly determined that of the entire Western world, particularly in the areas of art and letters, and Paris has long been regarded as the fountainhead of French culture. France first attained cultural preeminence in Europe during the Middle Ages; later, the wealth of the French crown in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries provided a subsidization of art on a scale comparable to that of the papacy in Rome, attracting to Paris many of Europe’s most talented artists and artisans.French styles still pervade much of Western culture. In the 20th century French cinema assumed a leading world position, particularly in the 1960s with the nouvelle vague (“new wave”) group of film directors, such as Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, and François Truffaut.
French literature has a long and valuable history. traditionally it is held to have begun in 842 with the Oath of Strasbourg, sworn to by Louis the German and Charles the Bald.In the 16th century the Renaissance flourished, and figures such as the poet Pierre de Ronsard, the satirist and humorist Rabelais, and Michel de Montaigne, credited with inventing the essay, were to become internationally acknowledged. French Neoclassical drama reached its apotheosis during the next hundred years in the tragedies of Pierre Corneille and Racine.Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau controlled the 18th century, particularly with their philosophical writings, but they contributed in a major way to all genres, Voltaire's novel Candide being singularly famous. Other authors of the time included the playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, for works such as Le Mariage de Figaro,s and Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, for his epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses
| France | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,573,199 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,127,793 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 390,064 (2001 est.)
| France | International Disputes | Back to Top |
Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin 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
| France | Economy | Back to Top |
France was still largely a nation of small farms and family-owned businesses. After World War II (1939-1945) the French government nationalized several business enterprises—particularly in energy, finance, and manufacturing—and it introduced a series of national development plans intended to modernize the economy. These reforms, along with European economic integration, helped secure a time of sustained economic growth in the quarter century following the war. Today, France is one of the world’s leading economic powers, ranking fourth within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), behind the United States, Japan, and Germany. It is also the leading agricultural producer in western Europe. In 1999 France’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $1.43 trillion, and per capita income was $24,430.
France is one of the major economic powers of the world, ranking along with such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Its financial position reflects an extended time of unprecedented growth that lasted for much of the postwar time until the mid-1970s; often this time was referred to as the trente glorieuses. Between 1960 and 1973 alone the increase in gross domestic product (GDP) averaged nearly 6 % each year. In the aftermath of the oil crisis of the early 1970s, growth rates were moderated considerably and unemployment rose substantially. By the end of the 1980s, development was renewed, although at a slower rate than recorded 20 years earlier.
France is in the midst of transition, from an economy that featured considerable government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government remains dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries, but it has been relaxing its control since the mid-1980s. The Socialist-led government has sold off part of its holdings in France Telecom, Air France, Thales, Thomson Multimedia, and the European Aerospace and Defense Company (EADS). 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 done little to cut generous unemployment and retirement benefits which impose a heavy tax burden and discourage hiring. It has also shied from measures that would dramatically increase the use of stock options and retirement investment plans; such measures would boost the stock market and fast-growing IT firms as well as ease the burden on the pension system, but would disproportionately benefit the valuable. In addition to the tax burden, the reduction of the work week to 35-hours has drawn criticism for lowering the competitiveness of French companies.
| France | Education | Back to Top |
There are also private schools and colleges in France, most controlled by the Roman Catholic Church. About one in six students under the age of 16 attends private schools. The adult literacy rate in France is 99 %, one of the world’s highest. Public education in France is highly centralized. The centralization of state control over school administration began in the early 19th century under Napoleon I. Prior to the French Revolution in 1789, most schools were administered by the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the main features of the modern educational system were adopted in the late 19th century, under the leadership of Education Minister Jules Ferry. A series of laws, enacted between 1881 and 1886, provided for free, compulsory public education entirely under government control.
| France | Government | Back to Top |
The constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by public vote on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the administrator in relation to Parliament. Under the constitution, presidents have been elected directly for a 7-year term since 1958. Beginning in 2002, the term of office is now 5 years. Presidential arbitration assures regular functioning of the public powers and the continuity of the state. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties.
The president may submit questions to a national vote and can dissolve the National Assembly. In certain emergency situations, the president may assume full powers. Besides the president, the other main component of France's administrator branch is the cabinet. Led by a prime minister, who is the head of government, the cabinet is composed of a varying number of ministers, ministers-delegate, and secretaries of state. Parliament meets for one 9-month session each year. Under special circumstances an additional session can be called by the president.
