France Country Profile

France

Country Profile

Politics

Economy

Trade & Industries

General Profile 643,801 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan Total area France) Population 65,630,692 (July 2012 est.) Government type Republic Chief of state President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012) Prime Minister Jean-Marc AYRAULT (since 16 May Head of government 2012) Capital 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 Climate 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)

French (official) 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Profile eral

Language Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) Gen overseas departments: French, Creole patois,

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect) Chapter: Chapter:

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PARIS (capital) 10.41 million; -Aix-en- Major City Provence 1.457 million; 1.456 million; Lille 1.028 million; Nice-Cannes 977,000 (2009)

Economy Profile 2009 2010 2011 World GDP Growth -5% 9% - France GDP Growth -2.6% 1.4% 1.7% GDP $2.808 trillion (2011 est.) GDP – Per capita $35,000 (2011 est.) Agriculture: 1.7% GDP – Composition by sector Industry: 18.5% Services: 79.8% (2011 Est.) Inflation 2% (2011 est.) euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchanges Rates 0.7107 (2011 est.) Machinery, Chemicals, Automobiles, Metallurgy, Primary Economy Sector Aircraft, Electronics; Textiles, Food Processing; Tourism

Unemployment Rate 9.1% (2011 est.)

Economy Profile Economy Chapter: Chapter:

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Ports and Terminals Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen

International Airports Strasbourg International Airport

Francois Hollande Elected; First Round: Percent Of Vote - Francois Hollande 28.6%, 27.2%, Marine Le Election results Pen 17.9%, Lean-Luc Melenchon 11.1%, Francois Bayrou, 9.1%, Others 6.1%; Second Round: Hollande 51.6%, Sarkozy 48.4% Min. of Agriculture, Food Supply, Fisheries, Rural Areas, & Regional Development Min. of Apprenticeship & Vocational Nadine MORANO Training Min. of Budget, Public Accounts, Civil Service, & State Reform & Govt. Valerie PECRESSE Spokesman Henri DE Min. of Cooperation RAINCOURT Frederic Min. of Culture & Communication MITTERRAND Min. of Defense & War Veterans Gerard LONGUET Min. of Economy, Finance, & Industry Francois BAROIN Min. of European Affairs Min. of Foreign & European Affairs Alain JUPPE Min. of Higher Education & Research Min. of Industry, Energy, & the Digital Ministry Name Eric BESSON Economy Min. of the Interior, Overseas France, Claude GUEANT Territorial Admin., & Immigration Min. of Justice & Liberties & Keeper of the Seals Min. of Labor, Employment, & Health Min. of National Education, Youth, & Community Service Marie-Luce Min. of Overseas France

PENCHARD Min. of Public Admin. Francois SAUVADET Min. of Relations With Parliament Roselyne Min. of Solidarity & Social Cohesion BACHELOT-

NARQUIN Ports and Terminals Ports and Min. of Sports David DOUILLET

Min. of Territorial Admin. Philippe RICHERT Chapter: Chapter:

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Min. of Towns Maurice LEROY

Ministry Name Ministry Chapter: Chapter:

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Centrist Union or UDF [Nicolas ABOUT]; Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or UDF); or PCF [Pierre LAURENT]; Greens [Cecile DUFLOT]; Left Party or PG [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]; Left or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously Radical or PRS and the Left or MRG); or MPF []; Political parties and National Front or FN []; New Anticapitalist leaders Party or NPA [Myriam MARTIN and Christine POUPIN]; New Center or NC [Herve MORIN]; Radical Party [Jean- Louis BORLOO]; Rally for France or RPF []; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]; Socialist Party or PS [Martine AUBRY]; United Republic or RS []; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]; Worker's Struggle or LO [Nathalie ARTHAUD] France is transitioning from an economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms but is in the midst of a euro-zone crisis. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. France's real GDP France Economy contracted 2.6% in 2009, but recovered somewhat in 2010 Characteristics and 2011. The unemployment rate increased from 7.4% in 2008 to 9.3% in 2010 and 9.1% in 2011. Lower-than- expected growth and increased unemployment have cut government revenues and increased borrowing costs, contributing to a deterioration of France's public finances.

The government budget deficit rose sharply from 3.4% of GDP in 2008 to 7.5% of GDP in 2009 before improving to 5.8% of GDP in 2011, while France's public debt rose from 68% of GDP to 86% over the same period. Under President SARKOZY, Paris implemented austerity measures that eliminated tax credits and froze most government spending in an effort to bring the budget deficit under the 3% euro-zone ceiling by 2013 and to highlight France's commitment to fiscal discipline at a time of intense

financial market scrutiny of euro-zone debt levels. Political parties and leaders and parties Political Socialist Francois HOLLANDE won the May 2012

presidential election, after advocating pro-growth Chapter: Chapter:

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economic policies, as well as measures such as forcing banks to separate their investment and savings businesses, increasing taxes on bank profits, introducing a new top bracket on income taxes for people earning over ?1 million ($1.3 million) a year, and hiring an additional 60,000 civil servants during his five-year term of office. A Permanent Member Of The United Nations Security Council, International NATO, The G-8, The G-20, The EU, The Organization For Security organization And Cooperation In Europe (OSCE), The WTO, La Francophonie, participation And Other Multilateral Institutions Wheat, Corn, Meat And Wine, Telecommunications, Electronics, Main Industry Cars, Aerospace And Weapons

Biggest Company Total, BNP Paribas, AXA Group, GDS Suez, EDF

International organization participation organization International Chapter: Chapter:

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