France - Economic Indicators

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Mar 15, 2024

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GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Private Consumption 2023 Q4 366,661 365,531 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Private Consumption 2023 Q4 305,654 305,625 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2023 Q4 144,638 145,886 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2023 Q4 174,534 175,059 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Government Consumption 2023 Q4 166,234 163,649 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2023 Q4 712,522 706,059 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Gross Domestic Product 2023 Q4 593,815 593,504 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Government Consumption 2023 Q4 145,021 144,520 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Feb 2024 119.55 118.95 Index 2015=100, SA Monthly
Producer Price Index (PPI) Dec 2023 139 139.3 Index 2015=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Primary Industries Employment 2023 Q4 738.6 740.2 Ths. #, SA Quarterly
Total Employment 2023 Q4 30,454 30,412 Ths. #, SA Quarterly
Labor Force 2023 Q4 31,066 30,680 Ths., SA Quarterly
Unemployment 2023 Q4 2,330 2,301 Ths. #, SA Quarterly
Labor Force Employment 2023 Q4 28,736 28,379 Ths., SA Quarterly
Unemployment Rate 2023 Q4 7.5 7.5 %, SA Quarterly
Wage & Salaries 2023 Q3 115.3 114.6 Index Jun2017=100, NSA Quarterly
Agriculture Employment 2017 872,453 870,790 # Annual
Total Employment Non-Ag 2017 Q1 16,227 16,174 Ths., SA Quarterly
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Imports of Goods Jan 2024 56,198 56,817 Mil. EUR, SA Monthly
Exports of Goods Jan 2024 48,811 50,395 Mil. EUR, SA Monthly
Balance of Goods Jan 2024 -7,387 -6,421 Mil. EUR, SA Monthly
Current Account Balance Jan 2024 808 5,669 Mil. EUR, NSA Monthly
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2023 Q4 189,311 189,268 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Net Exports 2023 Q4 -10,838 -15,822 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Imports of Goods and Services 2023 Q4 238,869 244,286 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2023 Q4 204,049 208,782 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Real Net Exports 2023 Q4 -14,738 -19,514 Mil. Ch. 2014 EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Exports of Goods and Services 2023 Q4 228,031 228,463 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Government Revenues Jan 2024 15,874 286,406 Mil. EUR YTD, NSA Monthly
Government Expenditures Jan 2024 38,478 454,565 Mil. EUR YTD, NSA Monthly
Gross External Debt 2023 Q3 6,990,183 6,878,425 Mil. EUR, NSA Quarterly
Outstanding Public Debt 2023 Q3 6,990,183 6,878,425 Mil. EUR, NSA Quarterly
Outstanding Public Debt - Domestic 2023 Q3 1,432,726 1,428,767 Mil. EUR, NSA Quarterly
Government Budget Balance 2021 -163,325 -207,733 Bil. EUR Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Average Long-term Government Bond Feb 2024 2.85 2.74 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Stock Market Index 06 Nov 2017 5,507 5,517 December 31 1987 = 100, NSA Business Daily
Lending Rate 08 Oct 2008 4.25 4.25 %, NSA Daily
Money Market Rate Mar 1999 2.93 3.09 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Real Estate Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Housing Starts Jan 2024 22,043 24,957 #, NSA Monthly
Residential Housing Starts Jan 2024 16,385 21,301 #, NSA Monthly
Residential Building Permits Jan 2024 27,533 27,383 #, NSA Monthly
Building Permits Jan 2024 31,833 32,191 #, NSA Monthly
House Price Value for New Homes 2023 Q4 341,242 350,025 EUR, NSA Quarterly
House Price Index 2023 Q4 129.8 133.9 Index 2015Q1=100, NSA Quarterly
House Price Index for Existing Homes 2023 Q4 129.9 132.3 Index 2015Q1=100, SA Quarterly
Vacancy 2023 3,086 3,061 Ths. # Annual
Dwelling Stocks 2023 37,818 37,497 Ths. # Annual
House Price Index for New Homes 2023 Q3 130.01 130.45 Index 2015=100, NSA Quarterly
Non-residential Building Permits Jul 2023 3,498 3,257 Ths. sq. m, NSA Monthly
Non-residential Housing Starts Jul 2023 1,693 2,161 Ths. sq. m, NSA Monthly
Consumer Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Confidence Feb 2024 89 91 Balance of opinion; SA Monthly
Real Retail Sales Dec 2023 122.47 123.93 Vol. Index 2015=100, WDASA Monthly
Retail Sales Dec 2023 139.89 140.99 Index 2015=100, WDASA Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Business Confidence Feb 2024 100.5 98.5 %, SA Monthly
Industrial Production Jan 2024 100.01 101.09 Index 2021=100, WDASA Monthly
Capacity Utilization 2023 Q4 80.7 80.6 %, SA Quarterly
Change in Inventories 2023 Q4 549 2,407 Mil. EUR, WDASA Quarterly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population Feb 2024 66,150 66,143 Ths. #, NSA Monthly
Births Dec 2023 52,400 53,400 # Monthly
Deaths Dec 2023 60,100 53,200 #, NSA Monthly
Net Migration 2017 400,002 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 11.7 12 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2012 8.7 8.4 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
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-7, 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 withdraw French forces from 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 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.

