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location:
western europe. bordering the bay of biscay and english channel. between belgium and spain. southeast of the uk; bordering the mediterranean sea. between italy and spain
geographic coordinates:
46 00 n. 2 00 e
map references:
europe
area:
total: 547.030 sq km land: 545.630 sq km water: 1.400 sq km note: includes only metropolitan france; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of colorado
land boundaries:
total: 2.889 km border countries: andorra 56.6 km. belgium 620 km. germany 451 km. italy 488 km. luxembourg 73 km. monaco 4.4 km. spain 623 km. switzerland 573 km
coastline:
3.427 km
maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the mediterranean) continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers. but mild winters and hot summers along the mediterranean; occasional strong. cold. dry. north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous. especially pyrenees in south. alps in east
elevation extremes:
lowest point: rhone river delta -2 m highest point: mont blanc 4.807 m
natural resources:
coal. iron ore. bauxite. zinc. uranium. antimony. arsenic. potash. feldspar. fluorospar. gypsum. timber. fish
land use:
arable land: 33.53% permanent crops: 2.07% other: 64.4% (2001)
irrigated land:
20.000 sq km (1998 est.)
natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the mediterranean
environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes. agricultural runoff
environment - international agreements:
party to: air pollution. air pollution-nitrogen oxides. air pollution-persistent organic pollutants. air pollution-sulfur 85. air pollution-sulfur 94. air pollution-volatile organic compounds. antarctic-environmental protocol. antarctic-marine living resources. antarctic seals. antarctic treaty. biodiversity. climate change. climate change-kyoto protocol. desertification. endangered species. hazardous wastes. law of the sea. marine dumping. marine life conservation. ozone layer protection. ship pollution. tropical timber 83. tropical timber 94. wetlands. whaling signed. but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
geography - note:
largest west european nation
population:
60.656.178 (july 2005 est.)
age structure:
0-14 years: 18.4% (male 5.717.761/female 5.440.060) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19.784.749/female 19.752.432) 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4.084.193/female 5.876.983) (2005 est.)
median age:
total: 38.85 years male: 37.3 years female: 40.39 years (2005 est.)
population growth rate:
0.37% (2005 est.)
birth rate:
12.15 births/1.000 population (2005 est.)
death rate:
9.08 deaths/1.000 population (2005 est.)
net migration rate:
0.66 migrant(s)/1.000 population (2005 est.)
sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
infant mortality rate:
total: 4.26 deaths/1.000 live births male: 4.76 deaths/1.000 live births female: 3.73 deaths/1.000 live births (2005 est.)
life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.6 years male: 75.96 years female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)
total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
hiv/aids - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
hiv/aids - people living with hiv/aids:
120.000 (2003 est.)
hiv/aids - deaths:
less than 1.000 (2003 est.)
nationality:
noun: frenchman(men). frenchwoman(women) adjective: french
ethnic groups:
celtic and latin with teutonic. slavic. north african. indochinese. basque minorities
religions:
roman catholic 83%-88%. protestant 2%. jewish 1%. muslim 5%-10%. unaffiliated 4%
languages:
french 100%. rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (provencal. breton. alsatian. corsican. catalan. basque. flemish)
literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)
country name:
conventional long form: french republic conventional short form: france local long form: republique francaise local short form: france
government type:
republic
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