Although parliamentary powers are diminished from those existing under the Fourth Republic, the National Assembly can still cause a government to fall if an absolute majority of the total Assembly membership votes to censure. The Parliament is bicameral with a National Assembly and a Senate. The National Assembly is the principal legislative body. Its deputies are directly elected to 5-year terms, and all seats are voted on in each election. Senators are chosen by an electoral college and, under new rules passed in 2003 to shorten the term, serve for six years, with one-half of the Senate being renewed every three years.The Senate's legislative powers are limited; the National Assembly has the last word in the event of a disagreement between the two houses. The government has a strong determine in shaping the agenda of Parliament. The government also can declare a bill to be a question of confidence, thereby linking its continued existence to the passage of the legislative text; unless a motion of censure is introduced and voted, the text is considered adopted without a vote.
The most typical feature of the French judicial system is that it is separated into the Constitutional Council and the Council of State. The Constitutional Council examines legislation and decides whether it conforms to the constitution. Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, it considers only legislation that is referred to it by Parliament, the prime minister, or the president; moreover, it considers legislation before it is published. The Ordinary Courts--including specialized bodies such as the police court, the criminal court, the correctional tribunal, the commercial court, and the industrial court--settle disputes that arise between citizens, as well as disputes that arise between citizens and corporations. The Court of Appeals reviews cases judged by the Ordinary Courts.
traditionally, decision-making in France has been highly centralized, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government. In 1982, the national government passed legislation to decentralize authority by giving a wide range of administrative and fiscal powers to local elected officials. In March 1986, regional councils were directly elected for the first time, and the process of decentralization continues, albeit at a slow pace.
| France | History | Back to Top |
France was one of the earliest countries to progress from feudalism to the nation-state. Its monarchs surrounded themselves with capable ministers, and French armies were among the most innovative, disciplined, and professional of their day.
Finally, on May 13, 1958, the government structure collapsed as a result of the tremendous opposing pressures generated in the divisive Algerian issue. A threatened coup led the Parliament to call on General de Gaulle to head the government and prevent civil war. He became prime minister in June 1958 and was elected president in December of that year.
The center of domestic attention soon shifted, to the economic reform and belt-tightening measures required for France to meet the criteria for Economic and Monetary Union laid out by the Maastvaluablet Treaty. In late 1995, France experienced its worst labor unrest in at least a decade, as employees protested government cutbacks. On the foreign and security policy front, Chirac took a more assertive approach to protecting French peacekeepers in the former Yugoslavia and helped promote the peace accords negotiated in Dayton and signed in Paris in December 1995. The French have been one of the strongest supporters of NATO and EU policy in Kosovo and the Balkans. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the U.S., France played a central role in the war on terrorism. French forces, including the Charles de Gaulle carrier battle group, participated in Operation Enduring Freedom. French troops also took part in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for Afghanistan. See Political Conditions for most recent election.
| France | Introduction | Back to Top |
France, officially French Republic nation in western Europe,bounded on the north by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, and the North Sea;on the north-east by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany; on the east by Germany, Switzerland, and Italy; on the south-east by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by Spain; and on the west by the Bay of Biscay .France is around hexagonal in shape, with an extreme length from north to south of about 965 km (600 mi) and a maximum width of about 935 km (580 mi). The capital and largest city is Paris. The republic of France includes ten overseas possessions. These include the overseas departments of French Guiana, in South America; Martinique and Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean; and Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. Territorial collectivities and dependencies include St Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, the French Southern and Antarctic Territories, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. The total area of metropolitan France, which also includes the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, is 543,965 sq km (210,026 sq mi).
Population
58,317,450
(1996 estimate)
Population Density
107 people/sq km
(278 people/sq mi)
(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
74% Urban
26% Rural
Largest Cities
Paris2,152,423
Marseille 800,550
Lyon 415,487
(1990 census)
Largest Metropolitan Areas
Paris9,318,821
Lyon1,262,223
Marseille1,230,936
(1990 census)
Ethnic Groups
94%French
including Alsatians, Bretons, and other regional peoples
6%Other
including Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, Africans, and others
Languages
Official Language
French
Other Languages
many regional dialects, including Alsatian,Breton,Basque,Provencal
Religions
90% Roman Catholicism
10% Other
including Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam
| France | Land | Back to Top |
N/A
| France | Languages | Back to Top |
French is the official language of France and is spoken by the large majority of people in the nation. Modern French is a dialect of the langue d’oïl, a form of the French language that originated in northern France. This dialect developed in the Île de France, a historic province that includes Paris and much of the surrounding Paris Basin. Beginning in medieval times, the language of the Île de France gradually began to supplant the other French dialects. Today it enjoys overwhelming dominance in French daily life, including in commerce, education, government, and culture.