Geography

Location:
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 halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
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
Map references:
metropolitan France: Europe
French Guiana: South America
Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean
Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean
Mayotte: Africa
Reunion: World
Area:
total: 643,801 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France)
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
country comparison to the world: 44
Area - comparative:
slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries:
metropolitan France - total: 2,751 km
border countries (8): Andorra 55 km, Belgium 556 km, Germany 418 km, Italy 476 km, Luxembourg 69 km, Monaco 6 km, Spain 646 km, Switzerland 525 km
French Guiana - total: 1,205 km
border countries (2): Brazil 649 km, Suriname 556 km
Coastline:
total: 4,853 km
metropolitan France: 3,427 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean Sea)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
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)
Terrain:
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
Elevation:
mean elevation: 375 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,810 m
note: 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
Natural resources:
metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land, fish
French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
Land use:
agricultural land: 52.7%
arable land 33.4%; permanent crops 1.8%; permanent pasture 17.5%
forest: 29.2%
other: 18.1% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
total: 26,420 sq km 26,950 sq km
metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Natural hazards:
metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding
volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; 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-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
Geography - note:
largest West European nation; most major French rivers - the Meuse, Seine, Loire, Charente, Dordogne, and Garonne - flow northward or westward into the Atlantic Ocean, only the Rhone flows southward into the Mediterranean Sea

