France

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 32.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.)

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.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 37.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 77.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, maize, barley, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, sunflower seeds (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 12.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.29 trillion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.447 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$12.382 billion (2024 est.) -$30.334 billion (2023 est.) -$33.069 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.)

Exports

$1.071 trillion (2024 est.) $1.05 trillion (2023 est.) $1.021 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

aircraft, cars, packaged medicine, gas turbines, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 11%, Italy 9%, USA 8%, Belgium 8%, Spain 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.162 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.4% (2024 est.) industry: 17.5% (2024 est.) services: 70.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

31.2 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$1.074 trillion (2024 est.) $1.094 trillion (2023 est.) $1.092 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Germany 15%, Belgium 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, Italy 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

31.725 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

15.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

98.5% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.732 trillion (2024 est.) $3.689 trillion (2023 est.) $3.655 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

1.2% (2024 est.) 0.9% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$54,500 (2024 est.) $54,000 (2023 est.) $53,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$282.857 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

Taxes and other revenues

23.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

7.4% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 7.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

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.)

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.)

Electricity access

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

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.)

Energy consumption per capita

123.526 million Btu/person (2023 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.)

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)

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.)

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.)

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)

Environmental issues

air pollution and acid rain from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

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'Ard che; Normandie-Maine (2024)

International environmental 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

Land use

agricultural land: 52.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 32.7% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 232 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,496.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 550.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 37.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

211 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 5.271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 16.641 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.515 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 36.749 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31.6% (2022 est.)

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

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)

Coastline

4,853 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km

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

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

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

Irrigated land

14,236 sq km (2020)

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

Land use

agricultural land: 52.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 32.7% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.)

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

Major aquifers

Paris Basin

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)

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

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

Natural hazards

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding volcanism: Montagne Pel e (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, although it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufri re (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe has also had explosive eruptions in recent years

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

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

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

Administrative divisions

18 regions ( r gions , singular - r gion ); Auvergne-Rh ne-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comt , 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-C te d'Azur, R union 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 R union) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 5 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)

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

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

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

Country name

conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: R publique fran aise 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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles KUSHNER (since 11 July 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: Citizeninfo@state.gov https://fr.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg consulate(s): Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes

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: info@ambafrance-us.org https://franceintheus.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017) head of government: S bastien LECORNU (since 10 September 2025) 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 (Reconqu te) 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

Flag

description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), white, and red history: 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; for the first four years of the flag's use (1790-94), the order of colors was reversed (red-white-blue) note 1: serves as the official flag for all French dependencies note 2: 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

Government type

semi-presidential republic

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)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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 proximit ; administrative courts

Legal system

civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts

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: 9/24/2023 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 (S nat) number of seats: 348 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 6/30/2024 to 7/7/2024 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

National anthem(s)

title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: adopted 1795, restored 1870; acquired its name when the National Guard of Marseille sang the song while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolution; one of the most recognized anthems in the world

National color(s)

blue, white, red

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 54 (46 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 V z re Valley (c); Pyr n es - 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 Carr e of N mes (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (Corsica) (n); Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan (c)

National holiday

F te de la F d ration, 14 July (1790) note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la F te nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)

National symbol(s)

Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country)

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 R sistons! 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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 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.

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)

Military and security forces

French Armed Forces (Forces Arm es Fran aises): 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 National Guard is composed of operational reservists belonging to the Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior note 3: 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 and security service personnel strengths

approximately 200,000 active duty Armed Forces; approximately 150,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 80,000 National Guard (2025)

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); 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 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 (2025)

Military expenditures

2.1% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

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; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month voluntary military service program for French citizens 18-19 is scheduled to start accepting recruits in September 2026; afterwards, the volunteers can integrate into civilian life, become a reservist, or stay in the armed forces note 2: in 2024, women comprised about 17% of the uniformed armed forces 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

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)

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.)

Birth rate

10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.9% (2020 est.)

Death rate

9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 65.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 36.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

5.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.1% national budget (2022 est.)

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.93 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

12.3% of GDP (2021) 15.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

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

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Proven al, 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)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.6 years (2024 est.) male: 79.8 years female: 85.5 years

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)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 42.7 years (2025 est.) male: 41 years female: 44.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Net migration rate

1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.6% (2016)

Physician density

3.28 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

total: 68,512,806 (2025 est.) male: 33,627,639 female: 34,885,167

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

Population growth rate

0.2% (2025 est.)

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.)

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.)

Tobacco use

total: 28.9% (2025 est.) male: 30.7% (2025 est.) female: 27.3% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Key space-program milestones

early 1960s - began rocket program and launched animals into space 1965 - launched first domestically produced satellite (Asterix) into space on a French Diamant rocket (third country to do so after the Soviet Union and US) 1973 - began development of Ariane heavy-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) along with other European states, particularly Germany and the UK; Ariane would become the ESA's SLV 1970s-1990s - development of a space plane/shuttle program (Hermes) 1982 - first French astronaut into space on a Soviet rocket 1986 - launched first joint European Earth observation/remote sensing program (SPOT) 2018 - launched project (Spaceship FR) to lay the groundwork for robotic and crewed missions to the Moon and Mars 2024 - debut launch of Ariane-6 SLV; claimed world's first satellite to ground communications via laser

Space agency/agencies

National Center for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, CNES; established 1961) (2025)

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 (2025)

Space program overview

has one of Europe s largest space programs and is one of the top contributors to the ESA; has independent capabilities in all areas, 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; shifted astronaut training to ESA in 2001; hosts the ESA headquarters and its space launch facility; participates in international space programs such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope and International Space Station; works 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 satellite construction and payloads, launch capabilities, and a range of other space-related capabilities and technologies (2025)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 810,325 (2024 est.) IDPs: 59 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 2,634 (2024 est.)

Airports

1,218 (2025) note: Includes 29 airports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

F

Heliports

405 (2025) note: Includes 11 heliports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion)

Merchant marine

total: 553 (2023) by type: container ship 32, general cargo 48, oil tanker 25, other 448 note: includes Monaco

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

Railways

total: 27,860 km (2020) 16,660 km electrified narrow gauge: -5 km

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