Topic: Photos of France

Topic: Introduction
Background: France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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; Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique; Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascarmetropolitan 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; Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique; 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; Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E; Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 Emetropolitan 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; Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E; 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; Mayotte: Africa; Reunion: Worldmetropolitan France: Europe; French Guiana: South America; Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean; Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean; Mayotte: Africa; Reunion: World
Area: total: 643,801 sq km ; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France)

land: 640,427 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, Mayotte, and Reunion
Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 3,956 km

border countries (8): Andorra 55 km; Belgium 556 km; Germany 418 k; Italy 476 km; Luxembourg 69 km; Monaco 6 km; Spain 646 km; Switzerland 525 km

metropolitan France - total: 2751

French Guiana - total: 1205
Coastline: 4,853 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 Sea)

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 the 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; 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)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 the 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;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)
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; Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks; Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coastmetropolitan 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; Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks; Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation: highest point: Mont Blanc 4,810

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m

mean elevation: 375 m

note: to assess the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been extensively 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, arable land, fish, French Guiana, gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
Land use: agricultural land: 52.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 33.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 29.2% (2018 est.)

other: 18.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 26,420 sq km (2012) 26,950 sq km

metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Geneva (shared with Switzerland) - 580 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Rhine  (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km;  Loire - 1,012 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Loire (115,282 sq km), Seine 78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)
Major aquifers: Paris Basin
Population distribution: much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Natural hazards: metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean; overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the southmetropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean;overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding;volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Geography - note: largest West European nation; most major French rivers - the Meuse, Seine, Loire, Charente, Dordogne, and Garonne - flow northward or westward into the Atlantic Ocean, only the Rhone flows southward into the Mediterranean Sea
Map description: France map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and water bodies.France map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and water bodies.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 68,305,148 (2022 est.)

note: the above figure is for metropolitan France and five overseas regions; the metropolitan France population is 62,814,233
Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African (Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian), Indochinese, Basque minorities

note: overseas departments: Black, White, Mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
Languages: French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard); note - overseas departments: French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhists 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9%

note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.36% (male 6,368,767/female 6,085,318)

15-24 years: 11.88% (male 4,122,981/female 3,938,938)

25-54 years: 36.83% (male 12,619,649/female 12,366,120)

55-64 years: 12.47% (male 4,085,564/female 4,376,272)

65 years and over: 20.46% (2020 est.) (male 6,029,303/female 7,855,244)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 62.4

youth dependency ratio: 28.7

elderly dependency ratio: 33.7

potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 41.7 years

male: 40 years

female: 43.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.32% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 11.66 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.54 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Urbanization: urban population: 81.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 11.142 million PARIS (capital), 1.748 million Lyon, 1.620 million Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, 1.073 million Lille, 1.049 million Toulouse, 991,000 Bordeaux (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 28.9 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.15 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.59 years

male: 79.53 years

female: 85.79 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 78.4% (2010/11)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 11.1% (2019)
Physicians density: 3.27 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 5.9 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 190,000 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2019 est.) <500
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout France; as of 6 June 2022, France has reported a total of 28,733,287 cases of COVID-19 or 44,178.3 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 145,123 cumulative deaths or a rate 223.1 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 2 June 2022, 80.7% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 21.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 33.4% (2020 est.)

male: 34.9% (2020 est.)

female: 31.9% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 20.2%

male: 20.3%

female: 19.9% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 11.64 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 55.99 megatons (2020 est.)
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 the 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; 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)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 the 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;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)
Land use: agricultural land: 52.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 33.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 29.2% (2018 est.)

other: 18.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 81.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout France; as of 6 June 2022, France has reported a total of 28,733,287 cases of COVID-19 or 44,178.3 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 145,123 cumulative deaths or a rate 223.1 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 2 June 2022, 80.7% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 33.399 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 7,434,617 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.3% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Geneva (shared with Switzerland) - 580 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Rhine  (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km;  Loire - 1,012 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Loire (115,282 sq km), Seine 78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)
Major aquifers: Paris Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 5.175 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 18.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 3.113 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 211 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: Republique francaise

local short form: France

etymology: name derives from the Latin "Francia" meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D. who merged with Gallic-Roman populations in succeeding centuries and to whom they passed on their name
Government type: semi-presidential 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

time zone note: applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunion

etymology: name derives from the Parisii, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area from the 3rd century B.C., but who were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century B.C.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then just Paris
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (regions, singular - region); Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (Burgundy-Free County), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre-Val de Loire (Center-Loire Valley), Corse (Corsica), Grand Est (Grand East), Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hauts-de-France (Upper France), Ile-de-France, Martinique, Mayotte, Normandie (Normandy), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), Occitanie (Occitania), Pays de la Loire (Lands of the Loire), Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion

note: France is divided into 13 metropolitan regions (including the "collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 5 overseas regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 5 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)
Dependent areas: Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

note: the US Government 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: no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic founded); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)
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: history: many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008
Legal system: civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of France

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)

head of government: Prime Minister Élisabeth BORNE (since 16 May 2022)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 April 2022 with a runoff held on 24 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: 2022: Emmanuel MACRON reelected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (LREM) 27.8%, Marine LE PEN (RN) 23.2%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (LFI) 22%, Eric ZEMMOUR (Reconquete) 7.1%, Valerie PECRESSE (LR) 4.8%, Yannick JADOT (EELV) 4.6%, Jean LASSALLE (Resistons!) 3.1%, Fabien ROUSSEL (PCF) 2.3%, Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN (DLF) 2.1%, Anne HIDALGO 1.8%, other 1.2%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 58.5%, LE PEN 41.5%

