NAVIGATION
|
HOME
• FLAG FINDER
• MAP FINDER
• SOURCES
• ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS! COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z |
NAVIGATION
French Republic
Republique Francaise
INTRODUCTION
|
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 advent of the euro in January 1999. Presently, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus. |
GEOGRAPHY
|
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 |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
46 00 N, 2 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions water: 1,400 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado |
|
Land boundaries:
|
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 |
|
Coastline:
|
3,427 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean) |
|
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 |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 33.3%
permanent crops: 2.11% other: 64.59% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
20,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
|
Geography - note:
|
largest West European nation |
PEOPLE
|
Population:
|
59,765,983 (July 2002 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,675,269; female 5,401,661)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,503,556; female 19,479,646) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 3,948,433; female 5,757,418) (2002 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.35% (2002 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
11.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
4.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 79.05 years
female: 83.14 years (2002 est.) male: 75.17 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
1.74 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.44% (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
130,000 (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
2,000 (1999 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities |
|
Religions:
|
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% |
|
Languages:
|
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.) |