People & Society

Population:
67,106,161
note: the above figure is for metropolitan France and five overseas regions; the metropolitan France population is 62,814,233 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
Languages:
French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)
Religions:
Christian (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic) 63-66%, Muslim 7-9%, Buddhist 0.5-0.75%, Jewish 0.5-0.75%, other 0.5-1.0%, none 23-28%
note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state (2015 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.53% (male 6,360,218/female 6,076,598)
15-24 years: 11.79% (male 4,045,901/female 3,864,395)
25-54 years: 37.78% (male 12,773,900/female 12,578,256)
55-64 years: 12.42% (male 4,020,507/female 4,315,407)
65 years and over: 19.48% (male 5,648,888/female 7,422,091) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 59.2
youth dependency ratio: 29.1
elderly dependency ratio: 30.2
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.4 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 43.1 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Population growth rate:
0.39% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Birth rate:
12.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Death rate:
9.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Net migration rate:
1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Population distribution:
much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Urbanization:
urban population: 80% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
PARIS (capital) 10.843 million; Lyon 1.609 million; Marseille-Aix-en-Provence 1.605 million; Lille 1.027 million; Nice-Cannes 967,000; Toulouse 938,000 (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
28.1 years (2010 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.9 years
male: 78.8 years
female: 85.2 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Total fertility rate:
2.07 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
83% (2010/11)
Health expenditures:
11.5% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 8
Physicians density:
3.24 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density:
6.5 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 98.6% of population
rural: 98.9% of population
total: 98.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.4% of population
rural: 1.1% of population
total: 1.3% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
180,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<1000 (2016 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21.6% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 87
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 43
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2014)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 24.6%
male: 25%
female: 24% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique francaise
local short form: France
etymology: name derives from the Latin "Francia" meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D. who merged with Gallic-Roman populations in succeeding centuries and to whom they passed on their name
Government type:
semi-presidential republic
Capital:
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
Administrative divisions:
18 regions (regions, singular - region); Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (Burgundy-Free County), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre-Val de Loire (Center-Loire Valley), Corse (Corsica), Grand Est (Grand East), Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hauts-de-France (Upper France), Ile-de-France, Martinique, Mayotte, Normandie (Normandy), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), Occitanie (Occitania), Pays de la Loire (Lands of the Loire), Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion
note: France is divided into 13 metropolitan regions (including the "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)
Dependent areas:
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 Government 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
Independence:
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)
National holiday:
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)
Constitution:
history: many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008; note - in April 2018, the prime minister announced the government's plans to reform the constitution (2018)
Legal system:
civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of France
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)
head of government: Prime Minister Edouard PHILIPPE (since 15 May 2017)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 April with a runoff on 7 May 2017 (next to be held in April 2022); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24.0%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20.0%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinque, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 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 departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held on 24 September 2020); National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LR 146, SOC 78, UC 49, REM 21, CRC 21, other 32
National Assembly - percent of vote by party first round - EM 28.2%, LR 15.8%. FN 13.2%, FI 11.0%, PS 7.4%, other 24.4%; percent of vote by party second round - EM 43.1%, LR 22.2%, FN 8.8%, MoDEM 6.1%, PS 5.7%. FI 4.9%, other 9.2%; seats by party - EM 308, LR 112, MoDEM 42, PS 29, UDI 18, FI 17, PCF 10, FN 8, other 33
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts
note: in April 2018, the French Governemnt announced its intention to reform the country's judicial system
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Movement or MoDEM [Francois BAYROU]
Europe Ecology - The Greens or EELV [David CORMAND]
French Communist Party or PCF [Pierre LAURENT]
La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]
Left Front Coalition or FDG [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]
Left Party or PG [linked with the movement La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]]
Left Radical Party or PRG [Sylvia PINEL] (formerly 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 [collective leadership; main spokesperson Christine POUPIN; presidential candIdate Philippe POUTOU]
Rally for France or RPF [Igor KUREK]
Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]
Socialist Party or PS [Rachid TEMAL, interim leader]
Stand Up France (Debout La France) [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN]
The Centrists [Herve MORIN] (formerly new Center of NC)
The Republic on the Move (La Republique en Marche) or REM [Christophe CASTANER]
The Republicans or LR (formerly Union for a Popular Movement or UMP) [Laurent WAUQUIEZ]
Union des Democrates et Independants or UDI [Jean-Christohe LAGARDE] and Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or UDF); together known as UDI-Modem; Radical Party [Laurent HENART] is a member of UDI
United Republic or RS [Dominique DE VILLEPIN]
Worker's Struggle (Lutte Ouvriere) or LO; also known as Communist Union; [collective leadership; spokespersons Nathalie ARTHAUD and Arlette LAGUILLER]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
French Confederation of Management - General Confederation of Executives) or CFE-CGC (Confederation francaise de l'encadrement - Confederation generale des cadres) [Francois HOMMERIL] (independent white-collar union with 140,000 members)
French Democratic Confederation of Labor or CFDT (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) [Laurent BERGER] (left-leaning labor union with approximately 875,000 members)
French Confederation of Christian Workers or CFTC (Confederation francaise des travailleurs chretiens) [Philippe LOUIS] (independent labor union founded by Catholic workers that claims 142,000 members)
General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Confederation generale du travail) [Philippe MARTINEZ] (historically communist labor union with approximately 710,000 members)
General Confederation of Labor - Worker's Force) or FO (Confederation generale du travail - Force ouvriere) [Jean-Claude MAILLY] (independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members)
Mouvement des entreprises de France or MEDEF [Pierre GATTAZ] (employers' union with claimed 750,000 companies as members)
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
International organization participation:
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-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, 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, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerard Roger ARAUD (since 18 September 2014)
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, Washington DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jamie D. McCOURT (since 18 December 2017); note - also accredited to Monaco
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
consulate(s): Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes, Toulouse
Flag description:
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
National symbol(s):
Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification); national colors: blue, white, red
National anthem:
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