2017: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24.%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20.%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate or Senat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members, and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held on 24 and 27 September 2020 (next to be held in September 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held in June 2027)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties)  - NA ; composition - men 226, women 122, percent of women 35.1%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition in the first round - ENS 25.8%, NUPES 25.7%, RN 18.7%, UDC 11.3%, other 18.5%; seats by party/coalition in the first round - NUPES 4, ENS 1; percent of vote in the second round - ENS 38.6%, NUPES 31.6%, RN 17.3%, UDC 7.3%, other 5.2%, seats by party/coalition in the second round - ENS 244, NUPES 127, RN 89, UDC 64, other 48
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts

note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament
Political parties and leaders: Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]
Debout la France or DLF [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN]
Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU]
Ecologist Pole or PE
Europe Ecology - the Greens or EELV [Julien BAYOU]
French Communist Party or PCF [Fabien ROUSSEL]
Horizons [Edouard PHILIPPE]
La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]
La Republique en Marche! or LREM [Stanislas GUERINI]
Movement of Progressives or MDP  [Robert HUE]
National Rally or RN [Jordan BARDELLA] (formerly National Front or FN)
New Democrats [Aurelien TACHE, Emilie CARIOU] (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS)
New Ecologic and Social People's Union or NUPES [collective leadership] (electoral coalition including FI, PE, PS, PCF)
Radical Party of the Left or PRV [Guillaume LACROIX]
Reconquete [Eric ZEMMOUR]
Resistons! [Jean LASSALLE]
Socialist Party or PS [Olivier FAURE]
The Patriots or LP [Florian PHILIPPOT]
The Republicans or LR [Christian JACOB]
Together or ENS [Richard Ferrand] (electoral coalition including LREM, MoDem, Horizons, PRV)
Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI [Jean-Christophe LAGARDE]
Union of Right and Center or UDC [Christian JACOB] (electoral coalition including LR, UDI)
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philippe Noel Marie Marc ETIENNE (since 8 July 2019)

chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166

email address and website:
info@ambafrance-us.org

https://franceintheus.org/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denise Campbell BAUER (since 5 February 2022); note - also accredited to Monaco

embassy: 2 avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris

mailing address: 9200 Paris Place, Washington DC  20521-9200

telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22, [33] (1) 42-66-97-83

FAX: [33] (1) 42-66-97-83

email address and website:
Citizeninfo@state.gov

https://fr.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

consulate(s): Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes
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 when the "ancient French color" of white was combined with the blue and red colors of the Parisian militia; the official flag for all French dependent areas

note: for the first four years, 1790-94, the order of colors was reversed, red-white-blue, instead of the current blue-white-red; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands
National symbol(s): Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification); national colors: blue, white, red
National anthem: name: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

note: adopted 1795, restored 1870; originally known as "Chant de Guerre pour l'Armee du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine), the National Guard of Marseille made the song famous by singing it while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolutionary Wars
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 49 (43 cultural, 5 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in New Caledonia and one site in French Polynesia

selected World Heritage Site locales: Chartres Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Versailles (c); Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (c); Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (m); Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (c); Paris, Banks of the Seine (c); The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (c); Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (c); Amiens Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (c); Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (n)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The French economy is diversified across all sectors. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. However, the government maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. France is the most visited country in the world with 89 million foreign tourists in 2017. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that mitigate economic inequality.   France's real GDP grew by 1.9% in 2017, up from 1.2% the year before. The unemployment rate (including overseas territories) increased from 7.8% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2015, before falling to 9.0% in 2017. Youth unemployment in metropolitan France decreased from 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2017.   France’s public finances have historically been strained by high spending and low growth. In 2017, the budget deficit improved to 2.7% of GDP, bringing it in compliance with the EU-mandated 3% deficit target. Meanwhile, France's public debt rose from 89.5% of GDP in 2012 to 97% in 2017.   Since entering office in May 2017, President Emmanuel MACRON launched a series of economic reforms to improve competitiveness and boost economic growth. President MACRON campaigned on reforming France’s labor code and in late 2017 implemented a range of reforms to increase flexibility in the labor market by making it easier for firms to hire and fire and simplifying negotiations between employers and employees. In addition to labor reforms, President MACRON’s 2018 budget cuts public spending, taxes, and social security contributions to spur private investment and increase purchasing power. The government plans to gradually reduce corporate tax rate for businesses from 33.3% to 25% by 2022.The French economy is diversified across all sectors. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. However, the government maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. France is the most visited country in the world with 89 million foreign tourists in 2017. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that mitigate economic inequality. France's real GDP grew by 1.9% in 2017, up from 1.2% the year before. The unemployment rate (including overseas territories) increased from 7.8% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2015, before falling to 9.0% in 2017. Youth unemployment in metropolitan France decreased from 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2017. France’s public finances have historically been strained by high spending and low growth. In 2017, the budget deficit improved to 2.7% of GDP, bringing it in compliance with the EU-mandated 3% deficit target. Meanwhile, France's public debt rose from 89.5% of GDP in 2012 to 97% in 2017. Since entering office in May 2017, President Emmanuel MACRON launched a series of economic reforms to improve competitiveness and boost economic growth. President MACRON campaigned on reforming France’s labor code and in late 2017 implemented a range of reforms to increase flexibility in the labor market by making it easier for firms to hire and fire and simplifying negotiations between employers and employees. In addition to labor reforms, President MACRON’s 2018 budget cuts public spending, taxes, and social security contributions to spur private investment and increase purchasing power. The government plans to gradually reduce corporate tax rate for businesses from 33.3% to 25% by 2022.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,832,170,000,000 (2020 est.)

$3,082,300,000,000 (2019 est.)

$3,036,490,000,000 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.49% (2019 est.)

1.81% (2018 est.)

2.42% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $42,000 (2020 est.)

$45,800 (2019 est.)

$45,300 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $2,715,574,000,000 (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2019 est.)

1.8% (2018 est.)

1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA (2014)

Moody's rating: Aa2 (2015)

Standard & Poors rating: AA (2013)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 19.5% (2017 est.)

services: 78.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 54.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 23.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.9% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 30.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -32% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, maize, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, apples
Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 27.742 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.8% (2016 est.)

industry: 20% (2016 est.)

services: 77.2% (2016 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.12% (2019 est.)

