France
The Republic of France is a state in Western Europe. Its total area is 551,600 square kilometres, or one-eighth of the territory of the European Union.
In terms of population, France is Western Europe's second largest country after Germany: as of January 1, 2010, the population of metropolitan France was 62.79 million (plus the population of France's overseas departments, which brings the figure to 64.67 million). This gives the country a population density of 110 people per square kilometre.
The overall number of foreigners and immigrants living in the country is close to 8.79 million: a well-defined distinction is made between foreigners, of whom there are 3.65 million, and 5.14 million immigrants. The demographic curve points to declining population growth rates. More than 64% of the population is employed in the services sector, about 29% in the industrial sector and 7% in agriculture.
Some 80% of the population is classified as urban. The population of Paris within its administrative limits is 2.2 million and that of the entire metropolitan area is about 12 million. Other big cities include Marseille (852,000), Lyon (472,000), Toulouse (439,000) and Lille (226,000).
The official language is French. Other regional languages and dialects have also been spoken in the country: such as Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan and Basque.
France is a secular country where all the world's faiths are represented. Roman Catholicism is the religion of the majority of the country's population (it ranges between 51% and 64%). Islam has the next largest number of adherents as there are 3.5 million to 3.7 million Muslims living in the country, who come mostly from North and Central Africa, and the Middle East. France is home to about one million Protestants, 200,000 Orthodox believers, 600,000 Buddhists and 600,000 to 700,000 adherents of Judaism.
The government system: France is a republic known as the Fifth Republic, which is based on the current constitution approved in a 1958 referendum. The constitution vests enlarged powers in the president and provides for a strong executive branch. In 2008, the constitution was thoroughly revised to bring its content in line with the practice followed by the country's top authorities and also to safeguard the rights of the representative branch through stronger regulation of the head of state's competence.
Administrative Division: France is composed of 22 regions and 96 departments in European France, four overseas departments (Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Reunion), overseas dependencies (French Southern and Antarctic lands, Wallis and Futuna Islands) and overseas collectivities: Mayotte (by 2011 its current status will be changed to a department), New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
The president is elected for a five-year term (since 2002) by direct popular vote based on a majority principle in two rounds. The president oversees compliance with the constitution and ensures the normal functioning of all governmental bodies. The final decision on all issues that fall within the competence of the executive branch and legislature rests with the head of state. On May 6, 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy, who is supported by the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), was elected the sixth president of the Fifth Republic.
The government is formed by the president; it shapes and implements national policy. The incumbent centre-right cabinet, which includes some unaffiliated assorted Socialists and members of civil society, was formed on June 19, 2007 (the latest of the numerous reshuffles took place in March 2010) and is headed by Prime Minister Francois Fillon (UMP).
Supreme legislative authority is vested in the two-house parliament, which consists of the National Assembly, the lower house, and the Senate. The National Assembly has 577 members, of whom 555 represent metropolitan France and 22 its overseas departments and territories. Members of the National Assembly are elected in one-seat constituencies for five-year terms by direct universal and secret ballot in two rounds on a majority principle. In June 2007, the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) won elections to the National Assembly. At present, the right-wing parties have 340 seats in the National Assembly and the left-wing parties have 228 seats. In June 2007, Bernard Accoyer (UMP) was elected chairman of the National Assembly. Herve Mariton (UMP) is chairman of the French- Russian friendship group in the National Assembly.
The Senate ensures representation of France's local governments, such as communes, departments, overseas territories and regions. Senators are elected by indirect popular vote (the electoral college consists of National Assembly deputies, mayors, general and municipal councillors). The latest 1999 census numbers prompted the enactment of a law that provides for a gradual increase in the number of seats in the Senate; the number of seats grew from 321 to 331 in 2004 and to 343 in 2008.
At present, the right-wingers have 185 seats in the Senate and the left-wingers have 151 seats. Since October 2008, Gerard Larcher (UMP) has been chairman of the Senate. Patrice Gelard (UMP) is the chairman of the Senate's French- Russian friendship group.
Local governments. Elected by direct universal vote, municipal councils (in communes, including in cities and localities), general councils (in departments) and regional councils (in regions) have their own budgets. Prefects are appointed by the French president to represent the government in regions and departments.
France is one of the world's most developed industrial and agricultural countries, with the country's per capita GDP reaching almost $26,000.
In 2009, the economic situation in France continued to deteriorate as the country was struggling to ride out the global credit crunch and cope with its internal problems. The GDP dropped 2.2% (compared to a 0.7% growth in 2008), and this was the worst performance since the end of WWII. Nonetheless, the fourth quarter of the year saw a 0.8% growth spurred by two factors: inventories had stopped shrinking and consumption had shown a more or less steady upwards growth, edging up 0.9% in the last quarter of last year.
In 2010, the country's GDP will increase 1.3%, according to the most optimistic projections. The crisis notwithstanding, consumer spending in 2009 was buoyed by low inflation growth rates (0.1% during the year) and a system of target subsidies, primarily, bonuses for purchasing environmentally-friendly car models at the end of the year.
The unemployed make up 9.4% of the active population (against 8.2% in 2008).
In 2009, the budget deficit was running at 7.5% of GDP (3.4% in 2008); public debt climbed to 1.48 trillion euros, reaching 77.6% of GDP (against 1.32 trillion euros, or 68% of GDP in 2008).
France continues to be one of the world's leading countries in terms of industrial output, although last year its industrial output fell 11.9% from 2008.
The services sector still accounts for more than half of the country's GDP. In 2009, 74 million people visited France (compared to more than 82 million a year earlier), allowing France to remain the world's top tourist destination. Proceeds from tourism led to a budget surplus of 7.4 billion euros, although the country's trade deficit totaled 43 billion euros.
France is still one of the world's leaders in terms of exports. In 2009, its exports dropped 10% from the previous year. The EU, Japan and the United States remain France's key trading partners.
France's foreign policy strategy focuses on pursuing independent and diversified foreign policy based on a proactive approach and commitment to the principle of maintaining multilateral international relations, the recognition of the key role of the UN and the supremacy of international law.
Positioning itself as one of the world's leading powers, France attaches special importance to its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, using it to promote its interests and priorities. While supporting the idea of reforming the UN and its Security Council, including increasing the number of its permanent and other members, France strongly opposes any dilution of the Security Council's incontestable rights, primarily the veto right.
