 .FR - France
Registration · Transfer · Renewal
|
|
Payable by
|
|
|
Special Requirements:
|
We not (yet) offer registration of .FR
|
|
1 Year at 999.99
|
|
|
|
|
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
presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in
earlier parliamentary democracies. 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. |
|
Location: |
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 |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
46 00 N, 2 00 E |
|
Map references: |
Europe |
|
Area: |
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly less than twice the
size of Colorado |
|
Land boundaries: |
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 |
|
Coastline: |
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: |
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
|
|
Terrain: |
mostly flat plains or gently
rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially
Pyrenees in south, Alps in east |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Rhone
River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
|
Natural resources: |
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc,
uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber,
fish |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 33.46%
permanent crops: 2.03%
other: 64.51% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
20,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards: |
flooding; avalanches; midwinter
windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean |
|
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
|
|
Population: |
60,876,136 (July 2006 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 18.3% (male
5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male
19,886,228/female 19,860,506)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male
4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 39.1 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
0.35% (2006 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
11.99 births/1,000 population
(2006 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
9.14 deaths/1,000 population
(2006 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 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: 0.7
male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 79.73
years
male: 76.1 years
female: 83.54 years (2006
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
1.84 children born/woman (2006
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.4% (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
120,000 (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 1,000 (2003 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 83%-88%,
Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% |
|
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% (2003 est.) |
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
French Republic
conventional short form: France
local
long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France
|
|
Government type: |
republic |
|
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, 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: |
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
|
|
Constitution: |
adopted by referendum 28
September 1958, effective 4 October 1958; amended concerning election of
president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 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 |
|
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 Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on 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 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be
held, first round April 2007, second round May 2007); prime minister
nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent
of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04% |
|
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); note - between 2004 and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the
Senate for a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and
Miquelon, 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 the seats being renewed
every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority
system to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held
26 September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); National Assembly -
last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355, PS
140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22 |
|
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: |
Citizen and Republican Movement
or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or
RDSE (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques
PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens
[Yann WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS];
National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles
PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French
Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP
[Nicolas SARKOZY] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
historically-Communist labor
union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000
members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise
Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union
(Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed);
employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000
companies as members (claimed) |
|
International organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic
Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SPC, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL,
WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
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 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
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 "Le drapeau tricolore"
(French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French
Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other
flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,
Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent
areas |
|
Economy - overview: |
France is in the midst of
transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive
government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market
mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large
companies, banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several
leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales,
and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and
defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being
opened to competition. 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. The government has lowered income
taxes and introduced measures to boost employment and reform the pension
system. In addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of
labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek
and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the highest in
Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and
inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the
eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit; unemployment stands at 10%. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$1.822 trillion (2005 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$2.068 trillion (2005 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
1.6% (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$30,000 (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 21.4%
services: 76.1% (2005 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
27.72 million (2005 est.)
|
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 4.1%, industry
24.4%, services 71.5% (1999) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
10% (2005 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
6.5% (2000) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
32.7 (1995) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1.9% (2005 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
19.4% of GDP (2005 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $1.06 trillion
expenditures: $1.144 trillion; including capital expenditures
of $23 billion (2005 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
66.5% of GDP (2005 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: |
0.3% (2005 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
536.9 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 8.2%
hydro: 14%
nuclear: 77.1%
other: 0.7%
(2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
433.3 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
72.2 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
6.2 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Oil - production: |
76,300 bbl/day (2003 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption: |
2.06 million bbl/day (2003
est.) |
|
Oil - exports: |
409,600 bbl/day (2001) |
|
Oil - imports: |
2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
|
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
144.3 million bbl (1 January
2002) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
1.566 billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
43.74 billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports: |
1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - imports: |
40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
14.33 billion cu m (1 January
2002) |
|
Current account balance: |
$-30.11 billion (2005 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$443.4 billion f.o.b. (2005
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
machinery and transportation
equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron
and steel, beverages |
|
Exports - partners: |
Germany 15%, Spain 9.5%, UK
9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US 6.7% (2004) |
|
Imports: |
$473.3 billion f.o.b. (2005
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals |
|
Imports - partners: |
Germany 19.2%, Belgium 9.9%,
Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%, Netherlands 6.7%, US 5.1% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$77.35 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
Debt - external: |
$2.826 trillion (30 June 2005)
|
|
Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $5.4 billion (2002) |
|
Currency (code): |
euro (EUR)
note: on
1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a
common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries;
on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday
transactions within the member countries |
|
Currency code: |
EUR |
|
Exchange rates: |
euros per US dollar - 0.8041
(2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
33,870,200 (2004) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
44,551,800 (2004) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment:
highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio
relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite
system
international: country code - 33; 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 about 3,500 (this
figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2
(1998) |
|
Radios: |
55.3 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters)
(1995) |
|
Televisions: |
34.8 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.fr |
|
Internet hosts: |
2,922,040 (2005) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
62 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
26,214,174 (2005)
|
|
Airports: |
479 (2005) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 288
over
3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437
m: 96
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 69 (2005)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 191
1,524
to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m:
116 (2005) |
|
Heliports: |
3 (2005) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km;
refined products 4,889 km (2004) |
|
Railways: |
total: 29,519 km
standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 891,290 km
paved: 891,290 km (including 10,390 km of expressways) (2003)
|
|
Waterways: |
8,500 km (1,686 km accessible
to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 54 ships (1000
GRT or over) 1,050,735 GRT/600,979 DWT
by type: cargo 4,
chemical tanker 6, container 1, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 29, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 4 (Sweden 3, Turkey 1)
registered in
other countries: 151 (Australia 3, The Bahamas 28, Belgium 2, Bermuda
1, Cambodia 1, Cameroon 1, Canada 1, Republic of the Congo 1, French
Polynesia 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 45, Gibraltar 1, Hong
Kong 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 3, South Korea 12, Liberia 3,
Luxembourg 9, Malta 8, Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 8, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 8, UK 3, Wallis and Futuna 4) (2005) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La
Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg
|
|
Military branches: |
Army (includes Marines, Foreign
Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force
(includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
17 years of age for voluntary
military service; conscription ended in the 1990s; women serve in
non-combat military posts (2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 17-49:
13,676,509 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 17-49:
11,262,661 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males: 389,204 (2005
est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$45 billion FY06 (2005) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)
|
| Transnational Issues |
France |
|
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 |
|
Illicit drugs: |
transshipment point for and
consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European
synthetics |
|
|
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.in ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.dk ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.be ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.nl ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.at ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.de ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.co.uk ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.us ·
Linux Hosting at 1stEuro.net ·
Cheap domain names registration ·
Compare all Linux Web Hosting Plans ·
All Reseller Hosting Plans ·
Network Information, Speed Test, Server Specs ·
Help & FAQ
|
