FRANCE

Country Guide
 Loading...
Property Abroad
Your number 1 resource for overseas property..

Essential Country Information

 Download your country guide here

General Information

Area

545,630 sq km (339,054 sq miles) (not including overseas territories).

Population

60.65 million (official estimate 2005).

Population Density

111 per sq km.

Capital

Paris. Population: 12.2 million ( 2.15 million in the city; 10.5 million in the suburbs) (2005).

Geography

France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, the south by the Mediterranean (with Monaco as a coastal enclave between Nice and the Italian frontier), the southwest by Spain and Andorra, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Corsica, southeast of Nice, is made up of two départements. The country offers a spectacular variety of scenery, from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrénées to the attractive river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne and the flatter countryside in Normandy and on the Atlantic coast. The country has some 2900km (1800 miles) of coastline.

Government

Republic since 1792. Head of State: President Jacques Chirac since 1995. Head of Government: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin since May 2005. Recent history: Jacques Chirac is now in his 11th year as President after winning the most recent presidential election in 2002, which will keep him in office until 2009. This latter poll was notable for the strong performance of the neo-fascist Front National (FN) leader Jean-Marie le Pen, who came second in the first round of voting (although he lost the second decisively when all other parties, including the left, united to support Chirac). 2002 also saw the centre-right, operating under the umbrella banner of the Union for a Presidential Majority, regain control of the national Assembly, bringing to an end five years of 'co-habitation' – the situation where the presidency and the national assembly are in the hands of different parties. President Chirac, who had thrown his weight firmly behind the proposed European Union constitution, suffered a major setback in May 2005 when voters rejected it in a referendum. He acknowledged that the outcome was to some degree a reflection of voter dissatisfaction with the policies of his Government. The vote precipitated profound changes in the Government line-up, including the appointment of a new Prime Minister. In November 2005, the accidental death of two youths in the Paris suburb of Clichy sous Bois, which has large African and Arab communities, led to violent clashes between the police and thousands of rioters in several French cities. These three weeks of violence led the Government to impose a state of emergency which was only lifted in January 2006. In spring 2006, large demonstrations against the Government’s proposed youth employment law also took place in Paris and other cities throughout France. The Government was eventually forced to withdraw the law, leaving de Villepin's Presidential ambitions in tatters.

Language

French is the official language, but there are many regional dialects. Basque is spoken as a first language by some people in the southwest, and Breton by some in Brittany. Many people, particularly those connected with tourism in the major areas, speak at least some English.

Religion

Approximately 83 per cent Roman Catholic; Protestant two per cent; Muslim five per cent; Jewish one per cent; unafilliated nine per cent .

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used; adaptors recommended.

SOCIAL CONVENTIONS

Shaking hands and, more familiarly, kissing both cheeks, are the usual forms of greeting. The form of personal address is simply Monsieur or Madame without a surname and it may take time to get on first-name terms. At more formal dinners, it is the most important guest or host who gives the signal to start eating. Mealtimes are often a long, leisurely experience. Casual wear is common. Social functions, some clubs, casinos and exclusive restaurants warrant more formal attire. Evening wear is normally specified where required. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on most beaches but naturism is restricted to certain beaches – local tourist offices will advise where these are. Smoking is prohibited on public transport and in cinemas and theatres. Tobacconists (tabacs) display a red sign in the form of a double cone. A limited choice of tobacco brands can be found in restaurants and bars.