France

a mix of both publicly-operated and privately-owned TV stations; state-owned France Televisions operates 4 networks, one of which is a network of regional stations, and has part-interest in several thematic cable/satellite channels and international channels; a large number of privately-owned regional and local TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable services provide a large number of channels; public broadcaster Radio France operates 7 national networks, a series of regional networks, and operates services for overseas territories and foreign audiences; Radio France Internationale (RFI), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a leading international broadcaster; a large number of commercial FM stations, with many of them consolidating into commercial networks (2008)

metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re

17.266 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 7

45.262 million; 44.625 million (metropolitan France) (2009) country comparison to the world: 8

general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive use of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - more than 3 (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 overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe - 590; Martinique - 596; Mayotte - 262; Reunion - 262

39.883 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 7

59.84 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 21

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

revenues: $1.341 trillion expenditures: $1.458 trillion (2012 est.)

-4.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

1.5% (31 December 2012) country comparison to the world: 118 1.75% (31 December 2010) note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

3.6% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 3.43% (31 December 2011 est.)

-$58.7 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 -$54.44 billion (2011 est.)

$5.633 trillion (30 June 2011) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.698 trillion (30 June 2010)

32.7 (2008) country comparison to the world: 100 32.7 (1995)

The French economy is diversified across all sectors. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. However, the government maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. With at least 79 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. 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. France's real GDP contracted 2.6% in 2009, but recovered somewhat in 2010 and 2011, before stagnating in 2012. The unemployment rate increased from 7.4% in 2008 and has remained above 9% per year since then. Lower-than-expected growth and increased unemployment have strained France's public finances. The budget deficit rose sharply from 3.4% of GDP in 2008 to 7.5% of GDP in 2009 before improving to 4.5% of GDP in 2012, while France's public debt rose from 68% of GDP to 89% over the same period. Under President SARKOZY, Paris implemented some austerity measures to bring the budget deficit under the 3% euro-zone ceiling by 2013 and to highlight France's commitment to fiscal discipline at a time of intense financial market scrutiny of euro-zone debt. Socialist Party candidate Francois HOLLANDE won the May 2012 presidential election, after advocating pro-growth economic policies, the separation of banks' traditional deposit taking and lending activities from more speculative businesses, increasing the top corporate and personal tax rates, and hiring an additional 60,000 teachers during his five-year term. France ratified the EU fiscal stability treaty in October 2012 and HOLLANDE's government has maintained France's commitment to meeting the budget deficit target of 3% of GDP during 2013 even amid signs that economic growth will be lower than the government's forecast of 0.8%. Despite stagnant growth and fiscal challenges, France's borrowing costs declined during the second half of 2012 to euro-era lows.

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7838 (2012 est.) 0.7185 (2011 est.) 755 (2010 est.) 0.7198 (2009 est.) 0.6827 (2008 est.)

$567.5 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $589.7 billion (2011 est.)

machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Germany 16.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7.4%, Belgium 7.4%, UK 6.7%, US 5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2011)

calendar year

$2.58 trillion (2012 est.)

$2.253 trillion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $2.25 trillion (2011 est.) $2.212 trillion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

agriculture: 1.9% industry: 18.3% services: 79.8% (2012 est.)

$35,500 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $35,600 (2011 est.) $35,200 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

0.1% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 1.7% (2011 est.) 1.7% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)

$658.9 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $692 billion (2011 est.)

machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals

Germany 19.1%, Belgium 11.3%, Italy 7.7%, Netherlands 7.5%, Spain 6.6%, UK 5.1%, China 4.8% (2011)

2.4% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

2.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 2.3% (2011 est.)

19.9% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

29.62 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

agriculture: 3.8% industry: 24.3% services: 71.8% (2005)

$1.569 trillion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 8 $1.926 trillion (31 December 2010) $1.972 trillion (31 December 2009)

6.2% (2004)

89.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 86.1% of GDP (2011 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

$171.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $166.2 billion (2010 est.)

$2.571 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.499 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.702 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.615 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.11 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.049 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

$3.484 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $3.448 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

$928.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $901.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.) note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

52% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

9.8% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 9.2% (2011 est.)

395.2 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

1.428 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

49,530 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

90.01 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

451.4 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

66.6 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

20.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

17.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

53% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

5.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

37.1 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

119.1 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

539 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

41.52 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

5.378 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

47.04 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

587 million cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

5.522 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

1.792 million bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

487,200 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

778,400 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

1.694 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

total: 643,801 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France) country comparison to the world: 43 land: 640,427 sq km; 549,970 sq km (metropolitan France) water: 3,374 sq km; 1,530 sq km (metropolitan France) note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion

slightly less than the size of Texas

metropolitan France: 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 French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

total: 4,853 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m note: in order to assess the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been extensively measured in recent years; these new peak measurements have exceeded the traditional height of 4,807 m and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the actual rock summit is 4,792 m and is 40 m away from the ice-covered summit

some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

party to: 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-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%) per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)

metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

largest West European nation

total: 26,950 sq km; metropolitan France: 26,700 sq km (2003)

metropolitan France - 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 French Guiana - total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

arable land: 33.46% permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64.51% note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land 11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

metropolitan France: 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 French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

metropolitan France: Europe French Guiana: South America Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean Mayotte: Africa Reunion: World

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean) continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

189 cu km (2005)

27 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne (Burgundy), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica), Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martinique, Mayotte, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion, Rhone-Alpes note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 5 overseas regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 5 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)

name: Paris geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: applies to metropolitan France only, not to its overseas departments, collectivities, or territories

adopted by referendum 28 September 1958; effective 4 October 1958; amended many times note: amended in 1962 concerning election of president; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended in 1993 to tighten immigration laws; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum

conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique francaise local short form: France

Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles H. RIVKIN embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22 FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83 consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

chief of mission: Ambassador Francois M. DELATTRE chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Marc AYRAULT (since 16 May 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 April and 6 May 2012 (next to be held in the spring of 2017); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Francois HOLLANDE elected; first round: percent of vote - Francois HOLLANDE 28.6%, Nicolas SARKOZY 27.2%, Marine LE PEN 17.9%, Lean-Luc MELENCHON 11.1%, Francois BAYROU, 9.1%, others 6.1%; second round: HOLLANDE 51.6%, SARKOZY 48.4%

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 note: the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands

republic

no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic founded); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (348 seats; 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms; one third elected every three years); and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for overseas dependencies; members elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 25 September 2011 (next to be held in September 2014); National Assembly - last held on 10 and 17 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2017) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS/Greens 140, UMP 132, UDF 31, PCF/MRC 21, PRG 17, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PS 48.5%, UMP 33.6%, miscellaneous left wing parties 3.8%, The Greens 3.0%, miscellaneous right wing parties 2.6%, NC 2.1%, PRG 2.1%, FDG 1.7%, other 2.6%; seats by party - PS 280, UMP 194, miscellaneous left wing parties 22, The Greens 17, miscellaneous right wing parties 15, NC 12, PRG 12, FDG 10, other 15

name: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle note: adopted 1795, restored 1870; originally known as "Chant de Guerre pour l'Armee du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine), the National Guard of Marseille made the song famous by singing it while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolutionary Wars

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

Gallic rooster

Centrist Union or UDF [Nicolas ABOUT]; Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or UDF); French Communist Party or PCF [Pierre LAURENT]; Greens [Dominique VOYNET]; Left Front or FDG [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]; Left Party or PG [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG); Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Marine LE PEN]; New Anticapitalist Party or NPA [Myriam MARTIN and Christine POUPIN]; New Center or NC [Herve MORIN]; Radical Party [Jean-Louis BORLOO]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]; Socialist Party or PS [Herlem DESIR]; United Republic or RS [Dominique DE VILLEPIN]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Jean-Francois COPE]; Worker's Struggle or LO [Nathalie ARTHAUD]

Confederation francaise democratique du travail or CFDT, left-leaning labor union with approximately 803,000 members; Confederation francaise de l'encadrement - Confederation generale des cadres or CFE-CGC, independent white-collar union with 196,000 members; Confederation francaise des travailleurs chretiens of CFTC, independent labor union founded by Catholic workers that claims 132,000 members; Confederation generale du travail or CGT, historically communist labor union with approximately 700,000 members; Confederation generale du travail - Force ouvriere or FO, independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members; Mouvement des entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000 companies as members (claimed) French Guiana: conservationists; gold mining pressure groups; hunting pressure groups Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for an Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP Reunion: NA

18 years of age; universal

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-8, 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 take French forces out of 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 exchange 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.

males age 16-49: 14,563,662 females age 16-49: 14,238,434 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 12,025,341 females age 16-49: 11,721,827 (2010 est.)

male: 396,050 female: 377,839 (2010 est.)

Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale), Air Force (Armee de l'Air (AdlA); includes Air Defense) (2011)

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

17-40 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; 1 year service obligation; women serve in noncombat posts (2012)

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 6,285,130/ female 5,998,821) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 20,954,160/ female 20,937,651) 65 years and over: 17.5% (male 4,857,441/ female 6,597,489) (2012 est.)

12.7 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

8.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

5.6% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 38

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian

0.4% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

1,700 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

150,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

3.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 171

7.11 beds/1,000 population (2008)

total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 213 male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

French (official) 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)

total population: 81.46 years country comparison to the world: 14 male: 78.35 years female: 84.73 years (2012 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

PARIS (capital) 10.41 million; Marseille-Aix-en-Provence 1.457 million; Lyon 1.456 million; Lille 1.028 million; Nice-Cannes 977,000 (2009)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 157

total: 40.4 years male: 38.8 years female: 41.9 years (2012 est.)

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

16.9% (2007) country comparison to the world: 26

3.497 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

65,630,692 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 note: the above figure is for metropolitan France and five overseas regions; the metropolitan France population is 62,814,233

0.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population

total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2008)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

2.08 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

total: 22.6% country comparison to the world: 40 male: 23.4% female: 21.7% (2009)

urban population: 85% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia

metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

473 (2012) country comparison to the world: 17

total: 297 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 98 914 to 1,523 m: 83 under 914 m: 76 (2012)

total: 176 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 109 (2012)

1 (2012)

total: 162 country comparison to the world: 36 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 7, chemical tanker 34, container 27, liquefied gas 12, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 41, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 11 foreign-owned: 50 (Belgium 7, Bermuda 5, Denmark 11, French Polynesia 11, Germany 1, New Caledonia 3, Singapore 3, Sweden 4, Switzerland 5) registered in other countries: 151 (Bahamas 15, Belgium 7, Bermuda 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 16, Egypt 1, Hong Kong 4, Indonesia 1, Ireland 2, Italy 2, Luxembourg 15, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 7, Mexico 1, Morocco 3, Netherlands 2, Norway 5, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 3, South Korea 2, Taiwan 2, UK 39, US 4, unknown 1) (2010)

gas 15,276 km; oil 2,939 km; refined products 5,084 km (2010)

Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen

total: 29,640 km country comparison to the world: 9 standard gauge: 29,473 km 1.435-m gauge (15,361 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (63 km electrified) (2008)

total: 951,200 km (metropolitan France; includes 11,100 km of expressways) country comparison to the world: 8 note: there are another 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments (2007)

metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2010) country comparison to the world: 16