cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
@France:People
Population: 58,609,285 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 5,712,739; female 5,449,139)
15-64 years : 65% (male 19,178,683; female 19,126,672)
65 years and over: 16% (male 3,687,216; female 5,454,836) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.35% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 11.98 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.08 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.38 years
male: 74.44 years
female: 82.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (1997 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 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North
African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%
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.)
@France:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form : Republique Francaise
local short form: France
Data code: FR
Government type: republic
National capital: Paris
Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular - region);
Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne,
Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into
96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments
(French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas
territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island,
French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso
Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis
and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of
president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht
Treaty in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May
2002); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the
Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for
overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to
serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
elected under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held
September 1998); National Assembly - last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - RPR 94, UDF 127, PS 75, PCF 15, other 10; National Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 245, RPR 140, UDF
109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various
left 9, various right 7
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
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Alain
JUPPE, president]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of PR,
FD, RAD, PPDF) [Francois LEOTARD]; Republican Party or PR [Francois
LEOTARD]; Democratic Force or FD [Francois BAYROU]; Socialist Party or
PS [Lionel JOSPIN]; Radical Party or RRRS [Andre ROSSINOT, Aymeri de
MONTESQUIEU]; Communist Party or PCF [Robert HUE]; National Front or
FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; The Greens [Dominique VOYNET]; Generation
Ecology or GE [Brice LALONDE]; Citizens Movement or MDC [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT]; National Center of Independents and Peasants or CNIP
[Jean-Antoine GIANSILY]; Radical Socialist Party or PRS; Movement for
France or LDI-MPF
Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor
union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million
members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation
Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members
(est.); independent labor union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members
(est.); independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale des
Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French
Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or CNPF or Patronat
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON DE L'ESTANG
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX : [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela C. HARRIMAN (died in office 2
February 1997)
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
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design
and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official
flag for all French dependent areas
Economy
Economy - overview: One of the four West European trillion-dollar
economies, the French economy features considerable state control over
its capitalistic market system. In running important industrial
segments (railways, airlines, electricity, telecommunications),
administering an exceptionally generous social welfare system, and
staffing an enormous bureaucracy, the state spends about 55% of GDP.
France has substantial agricultural resources and a diversified modern
industrial sector. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of
modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make it the leading
agricultural producer in Western Europe. Largely self-sufficient in
agricultural products, France is a major exporter of wheat and dairy
products. The industrial sector generates about one-quarter of GDP,
and the growing services sector has become crucial to the economy.
Following stagnation and recession in 1991-93, French GDP expanded
2.4% in 1994 and in 1995 but at only 1.3% in 1996. Persistently high
unemployment still poses a major problem for the government, as will
the need to cut back on government spending to keep the economy
internationally competitive and enable France to qualify for European
Economic and Monetary Union, slated to introduce a common European
currency in January 1999. The government also has laid plans to sell
off much of its stake in the telecommunications and defense industries
in 1997 as part of its bid to make domestic companies more competitive
with foreign rivals. However, the socialist victory at the polls in
June 1997 casts doubt on France's future policy toward economic union
and privatization of domestic economic activity.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.22 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,900 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 26.5%
services: 71.1% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.7% (1996)
Labor force:
total : 25.5 million
by occupation: services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 12.7% (1966)
Budget:
revenues: $250 billion
expenditures: $300 billion, including capital expenditures of $34
billion (1996 est.)
Industries: steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy,
aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 102.94 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 492.7 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 6,278 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine
grapes; beef, dairy products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons ranks
among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically
Exports:
total value: $275 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals,
foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel products, textiles
and clothing
partners: Germany 17%, Italy 9%, UK 9%, Spain 8%, Belgium-Luxembourg
8%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.5%, Japan 2%, Russia 0.7% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $255.5 billion f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural
products, chemicals, iron and steel products
partners: Germany 17%, Italy 10%, US 8%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, UK 8%,
Spain 7%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 3%, Russia 1.5% (1996)
Debt - external: $117.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
donor : ODA, $7.915 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997),
5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@France:Communications
Telephones: 35 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: satellite earth stations - 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters), shortwave
0
Radios: 49 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 846 (mostly repeaters)
note: Eutelsat receive-only TV service
Televisions: 29.3 million (1993 est.)
