| National | Land | Climate | Population | Culture | Economy | Government | Education | Health | Communications |
National
Official Name
République Française ('French Republic')
Capital
Paris
Flag
The distinctive red, white, and blue of the French flag date to 1789, when Louis
XVI was forced to add the red and blue of Paris to the white of the ruling Bourbon
family. The tricolour flag was officially adopted by the National Convention in
1794. >>
Anthem
'La Marseillaise' ('The Song of Marseille') >>
Land
Area
543,965 sq km (210,026 sq mi)
Elevations:
- Highest Point
Mont Blanc - 4807 m (15,771 ft) above sea level
- Lowest Point
Lac de Cazaux et de Sanguinet - 3 m (10 ft) below sea level
Climate
Average Temperatures
- Paris
January 4° C 39° F
July 20° C 67° F
- Lyon
January 2° C 36° F
July 21° C 70° F
Average Annual Precipitation
- Paris
620 mm (24 in)
- Lyon
810 mm (32 in)
Population
National Population :
58,317,450
(1996 estimate)
Population Density :
107 persons/sq mi (278 persons/sq mi)
(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
73% Urban
27% Rural
(1995 estimate)
Largest Cities
- Paris 2,152,423
- Marseille 800,550
- Lyon 415,487
(1990 census)
Largest Metropolitan Areas
- Paris 9,060,257
- Lyon 1,262,223
- Marseille 1,231,082
(1990 census)
Ethnic Groups
94% French
including Alsatians, Bretons, Catalans, and other regional peoples
6% Other
including Portuguese, Algerians, Moroccans, Italians, and Turks
Culture
Official Language
French
Other Languages
There are many regional dialects, including Breton, Basque, Catalan, and Provençal, as well
as Dutch and German
Religions
76% Roman Catholicism
5% Islam
2% Protestantism
1% Judaism
16% Other (including nonreligious)
| National | Land | Climate | Population | Culture | Economy | Government | Education | Health | Communications |
Economy
Gross Domestic Product
$1.25 trillion (1993)
Employment Breakdown :
Primary-6%, Secondary-29%, Services-65% |
Chief Economic Products
- Agriculture
Wheat, grapes, sugar beets, maize, barley, potatoes, apples, livestock, dairy
products
- Fishing
Oysters, yellowfin and skipjack tuna, sardines, rainbow trout, rays and skates,
pollock
- Mining
Coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, potash salts, salt, lead, uranium, zinc
- Manufacturing
Food products, transportation equipment, nonelectrical machinery, electrical machinery,
metals, metal products
Major Exports
Electrical and specialised machinery, passenger vehicles, aircraft, power-generating
equipment, iron and steel, cereals, office machines and data processing equipment,
alcoholic beverages, organic chemicals, textiles
Major Imports
Transportation equipment, food and food products, industrial machinery, petroleum
and petroleum products, electrical machinery, raw materials, textiles, iron and
steel
Major Trading Partners
Germany, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg, Great Britain, United States, Spain, Netherlands,
Japan
Currency
Franc
Exchange Rate
5.17 francs = U.S.$1
(1996)
Government
Form of Government
Presidential republic
Head of State
President
Elected to a seven-year term by direct popular vote
Head of Government
Prime minister (premier)
Appointed by the president
Legislature
Bicameral legislature
National Assembly
577 deputies
Senate
321 senators
Voting Qualifications
Universal suffrage for all citizens age 18 and older
Highest Court
Court of Cassation
Armed Services
Army, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Nuclear Forces
398,900 troops; men aged 18 to 35 must serve for 10 months
Political Divisions
22 regions containing 96 metropolitan departments, 4 overseas departments, 4 overseas
territories, 2 collective territories
Education
Literacy
99% of adult population
1990 estimate
Major Universities and Colleges
Universities of Paris
Primarily in Paris
Universities of Aix-Marseille
Aix-en-Provence and Marseille
Universities of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Universities of Lyon
Health
Hospital beds
552,755
1990 estimate
Physicians
155,896
1992 estimate
Life expectancy
women - 82; men - 74
1993 estimate
Infant mortality
6.8 per 1,000 live births
1993 estimate
Communications
Railroads
34,074 km (21,173 mi) total
1992 estimate
Roads
810,000 km (503,311 mi)
1991 estimate
Major ports
6
Major airfields
10
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