8.69% (2018 est.)

note: includes overseas territories
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 20.2%

male: 20.3%

female: 19.9% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 13.6% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 31.6 (2017 est.)

29.2 (2015)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 25.4% (2013)
Budget: revenues: 1.392 trillion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 1.459 trillion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 96.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

96.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Taxes and other revenues: 53.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$18.102 billion (2019 est.)

-$16.02 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $746.91 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$891.18 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$918.97 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 14%, United States 8%, Italy 7%, Spain 7%, Belgium 7%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)
Exports - commodities: aircraft, packaged medicines, cars and vehicle parts, gas turbines, wine (2019)
Imports: $803.66 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$919.63 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$947.31 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Germany 18%, Belgium 9%, Italy 9%, Spain 7%, China 7%, Netherlands 6%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, aircraft machinery (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $156.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$138.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external: $6,356,459,000,000 (2019 est.)

$6,058,438,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.82771 (2020 est.)

0.90338 (2019 est.)

0.87789 (2018 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 138.611 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 472.699 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports: 64.425 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 19.613 billion kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 36.203 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 68.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 7.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 11.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 2.312 million metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 10.712 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 35,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 7.891 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 81,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1,688,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 1,064,700 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 61.7 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 1.311 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 440,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 886,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas: production: 16.226 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 38,192,256,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports: 9,103,795,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports: 46,105,385,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 7.787 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 338.425 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 26.971 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 225.865 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 85.589 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 151.053 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 37.759 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 72.751 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 111 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: France's telecom market is one of the largest in Europe; telecom revenue, at about €30 billion annually, has declined in recent years and came under particular pressure during 2020 when a sequence of local and national lock downs, as well as restrictions on international travel, resulted in a sharp drop in revenue from roaming and device sales; this was partly offset by growth in data traffic and the migration of subscribers to faster fixed-line broadband packages, mostly based on fiber; the incumbent telco Orange Group is one of the world’s major players, with interests in markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa; the company has embarked on a new multi-year Engage 2025 plan which is focused on growth in the developing markets, and on the greater use of artificial intelligence and data; the mobile phone market, worth about €13 billion annually, is dominated by Orange, SFR Group (owned by Altice Group), Bouygues Telecom, and Free Mobile (Iliad); there are many MVNOs in the market, though their share of subscribers fell at the end of 2020 when one of the largest of them was acquired by its host network operator; LTE networks provide near universal coverage, and carry about 95% of mobile data traffic; operators have launched 5G services, and these have been supported by the late-2020 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range; France’s fixed broadband market is increasingly focused on fiber, which accounted for 71% of all fixed lines at the beginning of 2021; growth in the fiber sector has been stimulated by households securing faster data packages during the pandemic; the number of DSL lines has fallen sharply as customers migrate to fiber infrastructure. (2021)

domestic: nearly 58 per 100 persons for fixed-line and over 111 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)

international: country code - 33; landing points for Circe South, TAT-14, INGRID, FLAG Atlantic-1, Apollo, HUGO, IFC-1, ACE, SeaMeWe-3 & 4, Dunant, Africa-1, AAE-1, Atlas Offshore, Hawk, IMEWE, Med Cable, PEACE Cable, and TE North/TGN-Eurasia/SEACOM/Alexandros/Medex submarine cables providing links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa and US; satellite earth stations - more than 3 (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 (2019)

overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; landing points for Ella Link, Kanawa, Americas II to South America, Europe, Caribbean and US; Guadeloupe - 590; landing points for GCN, Southern Caribbean Fiber, and ECFS around the Caribbean and US; Martinique - 596; landing points for Americas II, ECFS, and Southern Caribbean Fiber to South America, US and around the Caribbean;  Mayotte - 262; landing points for FLY-LION3 and LION2 to East Africa and East African Islands in Indian Ocean; Reunion - 262; landing points for SAFE, METISS, and LION submarine cables to Asia, South and East Africa, Southeast Asia and nearby Indian Ocean Island countries of Mauritius, and Madagascar (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: a mix of both publicly operated and privately owned TV stations; state-owned France television stations operate 4 networks, one of which is a network of regional stations, and has part-interest in several thematic cable/satellite channels and international channels; a large number of privately owned regional and local TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable services provide a large number of channels; public broadcaster Radio France operates 7 national networks, a series of regional networks, and operates services for overseas territories and foreign audiences; Radio France Internationale, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a leading international broadcaster; a large number of commercial FM stations, with many of them consolidating into commercial networks
Internet country code: metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re
Internet users: total: 57,272,921 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 30.627 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 19 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 553

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 70,188,028 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4,443,790,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: F
Airports: total: 464 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 294

over 3,047 m: 14

2,438 to 3,047 m: 25

1,524 to 2,437 m: 97

914 to 1,523 m: 83

under 914 m: 75 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 170

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 64

under 914 m: 105 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 15,322 km gas, 2,939 km oil, 5,084 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 29,640 km (2014)

standard gauge: 29,473 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (15,561 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 167 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (63 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 1,053,215 km (2011)

urban: 654,201 km (2011)

non-urban: 399,014 km (2011)
Waterways: metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010)
Merchant marine: total: 548

by type: container ship 29, general cargo 50, oil tanker 28, other 441 (2021)

note: includes Monaco
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s):
Atlantic Ocean: Brest, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Nantes
Mediterranean Sea: Marseille

container port(s) (TEUs): Le Havre (2,822,910) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Dunkerque, Fos Cavaou, Fos Tonkin, Montoir de Bretagne

river port(s): Bordeaux (Garronne); Nantes - Saint Nazaire (Loire); Paris, Rouen (Seine); Strasbourg (Rhine)

cruise/ferry port(s): Calais, Cherbourg, Le Havre
Transportation - note: begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover that runs from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France; it is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: French Armed Forces (Forces Armées Françaises): Army (Armee de Terre; includes Foreign Legion), Navy (Marine Nationale), Air and Space Force (Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace); includes Air Defense), National Guard (Reserves), National Gendarmerie (2022)

note: the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary police force that is a branch of the Armed Forces but under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior; it also has additional duties to the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Justice
Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

