Fri, 16:29 20 Nov 2009 GMT17

 
France
 
Capital: Paris
Area size (Land only): 550100 sq. km Slightly larger than Spain
Time zone: Standard Time GMT +1, Summer Time GMT +2
Currency: Euro
Area code: (+) 33
Driving: Right
Climate description: 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.
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
French is the official and predominant language. Several regional minorities speak their own language.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2009 62.3 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007 61.8 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 61.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 61.0 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 60.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 60.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 59.8 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 59.5 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 59.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
67.7 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Most of the population stems from the integration of Europe's Nordic, Alpine and Mediterranean groups. Around 7 percent of the population is of foreign descent, mainly from northern Africa and other former French colonies.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Mainly Catholic (81 percent). There are Muslim, Protestant and Jewish minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 77.1 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 76.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 76.7 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 76.5 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 76.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 76.1 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 75.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 75.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1944
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
99 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15
2005 18.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 18.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 18.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 18.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 18.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 18.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 80.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 79.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 79.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 79 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 78.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 78.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 76.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 76.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 75.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 75.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 74.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 74.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 83.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 83.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 83.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 82.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 82.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 82.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2007 4 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006 4 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 4 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 4 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 4 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 4 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 4 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 4 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2007 4 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006 4 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 5 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 5 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 5 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 5 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 No data available percent
1996-2004 No data available percent
1995-2003 99 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 No data available percent
1995-2001 No data available percent
1995-2000 No data available percent

Maternal mortality
2005 8 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 17 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 10 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 16 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 16 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 16 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 17 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 12 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population
2003-2005 <5 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average <2.5 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average <2.5 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2006 100 percent UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004 100 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 No data available percent
2000 No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
No data available percent

Literacy - average
2004 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 99.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2008 564 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 564 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 556 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 553 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 556 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 563 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 570 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 573 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 575 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers
2008 935 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 897 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 842 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 788 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 735 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 692 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 645 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 622 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 491 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Internet users
2008 512 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 512 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 496 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 432 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 394 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 363 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 302 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 263 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 143 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
2008 23 (joint) Transparency International 2008
2007 19 Transparency International 2007
2006 18 (joint) Transparency International
2005 18 Transparency International
2004 22 (joint) Transparency International
2003 23 (joint) Transparency International
2002 25 (joint) Transparency International
2001 23 Transparency International
2000 21 Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2007 38810 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 36710 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 34950 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 30570 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 25290 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 22470 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 23250 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 24450 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2007 2589.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 2267.5 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 2146.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 2061.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 1800.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 1457.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 1339.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 1328.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth
2006 2.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 1.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 2.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 1.1 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 1.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 1.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 3.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation
2007 2.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 2.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 2.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 1.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 1.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 2.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 2.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 1.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.8 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
25.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians
2000-2004 337 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 337 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 330 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 303 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
2007 0.4 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006 0.4 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005 0.4 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004 0.4 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003 0.4 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases
2007 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2006 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2005 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2004 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2003 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2002 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2001 16 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2000 16 per 100,000 people WHO 2009

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2008 101 UNHCR
2007 101 UNHCR
2006 82 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 286 UNHCR
2004 110 UNHCR
2003 110 UNHCR
2002 90 UNHCR
2001 44 UNHCR
2000 78 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2008 160017 UNHCR
2007 151789 UNHCR
2006 145996 UNHCR
2005 137316 UNHCR
2004 139852 UNHCR
2003 130838 UNHCR
2002 132182 UNHCR
2001 131601 UNHCR
2000 132508 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 2.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 2.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 2.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 2.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 2.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 2.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 6.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 5.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 5.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 5.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 8.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 7.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 7.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 7.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 7.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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