| France | Legal | Back to Top |
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts vote: 18 years of age; universal administrator branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May 2002); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; % of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN (PS) 47.36% Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, 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) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2001); National Assembly - last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA May 2002) election results: Senate - % of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 99, UDC 52, DL 47, PS 78, PCF 16, other 29; National Assembly - % of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, MEI 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7 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
| France | Life | Back to Top |
French have taken pride in the sophistication of their culture, the beauty of their spoken language, and their various accomplishments in literature, the arts, and sciences. Even French cuisine and clothing fashions have long been a source of national pride. During the second half of the 20th century, as French society grew increasingly middle class and consumer oriented, a new set of attitudes and pursuits appeared alongside these elitist cultural attitudes. Material comforts, such as homes, new appliances, and automobiles, became synonymous with a high standard of living.
| France | organization | Back to Top |
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, 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, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
| France | People | Back to Top |
The most widely spoken regional language is Occitan, also called the langue d’oc (Languedoc), which is prevalent in southern France. Perhaps 5 or 6 million people speak Provençal, the major dialect of the langue d’oc. Nearly all of these speakers speak the dominant French language as well. The languages spoken north and south of the Loire River began diverging in the early Middle Ages and by the late 13th century had emerged as distinct languages. The langue d’oc is rooted in a Latin-derived regional culture that was once much more Mediterranean and Roman-determined than the German-determined culture of northern France. The French state’s historical drive to create a unified French language, in part by requiring state primary schools to teach in the language of the Île de France, has succeeded in assimilating the langue d’oc. In 1993, in a show of greater tolerance, the French government permitted state schools to teach regional languages, including the langue d’oc.
The French are, paradoxically, strongly conscious of belonging to a single nation, but they hardly constitute a unified racial group by any scientific gauge. Before the official find of the Americas at the end of the 15th century, France, located on the western extremity of the Old World, was regarded for centuries by Europeans as being near the edge of the known world. Generations of different migrants traveling by way of the Mediterranean from the Middle East and Africa and through Europe from Central Asia and the Nordic lands settled permanently in France, forming a variegated grouping, almost like a series of geologic strata, since they were unable to migrate any farther. Perhaps the oldest reflection of these migrations is furnished by the Basque people, who live in an isolated area west of the Pyrenees, in both Spain and France, and whose origin remains unclear. The Celtic tribes, known to the Romans as Gauls, spread from central Europe in the time 500 BC–AD 500 to offer France with a major component of its population
The French language derives from the vernacular Latin spoken by the Romans in Gaul, although it includes many Celtic and Germanic words. French has been an international language for centuries and is a common second language throughout the world. It is one of five official languages at the United Nations. In Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the West Indies, French has been a unifying factor, particularly in those countries where it serves as the only common language among a mixture of indigenous languages and dialects.
| France | Politics | Back to Top |
Citizens Movement or MdC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; French Communist Party or PCF [Robert HUE]; Independent Ecological Movement or MEI [Antoine WAECHTER]; 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) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DEVILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michelle ALLIOT-MARIE]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of UDC, FD, RRRS, PPDF) [Francois BAYROU]; Union of the Center or UDC [leader NA]
| France | Provinces | Back to Top |
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 Metropolitan France is separated into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subseparated 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: 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
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| France | Time | Back to Top |
