COUNTRY PROFILE: FRANCE

France

Area: 550,000 sq. km.

Capital City: Paris, Metropolitan area 105 sq.km.

Boundaries:
North - Belgium, Luxembourg
West - Atlantic Ocean
South - Spain
East Ger many, Switzerland, Italy.

Standard Time: GMT + 1 (Summer , GMT + 2 (Winter)

Population: 62 million (2004)

Density:
105 inhabitants per sq.km
The Paris metropolitan area has a population of nearly ten millions. France includes 12 cities with a population above 350.000 (Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, etc.)

Language: French

Government:
Presidential form
President: Mr. Jacques Chirac
The President is elected for a seven-year term by direct universal suffrage
Prime Minister: Mr. Dominique De Villepin
 
The French Republic comprises metropolitan France, divided into 22 regions and subdivided into 96 departments, along with four overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane "French Guiana" and Reunion). It also includes four overseas territories (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories), and two territorial collectivities with a special status, Mayotte and St Pierre and Miquelon.

History:
Before 1789: Royalty
1789: The French Revolution
1791: Constitution of the Constitutional Monarchy
1870: Constitution of the IIIrd Republic.
This Constitution is still the model of the Republic of France
1957: E.E.C. (The European Economic Community)
1992: Maastricht Treaty, creation of the European Union

Religion: Christianity (Catholics - 40 Million), Others (Islam - 4.5
Million, Judaism -800,000, Protestant- 700,000, Buddhist- 600,000)

Principal rivers: Rhin, Seine, Rhone, Loire, Garonne

Human resources: Unemployment rate: 9.9% (2004)

Climate: Three types: Oceanic in the West, Mediterranean in the South, and Continental in Central and Eastern France.

ECONOMY
France is the world's number four economic power in terms of GDP. The country's assets are varied and include transport and telecommunications sector, agro-foodstuffs and pharmaceutical industries along with banking, insurance, tourism and the traditional luxury products (leather goods, ready-to-wear fashion, perfumes, fine wines and spirits, etc.)

Currency: Euro (€)

Per capita GDP: € 27,000

GDP growth rate: +2.4 (2004)

Inflation rate: 2.2% (2004)

Exports: € 433 Million (2004)

Imports: € 437 Million (2004)

Bank rate: 2% (since mid 2003)

Source: www.xe.com

Principal Industries:
Aeronautical and Space Industry:
An annual turnover of 24 billion euros.

Automobile Industry:
An annual turnover of 88 billion euros. In 2003, with an output of 3.620 million vehicles, which represents 21.5% of the European total, France lay fifth in the world ranking and in second place in Europe.

Biotechnologies:
With almost 250 companies, France occupies third place in Europe for the number of companies in this field.

Building and Construction:
An annual turnover of 129 billion euros. The sector employs more than a million people. Four civil engineering French groups (Bouygues, SGE, Eiffage and GTM-Entrepose) rank among the top ten in European construction.

Chemicals, rubber and plastics:
Fourth world exporter. An annual turnover of 85 billion euros.

Fashion and Perfumery:
An annual turnover of 28.8 billion euros. France is the world's biggest exporter in this sector, ahead of the United States, supplying 30% of international demand.

Food & Agriculture:
France is the European leader. It is France's biggest industrial sector with an annual turnover of 131.2 billion euros. Leading sectors: meat and dair yproduction, cereals, confectionery, soft and alcoholic beverages (wine).

Pharmaceuticals:
An annual turnover of 33 billion euros. France has been the leading producer of medicines and medicinal drugs since 1995 and the third biggest exporter in the world, behind Germany and the United Kingdom.

Processing of materials (steel, glass, aluminium, plastic, etc.):
An annual tur nover of 59.1 billion euros.

Research and development:
The major national research centers, which include the development CNRS (all fields), INSERM (medicine), INRA(agronomy) etc. France ranks fourth among OECD countries for research, after Japan, Germany and the United States.

Transports:
International Airports: Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle,
Paris Orly Marseille, Nice, Lyon, Lille, Nantes.

Sea and Inland River ports: Le Havre, Marseille, St. Nazaire,
Cherbourg, Rouen, Dunkerque, Bordeaux

Service sectors:
Financial Services: Several French banks are among the world's top 100: Calyon, BNPparibas, Paris Stock Exchange, Soci้t้ G้n้rale.

Foreign trade:
*France does 6% of world trade, more than 60% of which with its European Union partners has 5% of the world's GDP.

*It is the world's second biggest investor, after the United States.

*It is fourth placed destination for international investment which creates jobs & growth.

*France is the world's second largest exporter of services and farm products and fourth largest exporter of goods (principally durable). France's main customers are Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain, along with the United States.