2% of GDP (2020)

1.8% of GDP (2019) (approximately $59.1 billion)

1.8% of GDP (2018) (approximately $57 billion)

1.8% of GDP (2017) (approximately $54.4 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 205,000 active duty troops (115,000 Army; 35,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force; 15,000 other, such as joint staffs, administration, logistics, procurement, medical service, etc.); approximately 100,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 75,000 National Guard (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the French military's inventory consists mostly of domestically-produced weapons systems, including some jointly-produced with other European countries; there is a limited mix of armaments from other Western countries, particularly the US; France has a defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2001); 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat posts (2021)

note 1: in 2019, women comprised approximately approximately 16% of the uniformed armed forces

note 2: men between the ages of 17.5 and 39.5 years of age, of any nationality, may join the French Foreign Legion; those volunteers selected for service sign 5-year contracts
Military deployments: approximately 4,000 Burkina Faso/Chad/Niger (Operation Barkhane, Operation Sabre; note - in 2021, France announced that it would cut the number of troops in this force to about 2,500 by 2023); approximately 300 Central African Republic; 300 Comoros; approximately 900 Cote D'Ivoire; approximately 1,450 Djibouti; 220 Estonia (NATO); approximately 2,000 French Guyana; approximately 900 French Polynesia; approximately 1,000 French West Indies; 350 Gabon; approximately 500 Middle East (Iraq/Jordan/Syria); 600 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 1,400 New Caledonia; approximately 1,700 Reunion Island; 550 Romania (NATO); approximately 350 Senegal; approximately 650 United Arab Emirates (2022)

note 1: France has been a contributing member of the EuroCorps since 1992

note 2: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including France, have sent additional troops to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe
Military - note: France was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty), which created NATO in 1949; in 1966, President Charles DE GAULLE decided to withdraw France from NATO’s integrated military structure, reflecting his desire for greater military independence, particularly vis-à-vis the US, and the refusal to integrate France’s nuclear deterrent or accept any form of control over its armed forces; it did, however, sign agreements with NATO setting out procedures in the event of Soviet aggression; beginning with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, France distanced itself from the 1966 decision and has regularly contributed troops to NATO’s military operations, being one of the largest troop-contributing states; in 2009 it officially announced its decision to fully participate in NATO structures

 in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; combined training exercises began in 2011; as of 2020, the CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel capable of high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance the French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army and is comprised of approximately 8,000 personnel in eight regiments, a regiment-sized demi-brigade, a battalion-sized overseas detachment, a battalion-sized recruiting group, and a command staff; the combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry (2022)in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; combined training exercises began in 2011; as of 2020, the CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel capable of high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistancethe French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army and is comprised of approximately 8,000 personnel in eight regiments, a regiment-sized demi-brigade, a battalion-sized overseas detachment, a battalion-sized recruiting group, and a command staff; the combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
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 CaledoniaMadagascar 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 37,744 (Afghanistan), 23,980 (Sri Lanka), 23,510 (Syria), 21,070 (Sudan), 19,007 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 16,995 (Russia), 15,090 (Guinea), 14,296 (Serbia and Kosovo), 13,180 (Turkey), 10,849 (Cambodia), 9,328 (Iraq) 8,519 (China), 8,338 (Cote d'Ivoire), 8,218 (Eritrea), 7,628 (Vietnam), 6,947 (Bangladesh), 6,649 (Somalia), 6,642 (Albania), 6,371 (Laos), 6,074 (Mauritania), 5,908 (Mali) (mid-year 2021); 96,520 (Ukraine) (as of 9 August 2022)

stateless persons: 2,094 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics; French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe; Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europemetropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics;French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe;Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe


Topic: Public CommentsI would like to thank you for the detailed, thorough, and incredibly useful World Factbook. We have been using the document to plan our travel for over 20 years; it has been an invaluable resource. Just saw the the new online Factbook and whoever redesigned it did a very good job.Thank you for providing this as a resource. When I was a classroom teacher, I used it as a reference tool, as well as for personal research and reading. “EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT!!! I love the CIA World Factbook! Since my days studying political science in college, the online version at https://www.cia/the-world-factbook/ is my FAVORITE website. I just get drawn into and lost in the data. So overwhelming at times…but I love it!!! People say, “Check Wikipedia.” I say, “Better check the CIA Factbook.” In my humble opinion, the CIA Factbook should be a mandatory textbook in high school. Where can I purchase a hard copy for my home? Thank you.” Hello CIA. Firstly, I really like and enjoy The World Factbook. Its presentation is professional and in my opinion, unbiased. I refer to it several times a year, more so if I’m planning on travelling outside of North America. I like the new format. [A Canadian visitor] “Thank you for the info on Ethiopia, it is really helpful :). (P.S. I asked my mom’s permission because I am under 18.) Have a wonderful day and God bless you!” “Just wanted to convey one US citizen’s appreciation for the work that your organization does to insure our security. We live in the best country in the world and it is because of folks like you that we continue to do so. Words alone can never properly convey my appreciation for the sacrifices and work that you do. Thank you so much!!Also, I do appreciate the website. It’s easy to use and contains very interesting information, especially the CIA Factbook!” “Thank you for creating The World Factbook; it’s been a lifesaver.” “The CIA World Factbook is a wonderful example of what the United States truly stands for. While the CIA is renowned for its secrecy and discretion, its willingness to publish an open and comprehensive information resource on the nations of our world reinforces its commitment to the search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge.” “Aside from the cloak-and-dagger stuff, the Agency publishes a stunningly useful online document, The World Factbook. I commend the contributors, and endorse it as a fine use of taxpayer money.” “I always thought the CIA was gathering only ‘secret’ information. Wow! Was I wrong! The amount of information available on the Agency’s website is astounding, not to mention, free. Thank you, guys.” “I greatly appreciate the vast amount of information available through the CIA’s World Factbook, and the enormous amount of work involved in keeping such a database up to date. Thank you for making it possible, and thank you to the many who work to provide such a valuable resource.” “CIA provides a wonderful service – particularly The World Factbook. Thank you for all your hard work.” “We love The World Factbook, and my fifth graders will be delighted to know that we heard back from you.” “I am contacting you to present my thanks for providing the public with fast, reliable, and convenient information at our fingertips, for absolutely nothing in return. My world is a high school geography presentation covering Greece, but by using your information, I started to understand the importance of knowledge being free to the public. Thank you, I plan on using your website for further studies.” “I am homeschooled and looking for information on French Guyana. Thanks for providing such great information. Your website has been my main source for up-to-date information on the web as we have been studying every country in the world.” “Thanks, cia.gov, all data from The World Factbook is awesome! So great and so detailed.” “The World Factbook has been a helpful tool for me for nearly 15 years. Thank you for providing this valuable resource.” “I want to compliment you on the gorgeous country picker [interactive flash map] on The World Factbook site. Country/region pickers are notoriously difficult to get right, and you absolutely nailed it. Well done.” “The CIA World Factbook must rank among the most precisely well-documented and politically unbiased publications anywhere. I am delighted to know that my tax dollars support such an important reference work … Thanks for your time and professional service.” “The World Factbook is very, very informative and helpful for me. Thank you for publishing it.” “My birthday is a month from today. All I want is the @CIA World Factbook.” “Thank you so very much for the beautifully arranged [data] tables you sent me last week. Please convey my heartfelt thanks to whoever assembled the data, and rest assured that when I use it, I will give CIA, The World Factbook as the source of the data.” “Thank you for making The World Factbook publicly available. I have purchased the app for my phone and it is indispensable.” “Fantastic site. I especially like The World Factbook and the leaders of world section. A treasure trove of information. Nice job!” Thank you for your… letter replying to my earlier inquiry about the CIA’s The World Factbook population estimate for Bulgaria. I am glad to note that the updated… figure comes much closer to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute’s with a difference as you put it in your letter “within an acceptable range of accuracy.”… I avail myself on this occasion to assure you of my highest consideration. I would like to thank the CIA for their useful World Factbook. I am a student in Colorado. The World Factbook has helped me on numerous occasions at school. It recently helped me get a passing grade in my college geography class… Thanks for the good grades. I thank you for The World Factbook. It is a FANTASTIC resource. I have seen in your website, (World Factbook) it’s the most accurate website in terms of population and economy status of the world. [Comment from Kenya] Thank you so much! This is incredibly useful and I really appreciate the time you took to respond to my request. It’s rare to see that level of customer service and it is just awesome. [Grateful response after receiving a reply to a World Factbook question.] Your website is very helpful to me as a parent during homework time. The World Factbook is an invaluable tool for social studies/geography assignment help. I am gonna spread the word to teachers/other parents so they might utilize this awesome website and the multitude of interesting info it contains. The World Factbook is probably the most fantastic educational tool on which our tax dollars can be used. Thank you so much for your excellent effort. Great job on The World Factbook. It really is fantastic and useful. I love it. Thanks for the great maps on your site! Plus your published historical research is fascinating. I don’t think many individuals know that the CIA offers these resources. When I was a graduate student (1991), I did my thesis on Soviet Oil Production. The CIA had an excellent publication [The World Factbook] which I purchased and cited in my work… It was a fantastic mixture of geographical information and excellent analysis. I wanted to thank you for everything you do, for this website. The site alone takes a lot of work to maintain, not to mention what you contribute to this country every day. I came across this site by accident. Just being able to go through the library of information about each country has really given me a clearer understanding of the world. I wish more Americans knew about it! I love the CIA website. It helps me a lot with homework and stuff to get ready for the following grade. Thank you sooooooooooooo much. If my brother and sister did not tell me about your site I would still be getting all the wrong information. This is a wonderful site. I am not at all surprised by the depth of information the CIA possesses, but what you share is brilliant. I have learnt things about my own country that amaze me. A real one-stop shop. Love your site. Use it for teaching because I know it is accurate. Just wanted to congratulate you guys on The World Factbook. I have been reading various country reports over the last 10 years. I am an Indian citizen, your analysis on the Maoist insurgency in India as being one of the most destabilizing threats has been spot on. [An Indian visitor] I am a HUGE fan of your agency’s World Factbook and seem to find myself spending a fair amount of time every few weeks or so reading the information contained therein. I just want to thank everyone there for the fantastic World Factbook. This is an incredible resource. I have learned