| France | Currency and General Information | Back to Top |
| Countries Currency Unit | FRF/Unit | Units/FRF | |
| DZD | Algeria Dinars | 0.0972833 | 10.2793 |
| USD | United States Dollars | 7.53099 | 0.132785 |
| ARS | Argentina Pesos | 2.55721 | 0.391051 |
| AUD | Australia Dollars | 4.01789 | 0.248887 |
| ATS | Austria Schillings ** | 0.476703 | 2.09774 |
| BSD | Bahamas Dollars | 7.53099 | 0.132785 |
| BBD | Barbados Dollars | 3.78442 | 0.264241 |
| BEF | Belgium Francs ** | 0.162607 | 6.14978 |
| BMD | Bermuda Dollars | 7.53099 | 0.132785 |
| BRL | Brazil Reals | 3.23914 | 0.308724 |
| GBP | United Kingdom Pounds | 10.7382 | 0.0931259 |
| BGL | Bulgaria Leva | 3.36856 | 0.296863 |
| CAD | Canada Dollars | 4.72114 | 0.211813 |
| CLP | Chile Pesos | 0.0114723 | 87.1665 |
| CNY | China Yuan Renminbi | 0.909826 | 1.09911 |
| CYP | Cyprus Pounds | 11.4627 | 0.0872395 |
| CZK | Czech Republic Koruny | 0.212446 | 4.70707 |
| DKK | Denmark Kroner | 0.882980 | 1.13253 |
| XCD | East Caribbean Dollars | 2.78926 | 0.358518 |
| EGP | Egypt Pounds | 1.62569 | 0.615125 |
| EUR | Euro | 6.55957 | 0.152449 |
| FJD | Fiji Dollars | 3.36957 | 0.296774 |
| FIM | Finland Markkaa ** | 1.10324 | 0.906421 |
| FRF | France Francs ** | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| DEM | Germany Deutsche Marks ** | 3.35385 | 0.298164 |
| XAU | Gold Ounces | 2,276.21 | 0.000439327 |
| GRD | Greece Drachmae ** | 0.0192504 | 51.9470 |
| HKD | Hong Kong Dollars | 0.965561 | 1.03567 |
| HUF | Hungary Forint | 0.0269758 | 37.0702 |
| ISK | Iceland Kronur | 0.0753146 | 13.2776 |
| INR | India Rupees | 0.154311 | 6.48041 |
| IDR | Indonesia Rupiahs | 0.000766558 | 1,304.53 |
| IEP | Ireland Pounds ** | 8.32894 | 0.120063 |
| ILS | Israel New Shekels | 1.58783 | 0.629790 |
| ITL | Italy Lire ** | 0.00338774 | 295.182 |
| JMD | Jamaica Dollars | 0.158181 | 6.32188 |
| JPY | Japan Yen | 0.0567734 | 17.6139 |
| JOD | Jordan Dinars | 10.6220 | 0.0941443 |
| LBP | Lebanon Pounds | 0.00497424 | 201.036 |
| LUF | Luxembourg Francs ** | 0.162607 | 6.14978 |
| MYR | Malaysia Ringgits | 1.98236 | 0.504449 |
| MXN | Mexico Pesos | 0.835818 | 1.19643 |
| NZD | New Zealand Dollars | 3.31728 | 0.301452 |
| NOK | Norway Kroner | 0.850608 | 1.17563 |
| NLG | Netherlands Guilders ** | 2.97660 | 0.335953 |
| PKR | Pakistan Rupees | 0.125412 | 7.97372 |
| PHP | Philippines Pesos | 0.147609 | 6.77467 |
| XPT | Platinum Ounces | 3,908.42 | 0.000255858 |
| PLN | Poland Zlotych | 1.83157 | 0.545979 |
| PTE | Portugal Escudos ** | 0.0327190 | 30.5633 |
| ROL | Romania Lei | 0.000228662 | 4,373.26 |
| RUR | Russia Rubles | 0.241998 | 4.13226 |
| SAR | Saudi Arabia Riyals | 2.00823 | 0.497950 |
| XAG | Silver Ounces | 34.8673 | 0.0286802 |
| SGD | Singapore Dollars | 4.08804 | 0.244616 |
| SKK | Slovakia Koruny | 0.157059 | 6.36704 |
| ZAR | South Africa Rand | 0.663070 | 1.50814 |
| KRW | South Korea Won | 0.00570182 | 175.383 |
| ESP | Spain Pesetas ** | 0.0394238 | 25.3654 |
| XDR | IMF Special Drawing Rights | 9.38976 | 0.106499 |
| SDD | Sudan Dinars | 0.0289654 | 34.5240 |
| SEK | Sweden Kronor | 0.726865 | 1.37577 |
| CHF | Switzerland Francs | 4.47936 | 0.223246 |
| TWD | Taiwan New Dollars | 0.215479 | 4.64082 |
| THB | Thailand Baht | 0.172921 | 5.78300 |
| TTD | Trinidad and Tobago Dollars | 1.23055 | 0.812642 |
| TRL | Turkey Liras | 0.00000560301 | 178,475.48 |
| VEB | Venezuela Bolivares | 0.00817884 | 122.267 |
| ZMK | Zambia Kwacha | 0.00168479 | 593.547 |
| France : Geographic coordinates | 46 00 N, 2 00 E |
| France : Population growth rate | 0.37% |
| France : Birth rate | 12.1 births/1,000 population |
| France : Death rate | 9.09 deaths/1,000 population |
| France : People living with HIV/AIDS | 130,000 |
| France : Independence | N/A |
| France : National holiday | N/A |
| France : Constitution | N/A |
| France : GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.448 trillion |
| France : GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,400 |
| France : Electricity - consumption | 398.752 billion kWh |
| France : Exports | $325 billion machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical |
| France : Imports | $320 billion machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals |
| France : Telephones | 34.86 million |
| France : Mobile cellular | 11.078 million |
| France : Radio broadcast stations | AM 41, FM about 3,500 , shortwave 2 |
| France : Radios | 55.3 million |
| France : Television broadcast stations | 584 |
| France : Televisions | 34.8 million |
| France : Internet country code | .fr |
| France : Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 62 |
| France : Internet users | 9 million |
| France : Railways | 31,939 km |
| France : Highways | 892,900 km |
| France : Waterways | 14,932 km |
| France : Pipelines | crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural gas 24,746 km |
| France : Ports and harbors | Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg |
| France : Merchant marine | 46 ships |
| France : Airports | 475 |
| France : Heliports | 3 |
| France : Military branches | Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force |
| France : Military expenditures | $39.831 billion |