Italy Articles

France

France is composed of a metropolitan territory,which is situated in western Europe, and other four overseas territories. France It is the largest West European country, spanning total 643,427 sq km(land- 640,053 sq km,water- 3,374 sq km).The capital city Paris(48 52 N, 2 20 E) is the largest city.

HISTORY:- The Carolingian dynasty reigned in France until 987. Hugh Capet became the King.In French Revolution, in 1789, Louis XVI was executed. Napoleon Bonaparte turned up as the First Empire (1804–1814) of the first republic.The 2nd republic was set up after the Battle of Waterloo(1815). Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte announced the Second Empire.His defeat in Franco-Prussian war of 1870 established the 3rd republic.France was in the victorious side in both the World Wars. The Fourth Republic was established after 2nd World War.

GEOGRAPHY:-The geographic location of France varies as follows:

1.The Metropolitan France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra,Italy.

2. French Guiana is located in Northern South America and bordered by Brazil, Suriname.

3. Guadeloupe is located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,and southeast to Puerto Rico.

4.Martinique is an island situated at north of Trinidad and Tobago and between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean.

5. Reunion is located in Southern Africa.It is an island in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar.

5 different terrains can be found in France,

Metropolitan France(46 00 N, 2 00 E):-This region is mostly plain land, with rolling hills in north and west, pyrenees in south.The eastern part is mountainous.

French Guiana(4 00 N, 53 00 W):-This region consists of low coastal plain land,to hills and small mountains.

Guadeloupe(16 15 N, 61 35 W):- Most part of the region is volcanic with mountains.

Martinique(14 40 N, 61 00 W):-This region is formed of hilly rugged coastline and inactive volcanoes.

Reunion(21 06 S, 55 36 E):- The terrain is complex and uneven and mountainous with fertile coastal land.

The total coastline of France is 4,668 km (Metropolitan France is 3,427 km) long. The lowest point is Rhone River delta (2 m ),while the highest point Mont Blanc (4,807 m) is western Europe’s highest point as well.

STATES:-France is a union of 26 administrative regions.22 regions are situated in the Metropolitan France,and other 4 regions are overseas regions. The overseas regions are:

Guadeloupe (since 1946)

Martinique (since 1946)

French Guiana (since 1946)

Réunion (since 1946)

CLIMATE:-

Metropolitan France:-Temperate climate reigns in the metropolitan France, with cool winters and tender summers. But the climate is swapped in the Mediterranean region. A north to northwest wind, mistral blows across the region.

French Guiana:-In this region tropical climate is seen which is hot and humid with slight temperature variation in every season.

Guadeloupe and Martinique:-In these regions subtropical climate is found with high humidity, heavy rains (June to October), devastating cyclones in every 8 years(average).

Reunion:-The climate is tropical.

GOVERNMENT:-France government is unitary semi-presidential republic. The constitution is adopted on 28th September 1958.The government is divided into three branches:

Executive:-This branch consists of the president (chief of state) and prime minister (head of government)

Legislative:-This department consists of bicameral Parliament -member National Assembly(577 seats, Senate(331 members).

Judicial:-Judicial system consists of Court of Cassation (civil and criminal law), Council of State (administrative court), and Constitutional Council (constitutional law).

Prominent political parties are Union for a Popular Majority, Socialist Party, New Center, Communist Party, extreme right National Front; Greens.Voting rights are universal above 18.

President Nicolas Sarkozy

Prime Minister François Fillon

POPULATION:-France is populated with 61,083,916 with a growth rate of 0.3% in which 60,876,136 are in Metropolitan France (July 2008 est.).

Density per sq mi: 290M

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

HEALTH:- The World Health Organization has ranked France healthcare system best in the world.It almost is free from chronic diseases like cancers and AIDS.

Birth rate: 12.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.2/1000

Life expectancy: 79.9

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 3,314

UNICEF:-UNICEF in France mostly works on child nutrition , health, HIV, child education, protection of rights of children and women. On 6th Feb,2007,58 countries joined in a conference to stop illegal enlistment of children in war. On 15th June 2006, a two-day international Conference was arranged to increase the awareness on childhood rights and HIV.

CULTURE:-Gothic Architecture was originated in France. Marianne is recognized as the symbol of French Republic.Victor Hugo,Alexandre Dumas and Jules Verne are most popular French novelists.Football,rugby ,basketball and handball are most popular sports in France.France has hosted 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, and 2007 Rugby Union World Cup.

ECONOMY:-France is gradually switching from government ownership to privatization.France's tax burden makes it one of the highest countries in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). Tourism dominates the economy of France so much that it has brought the 3rd largest income from tourism in the world. OECD has rated France as world’s 5th largest exporter and 4th largest importer in 2004.

GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $2.067 trillion; per capita $33,800.

Real growth rate: 1.8%.

Inflation: 1.5%.

Unemployment: 8%.

Population below poverty line:6.2% (2004)

Arable land: 34%.

Budget:

Revenues: $1.311 trillion

Expenditures: $1.372 trillion (2007 est.)

Public debt:66.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Agriculture: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish.

Labor force: 27.76 million; services 71.5%, industry 24.4%, agriculture 4.1% (1999).

Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism.

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish.

Exports: $558.9 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages.

Imports: $601.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals.

Major trading partners: Germany, Spain, UK, Italy, Belgium, U.S., Netherlands (2006).

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly French franc)

LANGUAGE:- The official language is French. Almost 100% of the population speaks in French as other provincial languages like Provençal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish are gradually declining.

RACE:-

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic

Slavic

North African

Southeast Asian

And Basque minorities

RELIGION:-

Roman Catholic 83%–88%

Protestant 2%

Islam 5%–10%

Jewish 1%

Unaffiliated 4%

CITIES:-The Capital and largest city is Paris, while other largest cities are Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, Nantes, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Rennes, Lille.

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 29,085 km (2005).

Highways: total: 956,303 km

Waterways: 8,500 km

Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg.

Airports: 501.