GEOGRAPHY
· Area: 551,670 sq. km. (220,668 sq. mi.)
· largest west European country, about four-fifths (80%) the size of Texas.
· Major Cities: Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Nice, Rennes, Lille, Bordeaux. Nantes.
· Terrain: Varied.
· Climate: Temperate.
· France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to
the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy,
the south by the Mediterranean
the southwest by Spain and Andorra
the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
· Due to its overseas departments, France also shares land borders with Brazil and Suriname (bordering French Guiana) , and the Netherlands Antilles (bordering Saint-Martin). France is also linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel.
· Coastline: The country has some 2,900km (1,800 miles) of coastline.
· Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg.
· Airports: 478
ü The Charles de Gaulle International Airport located in the vicinity of Paris is the largest and busiest airport in the country.
ü Air France is the national carrier airline
· Bridge: France possesses the world's tallest road bridge- the Millau Viaduct, and has built many important bridges such as the Pont de Normandie.
PEOPLE
· Population (January 1, 2008 est.): 63,753,000 (including overseas territories), 61,875,000 (metropolitan).
· Population density: 111 per sq km. (290/ sq mil)
· Life expectancy: 79.9
· Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 1.9%.
· Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Sub-Saharan African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities.
· Religion: Roman Catholic 85% (est.), Muslim 10% (est.), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%.
(according to a January 2007 poll, 51% of respondents describe themselves as Catholic, and another 31% describe themselves as having no religious affiliation)
· Education: Years compulsory--10. Literacy--99%.
· Work force (2007, third quarter): 27.929 million: Services--74.7%; industry and commerce--22.0%; agriculture--3.2%.
· 77 regional languages are also spoken, in metropolitan France
GOVERNMENT
· Type: Republic (since 1792, French Republic), unitary semi-presidential republic.
Marianne is a symbol of the French Republic
· Constitution: September 28, 1958. (5th republic)
· French law: divided into two principal areas- private law and public law. Private law includes, in particular, civil law and criminal law. Public law includes, in particular, administrative law and constitutional law. However, in practical terms, French law comprises three principal areas of law: civil law; criminal law and administrative law.
· Branches:
Executive--president (chief of state); prime minister (head of government).
Legislative--bicameral Parliament (577-member National Assembly, 319-member Senate).
Judicial--Court of Cassation (civil and criminal law), Council of State (administrative court), Constitutional Council (constitutional law).
· Subdivisions: 26 administrative regions and 100 departments
Metropolitan France: 22 containing 96 departments.
Overseas regions: 4 containing 4 departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and Reunion)
5 overseas territories (New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna Islands, and French Southern and Antarctic Territories);
2 special status territories (Mayotte and St. Pierre and Miquelon). The government is considering measures to abolish the departmental system.
· Islands: France also maintains control over a number of small non-permanently inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island.
· Political parties: Union for a Popular Majority (UMP), Socialist Party, New Center; Modern Democracy; Communist Party; extreme right National Front; Greens; various minor parties.
· Suffrage: Universal at 18.
· Beginning in 2002, the presidential term of office was reduced to 5 years.
· The Parliament is bicameral with a National Assembly and a Senate. The National Assembly is the principal legislative body.
ECONOMY
· GDP (2006): $2.252 trillion.
· Monetary unit: Euro (formerly French franc)
· Avg. annual growth rate (2007): 1.8%, compared with 2.25% in 2006.
· Agriculture: Products--grains (wheat, barley, corn); wines and spirits; dairy products; sugar beets; oilseeds; meat and poultry; fruits and vegetables.
· Industry: Types--aircraft, electronics, transportation, textiles, clothing, food processing, chemicals, machinery, steel.
· Trade: Exports: automobiles, aircraft and aircraft components, pharmaceuticals, automobile equipment, pharmaceuticals, automobile equipment, iron and steel products, refined petroleum products, cosmetics, organic chemicals, electronic components, wine and champagne.
Imports (first 11 months of 2007)--$551.2 billion (f.o.b.): oil and natural gas, automobiles, aircraft and aircraft components, refined petroleum products, automobile equipment, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel products, and computers/computer-related products.
Major trading partners--EU and U.S.
· Exchange rate: U.S. $1= 0.7297 in 2007.
· France joined 11 other EU members to launch the euro on January 1, 1999, with euro coins and banknotes completely replacing the French franc (₣) in early 2002.
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