much and have truly enjoyed using and browsing through the publication. The World Factbook represents, to the highest degree, the best and most effective use of the Internet to provide relevant and useful and easy to understand information. Thank you. I am emailing to let you know that the The World Factbook you provide as part of the cia.gov website is a great source of information and I appreciate it on a daily basis. I am the International Sales Manager for a skateboard company based in Carlsbad, California so the type, quality, and quantity of information you provide in The World Factbook is a major asset to my daily life. I also frequently travel internationally for business and pleasure so it is nice to be able to look into the facts of my destination before setting off on my travels. Thank you for your time and for providing this much needed information. Every time I come to your site and Factbook I am compelled to tell you what a hell of a good job you do at providing this information to the public at large. Thank You for all the work you do making this information available, and for collecting it in one place. This time I will also comment on everything else you do. I think and believe that you are also doing a hell of a good job for us citizens of the US. Please keep up that good work, too. Nothing created by man is perfect, but it seems that you do strive for it. Thank you for that! G’day,I always like to read your info on other countries particularly before I travel to them. Your info is fantastic and very helpful. Thank you for keeping your database updated and full of stuff. I am a town planner and it is very interesting to read up on the latest stats of the world’s countries. Your World Factbook is excellent with populations and demographics, politics, and economic info.I often go to the US for a holiday to see my relatives there. I love travelling to the States, shopping there and holidaying. I hope to go again next year. I wish your country all the very best.Thanks once again. [An Australian visitor] I just wanted to say you have a great site! I think the biggest improvement is being able to hover over the continents and see the country names appear. It really helps to see a country’s neighbour and relative position. Thank you CIA and web master for maintaining this excellent website. It is exceptionally important to me as one of my most valued links when teaching Comparative Politics and World Politics to my students. By the way, it [The World Factbook] is an incredible resource work, and should be in every grade school and high school classroom in the country. It is one of the best returns on our tax dollars, in my humble opinion. The Factbook packs the informational punch of an almanac on steroids; it is excellent and exhaustive. I have used the online version of the CIA Factbook for several years and have always been delighted at the quantity and quality of information it contains. We use it in classroom discussions and assignments frequently. What a remarkable compendium of useful information. Great job! I really like your World Factbook. What a great resource. I regularly refer to it as my nine-year-old daughter has a country question each week for homework. Thanks for keeping it so up to date – even the information for New Zealand. This is a very appreciative user. [A New Zealand visitor] Thank you very much for one of the best sites on the Internet. I especially refer to The World Factbook, which is the best way to learn of other countries. Thank you all! [A Norwegian visitor] I got to your website by accident, when looking for information on Belize. Then I got curious and went to look on Portugal, my country. I know you get a lot of stuff to read but, in a world that is always thinking of CIA as a non-trustful organization, I really must congratulate you on the FACTS and fact-oriented analysis on Portugal. Much better and clearer than the info from IMF or the UN and many others. I just wanted to congratulate you for the info on the countries. [A Portuguese visitor] At Utah State University, I worked on an intensive and immersive undergraduate study abroad program for travel to developing countries with cultures very different from the US. In such challenging situations, developing cultural navigation skills is crucial for a successful experience. The World Factbook was initially useful for preparing undergraduates in learning facts about a country. Subsequently, it proved important for giving clues about the direction and nature of cultural differences one could expect upon entering a non-cosmopolitan setting. There is little available in the market for helping students think beyond a “Lonely Planet” shopping list of cultural differences; The World Factbook filled this niche. Wanted to compliment you on the excellent web site you have been maintaining in The World Factbook. The information compiled, particularly on the current status of North Korea, is very, very well done. It takes special talents of special people to boil so much information down into what you have produced, which is readily understandable by the public consumer.Thank you, on behalf of this one reader.I also feel confident that if your staff and field personnel are working with the same kind of professionalism and integrity, that our country is well served by its intelligence agency in all corners of the world.Thanks for your service. I just wanted to thank you for everything that you do, and for this site. The site alone takes a lot of work to maintain not to mention what you contribute to this country every day. I came across the site by accident. Just being able to go through the library information about each country has really given me a much more clear understanding of the world. I wish more Americans knew about it. Thank you! Your effort is probably the most fantastic educational tool on which our tax dollars can be used. Thank you so much for your excellent effort. I wanted to express my gratitude for your placing The World Factbook online. It is a great and quick way to get some interesting facts and data. [An Austrian visitor] I am an American geography teacher working in China. Your website is of great use to me when I prepare my lessons. Thanks. Your website is very helpful to me as a parent during homework time. The World Factbook is an invaluable tool for social studies/geography assignment help. I am going to spread the word to teachers/other parents so they might utilize this awesome website and the multitude of interesting info it contains. I really enjoy the Factbook because I’ve learned so much about countries I didn’t even know existed – plus ones I was a little fuzzy on where they were located. Thank you very much! I think this is an invaluable service. I love The World Factbook and appreciate the valuable and fascinating reference material that you provide. I look at it all the time. Thank you. I want to thank you for The CIA World Factbook! What a fantastic source of information. It should be promoted for use in our schools for Geography, History, and political science. THIS IS OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK in a truly useful form. Thanks for your hard work on our behalf. I would like to thank the CIA for their useful World Factbook. I am a student living in Colorado. The World Factbook has helped me on numerous occasions at school. It recently helped me get a passing grade in my College Geography class. It helped me get an ‘A’ in my High School Geography class. Thanks for the good grades. I am happy to see our CIA on Facebook and Twitter. God bless you all and keep doing what you all do so well in protecting us. Your “CIA World Factbook” has been a valued research resource for me for many years. Thank you for maintaining The World Factbook. It is a great reference source for me and many others. I teach Geography at a High School in England. The information in your Factbook is extremely useful, there seems to be little else quite like it. Thank you. Your CIA Factfiles ROCK! I teach English in the UAE and the students don’t know much about the rest of the world. I LOVE this site! Thank you American government! I find the CIA World Factbook an unbelievably important asset for both research and general fact checking. Thank you for providing it. I wanted to send you a note to let you know that your new website looks wonderful! It still contains the same great, in-depth information but is more compact and easier to navigate. I frequently use the website in my Geography classes and suggest that all my students in Middle School as well as my Community College students search through the information when writing or presenting on different countries of the world. I would like the CIA to know that my [high school] students use information from The World Factbook and website when doing their research on Spanish-speaking countries. Thank you so very much for this very effective link. I wish more students were aware of what you offer. As a geography, US history, and AP government teacher, I wanted to say thank you for the Factbook. It is an incredible resource that I use in almost all my classes, and in my opinion it is one of the better direct contributions for education that government offers today – besides money, of course. I base projects on the Factbook and encourage students to remember it well – I am sure they will be able to make use of it in college as well. Thank you for your wonderful resource. We are using the CIA World Factbook as a reference to standardize codes we use to capture country of birth/territory data. I just wanted to let you know that your website is really good and that you helped me to study and hopefully pass my geography test on poor and rich nations. I don’t really think that many people know about this website, but I do because our geography teacher showed it to us. So to sum up what I wrote, thanks. Thank you for providing such a fantastic and informative site. I’ve visited with varying frequency over the years but always consider your site a first stop for international information. It’s well organized and loaded with demographics, maps, illustrations, and much more. The PDF version is wonderful. I’m grateful to see taxes so well spent. We are a high school in Peoria, IL. We have just started a Model United Nations Club here at Richwoods. As a career intelligence professional with the US Marine Corps, I found the CIA World Factbook to be a great starting point for research on countries. I think that this website is amazing and very easy to use. I use it for all of my social studies projects. Wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your work. The information on your website, especially The World Factbook has been very helpful when working with individuals from other countries. It provides me with a better idea of the context in which they lived. That, in turn, makes it possible to be more effective when assisting them in the management of psychological issues. Keep up the good work. I’d just like to tell you, that the CIA Factbook is one of the most useful things to be found on the Internet. Thank you for having it online and updating it constantly. I think the CIA Factbook is one of the most relevant fact books in the world, supplying lots of information about every country and a lot of regions.Many greetings and keep on with the good work. Thank you for your World Factbook. As a teacher, I use it frequently. Do not waste time to answer me, just let everyone know who contributed to this edition how it is useful and used worldwide. I am a social studies teacher and we use The World Factbook all the time. It is really nice to see all [the] information about [the] world in one place. You are giving very important info for all [the] world. It is appreciated. Thanks for much for making The World Factbook available on line. I use it often for background information on world events. I’ve been using your World Factbook on a regular basis as a quick reference tool for my studies in political science. It is a fantastic tool – thank you for providing it. I am a geography buff and I spend a lot of time on The World Factbook site. I wish to thank the CIA for making the info available to us, and a job well done. My respect for the Agency is unwavering. Keep up the good work. I would like to thank you for making your CIA World Factbook available to the public as I find it an invaluable resource. The CIA World Factbook is the most informative website on the Net. Thank you for it. This is a wonderful site. I am not at all surprised by the depth of information the CIA possesses, but what you share is brilliant. I have learnt things about my own country that amaze me. A real one-stop shop. I have been using the CIA Factbook on and off for a couple of years whenever I need some information on a country, and it has helped me a lot. I wish to thank you for keeping it in the public domain. As a political science professor teaching Comparative Politics, I have my students make extensive use of the CIA World Factbook. It’s an excellent resource and it is appreciated. I usually use your website for my Geography lessons as a rich source of information students can easily access. I really like The World Factbook. It has so much information! I use it all the time for my social studies homework, at least three times a week. Right now I am doing a project and absolutely all the information I need is on this website! Thank you for creating it. I’ve been using The World Factbook you provide in your web site, and it is wonderful! Just stumbled across this CIA World [Factbook] website and simply had to let you know how fantastic this site is. It is so chock-a-block full of info and so easy to navigate. A truly magnificent achievement which deserves a plaudit. Many thanks. As a social studies teacher I love the Factbook. Thanks for the great info! Hi, I just visited your website because I’m planning a holiday to Slovakia and wasn’t sure if they used the Euro or not. In order to get this information I was going to use The World Factbook, which I’ve always found really useful in the past as a traveling resource.To my surprise I found that you now offer The Factbook as a download which is FANTASTIC! I just wanted to say thank you very much – in the modern world it’s not often that people take time out to say thank you, and I wanted to do just that.So thank you very much! It is appreciated! I am a teacher in Texas and my class is creating a Cultural Quilts over an African country. Thank you very much and we love this web-site! Hi! I teach world cultures and am using the CIA World Factbook site to update the information to teach to my 6th graders. Your institution’s World Factbook is an incredibly useful resource. Being able to quickly find a nation’s population, simple economic indicators, religious and linguistic composition, total fertility rate, and literacy rates allows one to fill in contextual gaps that are needed to understand current events. Thank you for providing this resource online to the public. Hello, I am a reference librarian at a university library, and I use the CIA World Factbook a lot. It is an incredibly useful tool, and one that librarians feel can generally be relied upon, because of the authority of the world’s leading intelligence bureau. I am a World Studies Teacher and use your Factbook all the time with my students. I really appreciate your team’s effort in compiling the country data you have for public use. I love your Factbook. I use it all the time. Your entry about the USA has:Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining.That entry makes my heart swell with pride. Thanks for saying it, and keep up the good work. With due regards, I would like to express my gratitude for the information provided by your World Factbook. Just wanted to let you know that I absolutely love your CIA Factbook. I use it for papers at school and that kind of thing. I have just put online a website that could be very useful for a person who wants to discover [more about] the world. On each place mark you will find information about the country and one link that goes directly to the CIA World Factbook. Thank you for allowing people of non-US origin access to your World Factbook, it is a wonderful collection of data for anyone interested in the world we live in. I’m in the 6th grade and I am doing a report on China and thanks to you guys I found a lot of info about my country. I am a Marketing Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy and I have used the CIA Factbook in many of my classes. First of all, thank you for this site, which helps [one] to get to know other countries and to broaden [one’s] views. I am Lithuanian, but now I live in Milwaukee – I am exchange student for one year. I would like to say that your World Factbook has been an excellent source of information for doing many research projects during my high school and collegiate career. I appreciate your hard work and thank you for that excellent resource. Your web-page helps me very much in my teaching of both Geography and English at a local high school in my town in Slovakia. I think the info that you folks make available to the galaxy is extraordinary! Having said that and meaning it, I think it is unfortunate, however, that I am not able to contact you kind folks by phone to ask any questions. Oh, welcome to the wonderful world of technology and its resulting detachment.

