France

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 then President Charles 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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

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 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 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: 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

comparison ranking: total 45

Area – comparative

slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 3,956 km

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

metropolitan France – total: 2751 km

French Guiana – total: 1205 km

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: 200m 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)

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 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: 51.7% (2022 est.)

arable land: 34.1% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 1.9% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 15.7% (2022 est.)

forest: 31.8% (2022 est.)

other: 16.5% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

14,236 sq km (2020)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Geneva (shared with Switzerland) – 580 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rhin (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 south

Geography – note

largest Western 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

People and Society

Population

total: 68,374,591 (2024 est.)

male: 33,557,094

female: 34,817,497

comparison rankings: total 22; female 21; male 23

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, Indigenous

Languages

French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard)

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

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: overseas departments – French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)

French audio sample:

Religions

Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9% (2021 est.)

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: 17.3% (male 6,060,087/female 5,792,805)

15-64 years: 60.7% (male 20,875,861/female 20,615,847)

65 years and over: 22% (2024 est.) (male 6,621,146/female 8,408,845)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 64.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 28.6 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 36.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 2.8 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 42.6 years (2024 est.)

male: 41 years

female: 44.2 years

comparison ranking: total 41

Population growth rate

0.2% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 177

Birth rate

10.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 164

Death rate

10 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 35

Net migration rate

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 65

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

11.208 million PARIS (capital), 1.761 million Lyon, 1.628 million Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, 1.079 million Lille, 1.060 million Toulouse, 1.000 million Bordeaux (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

28.9 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 150

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 204

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.6 years (2024 est.)

male: 79.8 years

female: 85.5 years

comparison ranking: total population 25

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 121

Gross reproduction rate

0.93 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

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.)

Health expenditure

12.3% of GDP (2021)

15.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

3.28 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

21.6% (2016)

comparison ranking: 87

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 11.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 6.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 8

Tobacco use

total: 28.9% (2025 est.)

male: 30.7% (2025 est.)

female: 27.3% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 24

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.8% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

8.9% national budget (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 43

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2020)

Environment

Environment – current issues

air pollution and acid rain 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

Climate

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

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

Urbanization

urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 10.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

methane emissions: 55.99 megatons (2020 est.)

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)

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: 5.31 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 17.78 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 3.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

211 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 9 (2024)

global geoparks and regional networks: Armorique; Beaujolais; Causses du Quersey; Chablais; Haute-Provence; Luberon; Massif des Bauges; Monts d’Ardèche; Normandie-Maine (2024)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: République française

local short form: France

etymology: derives from the Latin name 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.; the origin of the tribal name is unclear but may come from the Old German word franka, meaning “brave,” or from a personal name such as Francio or Francus

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.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then Paris

Administrative divisions

18 regions (régions, singular – région); Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 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-Côte d’Azur, Réunion

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 Réunion) 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 (8)

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

Legal system

civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts

Constitution

history: many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958

amendment process: 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

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: François BAYROU (since 13 December 2024)

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

election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president

most recent election date: 10 April 2022, with a runoff held on 24 April 2022

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 (Reconquête) 7.1%, Valerie PECRESSE (LR) 4.8%, Yannick JADOT (EELV) 4.6%, other 10.6%; 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%

expected date of next election: April 2027

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Parlement)

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)

number of seats: 577 (all directly elected)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 6/30/2024 to 7/7/2024

parties elected and seats per party: New Popular Front (NFP)/UG (178); Ensemble (presidential majority) (150); National Rally (RN) (125); The Republicans (LR) (39); Other (85)

percentage of women in chamber: 36.2%

expected date of next election: June 2029

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Senate (Sénat)

number of seats: 348 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections: partial renewal

term in office: 6 years

most recent election date: 9/24/2023

percentage of women in chamber: 37.1%

expected date of next election: September 2026

note 1: of the 348 Senate seats, 328 seats are for metropolitan France, overseas departments, and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte; the remainder of the seats include 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

note 2: Senate members are indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges, using absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members, and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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 has 3 members 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 cours d’appel; regional courts or tribunaux judiciaires; first instance courts or tribunaux de proximité; administrative courts

Political parties

Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC
Debout la France or DLF
Democratic Movement or MoDem
Ensemble or ENS (electoral coalition including RE, MoDem, Horizons, PRV, UDI)
The Ecologists – the Greens or EELV
French Communist Party or PCF
Horizons
La France Insoumise or FI
Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories or LIOT
Movement of Progressives or MDP
National Rally or RN (formerly National Front or FN)
New Democrats or LND (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS)
New Popular Front or NFP (electoral coalition including FI, EELV, PS, PCF)
Radical Party of the Left or PRV
Reconquete or REC
Renaissance or RE
Résistons!
Socialist Party or PS
The Republicans or LR
Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI
Union of Far Right or UXD (electoral coalition of LR, RN)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Laurent BILI (since 19 April 2023)

chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://franceintheus.org/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Charles KUSHNER (since May 2025); Chargé d’Affaires David R. McCAWLEY (since January 2025); 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:
[email protected]

https://fr.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

consulate(s): Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes

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, 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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 established); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790); note – often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration 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 la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the le tricolore (tricolor), the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution, when the traditional color of white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia; serves as the official flag for all French dependencies

note: for the first four years of the flag’s use, 1790-94, the order of colors was reversed (red-white-blue); the design and 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 of the country)

