lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.79% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$NA (31December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$241.1 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 29
$225.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 26
$369.2 billion (31 December 2007)
$265.5 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Industries:
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific
instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals,
textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - production:
77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Electricity - consumption:
86.9 billion kWh (2008)
country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - exports:
3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
9,789 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Oil - consumption:
215,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Oil - exports:
133,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Oil - imports:
347,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
country comparison to the world: 171
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - consumption:
4.735 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
Natural gas - imports:
4.739 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Current account balance:
$5.518 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
$10.12 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$96.62 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$90.2 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport equipment,
paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber
Exports - partners:
Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands
5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$87.51 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$78.22 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
grains
Imports - partners:
Russia 16.3%, Germany 15.7%, Sweden 13.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, China
5.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$8.346 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$339.5 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 25
$314.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$84.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$116 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
$114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007),
0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Finland
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.65 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 63
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.83 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 73
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to
Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 59, shortwave 2 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999); note - on 1 September 2007, Finland
began broadcasting all television signals digitally; analog
broadcasts via cable networks were discontinued 29 February 2008
Internet country code:
.fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
Internet hosts:
4.205 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 18
Internet users:
4.383 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 46
Transportation ::Finland
Airports:
148 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 37
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 75
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 14 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 70 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 5,794 km
country comparison to the world: 31
broad gauge: 5,794 km 1.524-m gauge (3,047 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 78,141 km
country comparison to the world: 62
paved: 50,914 km (includes 700 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)
Waterways:
7,842 km
country comparison to the world: 18
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 98
country comparison to the world: 51
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 28, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6,
container 3, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 5,
roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned: 8 (Estonia 2, Germany 1, Norway 3, Sweden 2)
registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 9, Germany 4, Gibraltar
3, Netherlands 14, Norway 1, Panama 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,
Sweden 12, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe, Rauma, Turku
Military ::Finland
Military branches:
Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female
voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service
obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,169,910
females age 16-49: 1,121,187 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 962,479
females age 16-49: 920,297 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,784
female: 32,621 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Transnational Issues ::Finland
Disputes - international:
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts
no territorial demands
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@France (Europe)
Introduction ::France
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 hybrid
presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the
instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary
administrations. In recent years, 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. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.
Geography ::France
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
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
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
Reunion: World
Area:
total: 643,427 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France)
country comparison to the world: 42
land: 640,053 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, and Reunion
Area - comparative:
slightly less than the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
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
Coastline:
total: 4,668 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)
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
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
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes:
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 and periodically 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, fish
French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum,
clay
Land use:
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)
Irrigated land:
total: 26,190 sq km;
metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
189 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%)
per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms;
drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanic
activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)
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
People ::France
Population:
total: 64,057,792
country comparison to the world: 21
note: 62,150,775 in metropolitan France (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,129,729/female 5,838,925)
15-64 years: 65% (male 20,963,124/female 20,929,280)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,403,248/female 6,155,767) (2009
est.)
Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 38 years
female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.549% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Birth rate:
12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Death rate:
8.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Net migration rate:
1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Urbanization:
urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
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: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.33 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 217
male: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.98 years
country comparison to the world: 9
male: 77.79 years
female: 84.33 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
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
Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,
Buddhist, pagan
Languages:
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 46
Government ::France
Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique francaise
local short form: France
Government type:
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:
26 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, 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 4 overseas
regions (including French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and
Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4
overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)
Dependent areas:
Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin,
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
Independence:
486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from
the division of the Carolingian Empire)
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:
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958; effective 4 October 1958;
amended many times
note: amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to
comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam
Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in
1993; 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
Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
but not legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May
2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicolas SARKOZY wins the election; first round:
percent of vote - Nicolas SARKOZY 31.18%, Segolene ROYAL 25.87%,
Francois BAYROU 18.57%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 10.44%, others 13.94%;
second round: SARKOZY 53.1% and ROYAL 46.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(343 seats, 321 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2
for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1
for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas
territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are
indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms;
one third elected every three years); note - between 2006 and 2011,
15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 348 seats -
326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New
Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for
Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories,
and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will
be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year
terms with one-half elected every three years; and the National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan
France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are
elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in
September 2014); National Assembly - last held 10 and 17 June 2007
(next to be held in June 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - UMP 151, PS 116, UC-UDF 29, CRC 23, RDSE 17, other 7;
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - UMP 46.37%, PS
42.25%, miscellaneous left wing parties 2.47%, PCF 2.28%, NC 2.12%,
PRG 1.65%, miscellaneous right wing parties 1.17%, the Greens 0.45%,
other 1.24%; seats by party - UMP 313, PS 186, NC 22, miscellaneous
left wing parties 15, PCF 15, miscellaneous right wing parties 9,
PRG 7, the Greens 4, other 6
Judicial branch:
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
Political parties and leaders:
Communist, Republican and Citizen or CRC; Democratic Movement or
MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or
UDF); Democratic and Social European Rally or RDSE [Yvon COLLIN]
(mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG); French
Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Cecile
DUFLOT]; 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 [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; 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 Pierre
CHEVENEMENT and Georges SARRE]; Socialist Party or PS [Martine
AUBRY]; Union Centrist-UDF or UC-UDF [Michel MERCIER]; Union for a
Popular Movement or UMP [Xavier BERTRAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders: