France
Country Guide

Explore France

France with its capital Paris is located in Europe (Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel). It covers some 551,501 square kilometers (slightly more than four times the size of Georgia) with a population of 67,106,200. French, Breton, Corsican, Catalan, Basque and Occitan are the languages spoken by people in France (consider regional differences). Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain and Switzerland are bordering countries.

France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast, Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west, across the Pyrenees mountain range (the small country of Andorra lies in between the two countries). France has been the world's most popular tourist destination for over twenty years (81.9 million in 2007) and it's geographically one of the most diverse countries in Europe. Its cities contain some of the greatest treasures in Europe, its countryside is prosperous and well tended and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, the French Riviera, the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the French Alps, the castles of the Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy.

Popular Destinations in France

Administrative regions of France

• Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
• Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
• Brittany Region
• Centre Region
• Corsica
• Grand-Est
• Hauts-de-France
• Ile-de-France Region
• Normandy
• Nouvelle-Aquitaine
• Occitanie
• Pays de la Loire Region
• Provence-Alpes-Cote d-Azur Region

About the country

The topography is mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west with the remainder being mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east. The average density of population is about 122 per km². The climate in France can be described as generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean with occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral. Potential natural disasters are avalanches, drought, flooding, forest fires in south near the Mediterranean and midwinter windstorms.

To reach someone France dial +33 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".fr". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, E). The sign for the locally used currency Euro is EUR.

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 when the "ancient French color" of white was combined with the blue and red colors of the Parisian militia; the official flag for all French dependent areas.

France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 50)	551,500	sq km
Land (World Rank: 48)	549,970	sq km
Water (World Rank: 99)	1,530	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 103)	17.50	%
Comparative	slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas
Note	metropolitan France
Coastline
3427
Landborder
2751
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 43)	-2	m
Highest point (World Rank: 31)	4,810	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 65)	52.70	%
Arable (World Rank: 27)	33.40	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 99)	1.80	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 103)	17.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 21)	26,000	sq km
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues	- agricultural runoff - air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions - some forest damage from acid rain - water pollution from urban wastes
Agreement party	- 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 Seals - Antarctic Treaty - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources - 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
Hazzards	- avalanches - drought - flooding - forest fires in south near the Mediterranean - midwinter windstorms
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
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 21)	67,106,200
Deathrate (World Rank: 61)	0.93	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 160)	1.22	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 162)	0.39	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 55)	0.11	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 109)	2.07	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 42)	39.60
Female (World Rank: 37)	43.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 28)	6,360,220
0 14 female (World Rank: 28)	6,076,600
15 24 male (World Rank: 27)	4,045,900
15 24 female (World Rank: 27)	3,864,400
25 54 male (World Rank: 22)	12,773,900
25 54 female (World Rank: 23)	12,578,300
55 64 male (World Rank: 12)	4,020,510
55 64 female (World Rank: 14)	4,315,410
65 x male (World Rank: 10)	5,648,890
65 x female (World Rank: 10)	7,422,090
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 209)	0.32	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 17)	82	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 10)	85	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 26)	79	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 34)	3.23
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 18)	6.40
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 38)	98.70	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 87)	21.60	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 16)	100.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 9)	536,100,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 10)	436,100,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 3)	61,410,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 10)	20,790,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 196)	16.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 39)	48.80	%
Source renew (World Rank: 37)	16.90	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 73)	16,420	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 10)	1,096,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 76)	72,350,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 16)	1,270,000	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 14)	1,661,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 17)	433,400	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 8)	854,200	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 89)	28,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 26)	42,510,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 28)	5,419,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 74)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
385600000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 45)	6	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 43)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 8)	12	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 123)	-3	% of GDP
National symbol
Marianne
National colours
white
Adjective
French
Noun
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
Background
France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
Flag description
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 when the "ancient French color" of white was combined with the blue and red colors of the Parisian militia; the official flag for all French dependent areas

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 10)	2,735,000,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 164)	1.20	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 40)	42,300	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 185)	1.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 154)	19.60	%
Source service (World Rank: 29)	78.80	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 19)	30,430,000
In poverty (World Rank: 139)	14.00	%
Products
Industries	- aircraft - automobiles - chemicals - electronics - food processing - machinery - metallurgy - textiles - tourism
Agriculture	- beef - cereals - dairy products - fish - potatoes - sugar beets - wheat - wine grapes
Exports	- aircraft - beverages - chemicals - iron - machinery - pharmaceutical products - plastics - steel - transportation equipment
Imports	- aircraft - chemicals - crude oil - equipment - machinery - plastics - vehicles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 6)	39,006,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 12)	58.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 134)	101.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 11)	57,226,600
Population (World Rank: 33)	85.60	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 8)	294
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 23)	170.00
Heliports (World Rank: 94)	1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 10)	29,640
Road
Total length (World Rank: 8)	1,028,450
Paved length (World Rank: 3)	1,028,450
Water
Total length (World Rank: 16)	8,501

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