National color(s)

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: 53 (45 cultural, 7 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); Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (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); The Maison Carrée of Nîmes (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (Corsica) (n)

Economy

Economic overview

high-income, advanced EU economy and eurozone member; strong tourism, aircraft manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial sectors; high public debt; ongoing pension reform efforts; transitioning to a green economy via “France 2030” strategy

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.786 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.751 trillion (2022 est.)
$3.657 trillion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 9

Real GDP growth rate

0.94% (2023 est.)
2.57% (2022 est.)
6.44% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 168

Real GDP per capita

$55,400 (2023 est.)
$55,100 (2022 est.)
$53,900 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 35

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.052 trillion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2024 est.)
4.9% (2023 est.)
5.2% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 58

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.7% (2023 est.)

industry: 18.5% (2023 est.)

services: 69.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 40; industry 153; agriculture 167

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 53.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 23.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 34.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -36.3% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, maize, barley, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, sunflower seeds (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, textiles, food processing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

4.46% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 59

Labor force

31.665 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 22

Unemployment rate

7.4% (2024 est.)
7.3% (2023 est.)
7.3% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 135

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 16.6% (2024 est.)

male: 17.1% (2024 est.)

female: 16% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 76

Population below poverty line

15.6% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

31.5 (2021 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 115

Average household expenditures

on food: 12.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% (2021 est.)

highest 10%: 24.9% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

1.21% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.19% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $1.229 trillion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $1.362 trillion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

98.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 23

Taxes and other revenues

23.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 60

Current account balance

-$30.334 billion (2023 est.)
-$33.069 billion (2022 est.)
$7.245 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 201

Exports

$1.05 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.021 trillion (2022 est.)
$926.762 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 4

Exports – partners

Germany 11%, Italy 9%, USA 8%, Belgium 8%, Spain 7% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

aircraft, cars, packaged medicine, gas turbines, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$1.094 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.092 trillion (2022 est.)
$957.017 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 4

Imports – partners

Germany 15%, Belgium 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, Italy 8% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

cars, natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, garments (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$78.429 billion (2024 est.)
$240.792 billion (2023 est.)
$242.416 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 34

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.924 (2024 est.)
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 151.463 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 415.542 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 76.207 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 25.107 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 35.282 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 200; imports 7; exports 1; consumption 10; installed generating capacity 9

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear: 63.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 10.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

tide and wave: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 57 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 61.37GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production: 64.8% (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 14 (2025)

Coal

production: 2.157 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 12.57 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 64,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 10.347 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 160 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1.536 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 61.719 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 17.928 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 33.238 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 13.584 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 46.909 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 7.787 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

303.779 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 25.355 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 209.4 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 69.025 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 21

Energy consumption per capita

123.526 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 31

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 37.22 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 5

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 77.4 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 24

Broadcast media

a mix of both publicly operated and privately owned TV stations; state-owned TV stations operate 4 networks and have part-interest in several thematic cable/satellite channels and international channels; large number of privately owned regional and local TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable services; public broadcaster Radio France operates 7 national networks, a series of regional networks, and services for overseas territories and foreign audiences; Radio France Internationale, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a leading international broadcaster; large number of commercial FM stations

Internet country code

metropolitan France – .fr; French Guiana – .gf; Guadeloupe – .gp; Martinique – .mq; Mayotte – .yt; Reunion – .re

Internet users

percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 32.3 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 8

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

1,218 (2025)

note: Includes 29 airports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion)

comparison ranking: 6

Heliports

405 (2025)

note: Includes 11 heliports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion)

comparison ranking: 10

Railways

total: 27,860 km (2020) 16,660 km electrified

narrow gauge: -5 km

Merchant marine

total: 553 (2023)

by type: container ship 32, general cargo 48, oil tanker 25, other 448

note: includes Monaco

comparison ranking: total 41

Ports

total ports: 66 (2024)

large: 6

medium: 12

small: 22

very small: 26

ports with oil terminals: 31

key ports: Bayonne, Bordeaux, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkerque Port Est, Dunkerque Port Ouest, La Pallice, La Rochelle, Les Sables d’Olonne, Lorient, Montoir, Nantes, Le Havre, Rouen, Rade de Brest, Rade de Cherbourg, Rochefort, St. Nazaire, Toulon

