The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
FAX: [1] (202) 944–6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 944–6000
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 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; the design and/or
colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;
the official flag for all French dependent areas
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
Socialist-led government partially or fully privatized many large
companies, banks, and insurers, but the government retains
controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France,
France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some
sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense
industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened
to competition. 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. The current government
has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost
employment. The government is focusing on the problems of the high
cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the
35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government is
also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of
administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest
in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown and
inflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP,
above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless
because of low rates of capital utilization, sluggish demand, high
debt, and the steep cost of capital.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.661 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 24.4% services: 72.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
6.5% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
27.39 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)
Unemployment rate:
9.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $882.8 billion
expenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:
68.8% of GDP (2003)
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:
−0.3% (2003)
Electricity - production:
520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
4.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural