Part 78
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or UDF); French Communist Party or PCF [Pierre LAURENT]; Greens [Cecile DUFLOT]; Left Party or PG [Jean-Luc MELENCHON]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG); Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; New Anticapitalist Party or NPA [Olivier BESANCENOT]; New Center or NC [Herve MORIN]; Radical Party [Jean-Louis BORLOO]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Socialist Party or PS [Martine AUBRY]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Jean-Francois COPE]; Worker's Struggle or LO [Nathalie ARTHAUD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation francaise democratique du travail or CFDT, left-leaning labor union with approximately 803,000 members; Confederation francaise de l'encadrement - Confederation generale des cadres or CFE-CGC, independent white-collar union with 196,000 members; Confederation francaise des travailleurs chretiens of CFTC, independent labor union founded by Catholic workers that claims 132,000 members; Confederation generale du travail or CGT, historically communist labor union with approximately 700,000 members; Confederation generale du travail - Force ouvriere or FO, independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members; Mouvement des entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
French Guiana: conservationists; gold mining pressure groups; hunting pressure groups
Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for an Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement
Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
Reunion: NA
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles H. RIVKIN
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution 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: 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 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
Economy ::France
Economy - overview:
France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. France has weathered the global economic crisis better than most other big EU economies because of the relative resilience of domestic consumer spending, a large public sector, and less exposure to the downturn in global demand than in some other countries. Nonetheless, France's real GDP contracted 2.5% in 2009, but recovered somewhat in 2010, while the unemployment rate increased from 7.4% in 2008 to 9.5% in 2010. The government pursuit of aggressive stimulus and investment measures in response to the economic crisis, however, are contributing to a deterioration of France's public finances. The government budget deficit rose sharply from 3.4% of GDP in 2008 to 7.8% of GDP in 2010, while France's public debt rose from 68% of GDP to 84% over the same period. Paris is terminating stimulus measures, eliminating tax credits, and freezing most government spending to bring the budget deficit under the 3% euro-zone ceiling by 2013, and to highlight France's commitment to fiscal discipline at a time of intense financial market scrutiny of euro zone debt levels. President SARKOZY - who secured passage of pension reform in 2010 - is expected to seek passage of some tax reforms in 2011, but he may delay additional, more costly, reforms until after the 2012 election.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.16 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $2.126 trillion (2009 est.)
$2.18 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.555 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 -2.5% (2009 est.)
0.1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$33,300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $33,000 (2009 est.)
$34,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 19.2%
services: 79% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
28.21 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 24.3%
services: 71.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
9.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 9.1% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
6.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98 32.7 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Public debt:
83.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 77.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 0.1% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 116 3% (31 December 2008)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.46% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 8.13% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$858.6 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 8 $862.3 billion (31 December 2009 est)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money:
$2.292 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $2.306 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.319 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $4.121 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.972 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 6 $1.492 trillion (31 December 2008)
$2.771 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Electricity - production:
535.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Electricity - consumption:
447.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Electricity - exports:
58.69 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.68 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
70,820 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Oil - consumption:
1.875 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Oil - exports:
597,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Oil - imports:
2.386 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Oil - proved reserves:
101.2 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Natural gas - production:
877 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Natural gas - consumption:
44.84 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Natural gas - exports:
1.931 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Natural gas - imports:
45.85 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.079 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Current account balance:
-$53.29 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 -$51.86 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$508.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $473.9 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:
Germany 15.88%, Italy 8.16%, Spain 7.8%, Belgium 7.44%, UK 7.04%, US 5.65%, Netherlands 3.99% (2009)
Imports:
$577.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $535.8 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 19.41%, Belgium 11.61%, Italy 7.97%, Netherlands 7.15%, Spain 6.68%, UK 4.9%, US 4.72%, China 4.44% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$133.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.698 trillion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 5 $4.935 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.207 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.151 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.837 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.711 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::France
Telephones - main lines in use:
36.431 million; 35.5 million (metropolitan France) (2009) country comparison to the world: 7
Telephones - mobile cellular:
60.95 million; 59.543 million (metropolitan France) (2009) country comparison to the world: 18
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive use of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, 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
overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe - 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262
Broadcast media:
a mix of both publicly-operated and privately-owned TV stations; state-owned France Televisions operates 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 (RFI), 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 (2008)
Internet country code:
metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re
Internet hosts:
15.182 million; 15.161 million (metropolitan France) (2010) country comparison to the world: 7
Internet users:
45.262 million; 44.625 million (metropolitan France) (2009) country comparison to the world: 8
Transportation ::France
Airports:
474 (2010) country comparison to the world: 16
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 297
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 97
914 to 1,523 m: 83
under 914 m: 76 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 177
914 to 1,523 m: 69
under 914 m: 108 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 14,688 km; oil 2,943 km; refined products 5,080 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 29,213 km country comparison to the world: 9 standard gauge: 29,046 km 1.435-m gauge (15,164 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 1,027,183 km (metropolitan France; includes 10,958 km of expressways) country comparison to the world: 7 note: there are another 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments (2007)
Waterways:
metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) country comparison to the world: 16 French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 167 country comparison to the world: 38 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 8, chemical tanker 36, container 25, liquefied gas 12, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 44, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 11
foreign-owned: 57 (Belgium 7, China 5, Denmark 12, French Polynesia 12, Germany 1, New Caledonia 3, Norway 1, NZ 1, Singapore 3, Spain 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 5)
registered in other countries: 146 (Bahamas 19, Belgium 5, Bermuda 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 16, Egypt 1, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 1, Italy 2, Luxembourg 16, Malta 13, Morocco 4, Netherlands 2, Norway 4, Panama 13, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 3, South Korea 1, Taiwan 1, UK 33, US 4, unknown 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen
Military ::France
Military branches:
Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale, includes Naval Air, Maritime Gendarmerie (Coast Guard)), Air Force (Armee de l'Air (AdlA), includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,591,656
females age 16-49: 14,285,551 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,053,912
females age 16-49: 11,763,951 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 389,956
female: 372,312 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Transnational Issues ::France
Disputes - international:
Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia
Illicit drugs:
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 Europe
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@French Polynesia (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::French Polynesia
Background:
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Geography ::French Polynesia
Location:
Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) country comparison to the world: 174 land: 3,827 sq km
water: 340 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5%
other: 93.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru
People ::French Polynesia
Population:
291,000 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.3% (male 35,631/female 34,097)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 102,537/female 95,317)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 9,821/female 9,629) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.5 years
male: 29.8 years
female: 29.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.355% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92
Birth rate:
15.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Death rate:
4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Net migration rate:
2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Urbanization:
urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 165 male: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.91 years country comparison to the world: 64 male: 74.44 years
female: 79.5 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::French Polynesia
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:
overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent
Independence:
none (overseas lands of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France where applicable apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008); note - will be replaced in 2011 by Richard DIDIER
head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston Tong SANG (since 24 November 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly Oscar TEMARU (since 10 April 2010)