Economy

Economy - overview:
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. France is the most visited country in the world with 83 million foreign tourists in 2016, including 530,000 visitors for the 2016 Euro Cup. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that mitigate economic inequality.
France's real GDP grew by 1.6% in 2017, up from 1.2% the year before. The unemployment rate (including overseas territories) increased from 7.8% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2015, before falling to 9.5% in 2017. Youth unemployment in metropolitan France decreased from 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 24% in the fourth quarter of 2016.
France’s public finances have historically been strained by high spending and low growth. Despite measures to restore public finances, the budget deficit rose from 3.3% of GDP in 2008 to 7.5% of GDP in 2009. In 2017, the budget deficit improved to 2.9% of GDP, bringing it in compliance with the EU-mandated 3% deficit target. Meanwhile, France's public debt rose from 89.5% of GDP in 2012 to 96.9% in 2017.
Since entering office in May 2017, President Emmanuel MACRON launched a series of economic reforms to improve competitiveness and boost economic growth. President MACRON campaigned on reforming France’s labor code and in late 2017 implemented a range of reforms to increase flexibility in the labor market by making it easier for firms to hire and fire and simplifying negotiations between employers and employees. In addition to labor reforms, President MACRON’s proposed 2018 budget cuts public spending, taxes, and social security contributions to spur private investment and increase purchasing power.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.826 trillion (2017 est.)
$2.783 trillion (2016 est.)
$2.75 trillion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 11
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.575 trillion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2017 est.)
1.2% (2016 est.)
1.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,600 (2017 est.)
$43,100 (2016 est.)
$42,700 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 39
Gross national saving:
22.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
22% of GDP (2016 est.)
22.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 54.8%
government consumption: 23.5%
investment in fixed capital: 22%
investment in inventories: 1.3%
exports of goods and services: 30.3%
imports of goods and services: -32% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 19.4%
services: 78.9% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Labor force:
30.68 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 18.3%
services: 79.3% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.5% (2017 est.)
10% (2016 est.)
note: includes overseas territories
country comparison to the world: 135
Population below poverty line:
14% (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 25.4% (2013 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29.2 (2015 est.)
30.5 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Budget:
revenues: $1.334 trillion
expenditures: $1.412 trillion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
51.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Public debt:
96.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
96.4% of GDP (2016 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
country comparison to the world: 20
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2017 est.)
0.3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Central bank discount rate:
0% (31 December 2016 est.)
0.05% (31 December 2015 est.)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
country comparison to the world: 159
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
1.4% (31 December 2017 est.)
1.6% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Stock of narrow money:
$1.372 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.139 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 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
country comparison to the world: 6
Stock of broad money:
$2.338 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.982 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.225 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.646 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.591 trillion (31 March 2017 est.)
$2.088 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.086 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Current account balance:
$-28.92 billion (2017 est.)
$-24.66 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Exports:
$541.3 billion (2017 est.)
$507 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:
Germany 16%, Spain 7.6%, US 7.3%, Italy 7.2%, UK 7%, Belgium 6.8% (2016)
Imports:
$576.3 billion (2017 est.)
$536.7 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 19.3%, Belgium 10.6%, Netherlands 7.9%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7%, US 5.8%, China 5.1%, UK 4.2% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$146.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$138.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Debt - external:
$5.36 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$5.25 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$842.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$807.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.452 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.379 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.89 (2017 est.)
0.9 (2016 est.)
0.92 (2015 est.)
0.89 (2014 est.)
0.76 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production:
536.1 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Electricity - consumption:
436.1 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Electricity - exports:
61.41 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Electricity - imports:
20.79 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
129.3 million kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
16.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
48.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
14% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
16.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Crude oil - production:
16,420 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Crude oil - imports:
1.096 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Crude oil - proved reserves:
72.35 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Refined petroleum products - production:
1.27 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
1.661 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Refined petroleum products - exports:
433,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Refined petroleum products - imports:
854,200 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - production:
28 million cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - consumption:
42.51 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Natural gas - exports:
5.419 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - imports:
44.38 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - proved reserves:
8.608 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
385.6 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 39.006 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 67.571 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Telephone system:
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 (2015)
Broadcast media:
a mix of both publicly operated and privately owned TV stations; state-owned France television stations operate 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, 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)
Internet country code:
metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re
Internet users:
total: 57,226,585
percent of population: 85.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 30
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 485
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 65,039,503
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4,098.31 million mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
F (2016)
Airports:
464 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 17
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 294
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 97
914 to 1,523 m: 83
under 914 m: 75 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 170
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 64
under 914 m: 105 (2013)
Heliports:
1 (2013)
Pipelines:
gas 15,322 km; oil 2,939 km; refined products 5,084 km (2013)
Railways:
total: 29,640 km
standard gauge: 29,473 km 1.435-m gauge (15,561 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (63 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 10
Roadways:
total: 1,028,446 km (metropolitan France)
paved: 1,028,446 km (includes 11,416 km of expressways)
note: not included are 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments (2010)
country comparison to the world: 8
Waterways:
metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010)
Merchant marine:
total: 555
by type: container ship 24, general cargo 72, oil tanker 28, other 431
note: includes Monaco (2017)
country comparison to the world: 37
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Brest, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes,
river port(s): Paris, Rouen (Seine); Strasbourg (Rhine); Bordeaux (Garronne)
container port(s): Le Havre (2,215,262) (2011)
cruise/ferry port(s): Calais, Cherbourg, Le Havre
LNG terminal(s) (import): Fos Cavaou, Fos Tonkin, Montoir de Bretagne

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
2.26% of GDP (2016)
2.27% of GDP (2015)
2.23% of GDP (2014)
2.22% of GDP (2013)
2.24% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 42
Military branches:
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)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat posts (2013)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 24,326 (Sri Lanka); 15,232 (Russia); 15,037 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 13,154 (Serbia and Kosovo); 11,566 (Cambodia); 10,615 (Turkey); 8,991 (Syria); 8,008 (Vietnam); 7,685 (Afghanistan); 7,049 (Sudan); 6,841 (Laos); 6,823 (Guinea); 6,043 (Iraq); 5,183 (Mauritania) (2016)
stateless persons: 1,370 (2016)
Illicit drugs:
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

Economic Indicators for France including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the France economy.