@France:Transportation
Railways:
total: 34,123 km
standard gauge: 33,524 km 1.435-m gauge; 32,275 km are operated by
French National Railways (SNCF); 13,741 km of SNCF routes are
electrified and 12,132 km are double- or multiple-tracked
narrow gauge : 599 km 1.000-m gauge
note: does not include 33 tourist railroads, totaling 469 km, many
being of very narrow gauge (1995)
Highways:
total: 1,512,700 km
paved : 812,700 km (including 9,140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 700,000 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled
Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural
gas 24,746 km
Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La
Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen,
Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
Merchant marine:
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,038,151 GRT/1,441,498
DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 3, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1,
container 7, liquefied gas tanker 3, multi-function large load carrier
1, oil tanker 13, passenger 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5, short-sea
passenger 7, specialized tanker 1
note: France also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships
in the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1996
est.)
Airports: 460 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 382
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 91
914 to 1,523 m : 73
under 914 m: 179 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 78
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m : 75 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air),
Air Force (includes Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,800,821 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 12,315,337 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 394,362 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $47.7 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island;
Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; Seychelles
claims Tromelin Island; Suriname claims part of French Guiana;
territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Saint Pierre and
Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and
France; in 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive
economic zone area of 12,348 sq km to settle the dispute; claims
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American
cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH GUIANA
(overseas department of France)
@French Guiana:Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 91,000 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,183 km
border countries : Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar,
kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 83%
other : 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness
@French Guiana:People
Population: 156,946 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : 32% (male 25,267; female 24,146)
15-64 years: 63% (male 54,051; female 45,489)
65 years and over: 5% (male 4,014; female 3,979) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 24.19 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 16.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 76.06 years
male: 72.84 years
female : 79.45 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.38 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: French
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)
@French Guiana:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form : Guyane
Data code: FG
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Cayenne
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Pierre DARTOUT (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA
(since NA March 1994)
cabinet : NA
elections: representative of the French Government appointed by the
president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the
members of those councils, who vote on party lines
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held
NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held
NA 1998)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PSG 8, FDP 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PSG 16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FDG 1; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1
June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - RPR 1, independent (left) 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and
French Guiana)
Political parties and leaders: Guianese Socialist Party or PSG [Leone
MICHOTTE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean BART] (may be a subset of PSG);
Nationalist Popular Party of Guyana (Parti Nationaliste Populaire
Guiana) or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Union of Social Democrats (Union des
Socialistes Democates) or USD [Leon BERTRAND] (umbrella group of RPR
and UDF); Rally for the Republic or RPR [Leon BERTRAND]; Union for
French Democracy or UDF [R. CHOW-CHINE]; Guyana Democratic Front or
FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON];
Action Democrate Guiana or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Forces de Progres or
FDP
International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is tied closely to that of France
through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at
Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic
activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp)
accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large
reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an
expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export.
Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the
population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is heavily dependent
on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem,
particularly among younger workers.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1992)
Labor force:
total: 46,300 (1993)
by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry
21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate: 24.1% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $180 million
expenditures: $350 million, including capital expenditures of $95
million (1994)
Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum,
gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 228,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 185 million kWh (1993 est.)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables,
bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry
Exports:
total value: $80 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
partners: France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)
Imports:
total value: $610 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities : food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods,
producer goods, petroleum
partners: France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)
Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997),
5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@French Guiana:Communications
Telephones: 31,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios: 79,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 22,000 (1992 est.)
@French Guiana:Transportation
Railways: 0 km (1995)
Highways:
total: 1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community 1,000
km)
paved: 727 km
unpaved: 1,090 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and
coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Merchant marine: none