Chief
of State: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995)
Head of Government: Prime Minister
Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)
Government Type: republic |
Population:
60,876,136 (July 2006 est.)
Languages: French 100%, rapidly
declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal,
Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Religion: Roman Catholic 83%-88%,
Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated
4%
Life Expectancy: 79.73 |
Currency:
euro (EUR)
GDP(per capita): $29,900 (2005
est.)
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%.
Exports: machinery and transportation
equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical
products, iron and steel, beverages
Import: machinery and equipment,
vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals |
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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
Area: total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the
overseas administrative divisions |
Background:
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.
Independence Day: 486 (unified
by Clovis)
Capital City: 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, Miquelon)
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