France
Land area: Total: 547,030 sq km
Population: 62 million (July 2009 est.)
Labour force: 28.5 million (2008 est.)
Occupations: Agriculture:3.8% industry:24.3% services:71.8% (2005)
Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Capital: Paris
Head of State: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007)
National holiday: Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790)- although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day.
Economy: 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 privatised 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 defence industries.
Imports: £18,553 million (2008) from the UK
Industries: Machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Inflation: 1% (2008 est.)
Did you know... 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.