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 under the English Channel at the Strait of Dover; it runs from Folkestone, Kent, in England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France and is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

Military and Security

Military and security forces

French Armed Forces (Forces Armées Françaises): Army (l’Armee de Terre; includes Foreign Legion), Navy (Marine Nationale), Air and Space Force (l’Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace); includes Air Defense), National Guard (Garde Nationale), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) (2025)

note 1: under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior, the civilian National Police and the National Gendarmerie maintain internal security; the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary police force that is a branch of the Armed Forces and therefore part of the Ministry of Defense but under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior; it also has additional duties to the Ministry of Justice

note 2: the French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French military for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army; its combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry regiments

Military expenditures

2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.9% of GDP (2023)
1.9% of GDP (2022)
1.9% of GDP (2021)
2% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 205,000 active-duty Armed Forces (120,000 Army; 35,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force; 10,000 other, such as joint staffs, administration, logistics, procurement, medical service, etc.); approximately 100,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 75,000 National Guard (2024)

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 smaller mix of armaments from other Western countries, particularly the US; France has a large and sophisticated defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems (2024)

note: two major future acquisition programs for the French military included the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, or FCAS (known in France as the système combat aérien du futur, or SCAF) and a next-generation tank development project with Germany known as the Main Ground Combat System, or MGCS

Military service age and obligation

generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025)

note 1: in 2023, women comprised more than 16% of the uniformed armed forces

note 2: French citizens can also volunteer for the Voluntary Military Service (VMS), which allows unemployed youth aged 18-25 to learn a trade or gain work experience while receiving basic military training and sports activities; VMS terms are 3-12 months; French citizens may also join the military operational reserve up to age 72

note 3: 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 five-year contracts

Military deployments

France typically has up to 30,000 total air, ground, and naval forces deployed on permanent or temporary foreign missions; up to 10,000 are permanently deployed, including Djibouti (1,500); French Guyana (2,600); French Polynesia (1,000); French West Indies (1,000); Reunion Island (2,100); West Africa (1,200), and the UAE (800)

other non-permanent deployments include military missions under NATO, the EU, and the UN, as well as some unilateral operations, in such places as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and adjacent waters (2025)

Military – note

the French military has a global footprint and a wide range of missions and responsibilities, to include protecting French territory, population, and interests, and fulfilling France’s commitments to NATO, European security, and international peacekeeping operations under the UN; it is the largest military in the EU and has a leading role in the EU security framework, as well as in NATO; in recent years, it has actively participated in coalition peacekeeping and other security operations in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans, often in a lead role; the military regularly conducts large-scale exercises and participates in a variety of bi-lateral and multinational exercises; it also has a domestic security mission, including providing enhanced security at sensitive sites and large events and support during national crises or disasters, such as fighting forest fires; in recent years, defense responsibilities have expanded to include cyber and space domains

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, including high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

National Center for Space Studies (Centre National D’études Spatiales, CNES; established 1961); established a military Space Command (Le Commandement de l’Espace, CDE) under the Air and Space Force, 2020 (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Guiana Space Center (Kourou, French Guiana; also serves as the spaceport for the ESA); note – prior to the completion of the Guiana Space Center in 1969, France launched rockets from Algeria (2024)

Space program overview

has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is a key member of the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as one of its largest contributors; has independent capabilities in all areas of space categories except for autonomous manned space flight; can build, launch, and operate a range of space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs) and spacecraft, including exploratory probes and a full spectrum of satellites; trained astronauts until training mission shifted to ESA in 2001; develops a wide range of space-related technologies; hosts the ESA headquarters; participates in international space programs such as the Square Kilometer Array Project (world’s largest radio telescope) and International Space Station (ISS); cooperates with a broad range of space agencies and commercial space companies, including those of China, Egypt, individual ESA and EU member countries, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the UAE, the US, and several African countries; has a large commercial space sector involved in such areas as satellite construction and payloads, launch capabilities, and a range of other space-related capabilities and technologies (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

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 the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 55,681 (Afghanistan), 39,091 (Syria), 33,834 (Sri Lanka), 33,148 (Russia), 31,935 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 24,223 (Sudan), 21,225 (Guinea), 18,008 (Serbia and Kosovo), 17,032 (Turkey), 13,974 (Iraq), 12,286 (Cote d’Ivoire), 11,489 (Eritrea), 11,012 (Cambodia), 10,543 (China), 10,236 (Albania), 10,210 (Somalia), 8,858 (Bangladesh), 8,124 (Mauritania), 8,101 (Mali), 7,991 (Vietnam), 6,913 (Bosnia and Herzegovina), 6,910 (Haiti), 6,808 (Angola), 6,498 (Laos), 6,417 (Armenia), 6,111 (Nigeria), 5,896 (Georgia) (mid-year 2022); 69,462 (Ukraine) (as of 31 January 2024)

stateless persons: 3,633 (2022)