Topic: Government CommentsYour website is excellent. It provides an indispensable reference for those involved in global political, military, diplomatic, or economic affairs. [US Navy officer] For us [at the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names, PCGN] the Factbook is an invaluable source of information which is readily accessible and easy to interpret. Knowing that the information contained therein is up-to-date and adheres to Board on Geographic Names/PCGN principles reinforces the authority of such a valuable resource.At PCGN we use the Factbook as an important reference when assessing geopolitical information for UK Government cartographic products; the administrative division and transnational issues sections being particularly helpful in these cases. More broadly, we often consult the country pages when researching information for our briefing papers.Furthermore, we are happy to be able to include a link to the Factbook from our website, so that our customers too can easily access this very useful source of geographical information.We all hope that the Factbook will continue to appear and be maintained as a useful and reliable source of geopolitical information. [Toponymist, PCGN, c/o The Royal Geographical Society] I truly appreciate the fact that it [The World Factbook] is “one stop shopping” for most of my data needs. In fact, as a foundation for any international study or research, it is the best place to start. I often go to other sites looking for data or making sure that the data I have is up to date and complete. However, what I often find is that their data is simply a repost of your data and not always up to date. The other thing that I really appreciate is that I can get a great set of time series data for analysis from The World Factbook. Most of my work involves statistically analyzing data for geospatial analysis, looking for trends or predictive variables. I have been very successful due to the availability and completeness of your efforts. [Researcher, US Department of State] I would like to let you know how much the CIA World Factbook is appreciated. It is an invaluable resource for obtaining the most precise and verified information on foreign countries. I refer to the Factbook often while working on my monographs regarding legal and political developments in Central Asia and in the Caucasus. The CIA World Factbook was repeatedly cited as the source of original information in my books when I compiled comparative tables on the countries of my research. the Factbook is especially significant in that it allows one to find figures, names, and dates that are not otherwise available. This publication is an extremely helpful tool for me and all of my colleagues. [Researcher, Law Library of Congress] I have added some analysis of the geology and geography of a country to several bibliographies I have written for the Corps of Engineers and the federal government in response to a number of recent humanitarian crises. For example, my bibliographies on the geology of Burma (Myanmar) and another one on Somalia included a great deal of information from the CIA Factbook on the geography of those countries, especially the transportation capabilities such as roads, airports, shipping statistics, and other data.I have generally found the data in the CIA Factbook to be current, concise and correct, and not usually available (or as easily available) elsewhere. [Researcher, Geospatial Information Library, US Army] Regarding the Cross-Reference List of Country Codes. Kudos for a page that is neat, easy to read, and contains useful information laid out in a logical manner.I love that you provide several forms of country coding all on one page, very convenient. Truly, sometimes it is required that I need to cross-reference from one type to another. [NGA GEOINT Aeronautical Intel Analyst] Our office is standardizing the geographical names in our Minerals Availability System Database, and we decided to use the Factbook‘s designations as a standard because of the reputation of your Agency’s work. [Minerals Specialist, US Department of the Interior] The CIA World Factbook remains the U.S. Government employee’s ultimate reference resource, an indispensable tool for my day-to-day requirements. Of the many calls I receive asking to clarify some point ‘what name should we use for this nationality, how long is the border between these two countries, what are the FIPS 10-4 and ISO 3166 codes for this dependency’ the Factbook is my first (and sometimes my only) line of reference. It is convenient, rich in information, and authoritative, and for those reasons and others, it is irreplaceable. [Geographer, US Department of State] I was looking at The World Factbook online. The site looks great! It is pleasant on the eyes, and of course, the content is a treasure trove. [Executive Secretary for Foreign Names, US Board on Geographic Names] Let me take this occasion to commend the CIA for its excellent and oft-used Factbook. It is certainly widely used here in the [State] Department, as well as by the general public. [Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Department of State] My compliments to… The World Factbook team. I cannot think of a product that I’ve used more often throughout my career. [CIA Deputy Chief] The CIA Factbook is the primary source used by researchers and academics who track and try to quantify/qualify boundary and territorial disputes. I have seen any number of studies sponsored by USIP, OES and universities who rely on the Factbook‘s Transnational Issues section for current information on the status of such disputes. A search engine search of territorial and border disputes invariably brings up Factbook entries, past and present.Just last Monday, while reviewing my Google Alerts bot on borders/boundaries, I found a paper by a Liberian writer/activist, who cited the Guinea-Senegal dispute, almost verbatim, from the Factbook.I would hope that your Agency continues in its unswerving support for your valuable publication to provide the US Government with official information on the global community. As it is vetted through the [State] Department, it remains the unsurpassed authoritative, current, and consistent resource on US perspectives and foreign policy. [Boundary Specialist, US Department of State] By the early 2000s, The World Factbook had replaced various traditional atlases and textbooks in becoming the predominant worldwide authority on current political geography information. Because no other source even approaches the Factbook‘s volume of usage and acceptance on the World Wide Web, this publication has, perhaps unintentionally, become one of the US Government’s most cost-effective means of affecting information flow overseas under both democratic and autocratic regimes.Measured within its purview of political, economic, and demographic overviews, the Factbook‘s reach and acceptance as authoritative has become the envy of other far more costly yet far less effective USG information programs. This level of accuracy, completeness, and effectiveness does not come by accident but only by the USG’s continued resolve to support the Factbook program.It should be noted that in no small manner, the contribution of the Factbook‘s cartography is as equally instrumental in worldwide dissemination of geographic knowledge as the Factbook‘s text.Including both the simpler base maps for each Factbook entry as well as the more detailed regional maps, these public-domain products have, far and away, found more widespread dispersal on the World Wide Web than any other single source of overseas non-navigational mapping. The perhaps unintentional effect again is to assure effective dissemination of the USG’s depiction of worldwide political boundaries and nomenclature.For researchers needing quick, handy reference material, and lacking multiple computer screens that can be viewed simultaneously, the traditional hard copy version continues to be a valuable and indispensable resource as well. [Boundary Specialist, US Department of State] I am working on a contract with the Department of Energy related to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.The Joint Convention is an International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA initiative adopted in 1997. The World Factbook provides important country background information for US Government officials, specifically DOE, NRC, and EPA, scheduled to attend a meeting of all Contracting Parties. [Safety Specialist, Department of Energy]