FRANCE

LOCATION
France is located in Central Europe. It has ports in the English Channel, Bay of Biscay, and also along the Mediterranean Sea. Its land is bordered by the countries of Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Andora, and Spain. In size, France is just slightly smaller than the state of Colorado.

CLIMATE
In general, the country is cool in the winter and mild in the summer. The area of France that borders the Mediterranean Sea is more of a tropical climate with mild winters and very warm summers.

POPULATION
As of July 2000, the population is estimated to be 59,329,691. There is a varied heritage, including, but not limited to, Celtic, Latin, Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, and Basque. The great variety of cultures can be credited to the historical changes in borders as a result of the long history of wars and battles fought by the French people over the great age of the land. In total, there are 30,415,137 females, and 28,914,554 males.

RELIGION
Of the total population, it is estimated that 90% of the country are Roman Catholic, 2% are Protestant, 1% are Jewish (North African workers), and 1% are Muslims. The remaining 6% of the population have no affiliation with a specific religion.

GENERAL
The official name of the country is French Republic. The city of Paris serves as the capital. France has a President who acts as the Chief of State and a Prime Minister who acts as the head of the government.

NATURAL RESOURCES
France has a great variety of natural resources. Examples include iron, coal, antimony, bauxite, magnesium potash, tungsten, pyrites, salt, lead, and zinc. Agriculture in France produces beef, fish, dairy products, wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, and a very large harvest of wine grapes. France is considered to be the home of great wines.

TRANSPORTATION
The railways, electric companies, aircraft, and telecommunication companies are owned and controlled by the French government. The government is, however, slowly relinquishing its hold over these industries. France maintains an efficient railway system. Just under half of all its railways are electrified. By European standards, the highways are good , though unpaved roads can be found in rural areas. There are major airports offering worldwide service. There are 3 heliports. A hydroplane service operates across the English Channel.

CURRENCY
French currency is the Euro. Facts and figures courtesy of the CIA World Fact Book

ADDITIONAL LINKS
To take a tour of France via its embassy in Washington visit www.info-usa.org. You can even hear the French National Anthem.