France - Fast Facts

France is a wonderful country, its people are appealing, welcoming, and open-minded. French schools are really glad to have you there...

Demographics

• Full name: French Republic
• Population: 60.7 million (via UN, 2005)
• Capital: Paris
• Area: 543,965 sq km (210,026 sq miles)
• Major language: French
• Major religion: Christianity
• Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 euro = 100 cents
• Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, including wine
• GNI per capita: US $34,810 (World Bank, 2006)
• Internet domain: .fr
• International dialling code: +33

French National Flag & Emblem: The tricolour flag is the official standard of the French Republic. In 1789, La Fayette added the colour white, symbolizing royalty, to the red and blue cockade of the Paris National Guard The Gallic Cockerel (Coq Gaullois) is the emblem of the French sports teams in international competitions.

Motto of the Republic: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

Religions:
France is a religious tolerant country and one can find a rich amalgamation of religions. Though the majority follows Christianity, French people are quite harmonious in the coexistence. The density of each religion is as follows…Catholics (81.4 % of population), Muslims (6.89 %), Protestants (1.64 %), Jews (1.29 %), Buddhists (0.68 %), Orthodox (0.34 %)

Political system:
President is the Head of the Nation. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister from the party in majority in the house and appoints the other members of the Government on PM's recommendations. The president presides over the Council of Ministers, promulgates Acts of Parliament and is commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.

Transport:
France has a well connected transportation system. Means of transport are train, TGV (Train à grande vitesse/High Speed Train) & Air. The Métro, the RER Trains (Regional commuter trains), Paris buses, the night buses called Noctambus. France : 806,000 km of road, 33,769 km of railway track (one third of it electrified), 9 internatinal airports. Airbus is a global brand of aircraft which comes from France. The French national airline is Air France.

French Food, Cheese & Wine:
Tastiest Food & Beverages are the hall marks of French cuisine. It is marked by its tradition of many centuries of refinement and excellence. French meal starts with an entrée followed by two main course dishes, and finishes with a dessert. Drink is a major part of French life, as well as of French meal as it starts with an appetizer and during the meal wine and ends with digestive. Taking part in a French family dinner on Christmas Eve is no doubt a life time experience. The chat over the table for hours during meal is another exclusive French phenomenon.

Sports :
France has a whole history of sports. Soccer (football), tennis, rugby are the most famous sports in France. The annual bicycle race Tour de France is one of the most important sporting events in France.

Society:
French people have one of the highest standards of living in the world, with their country among the best placed in the United Nations reports. Since the 1950s, first economic growth and then social and technological progress have brought about profound changes in France and ushered in the consumer and leisure era. Economic and social development has led to some standardisation of lifestyles and consumer spending, particularly reducing differences between urban and town dwellers. Nevertheless, regional identities remain strong and are an important element in the geographical and cultural mosaic of France, which mirrors the diversity of Europe itself and makes France the world's most popular tourist destination.

HEALTH :
Health is a major concern of the French: The proportion of the French household budget allocated to health is growing for several reasons. Three quarters of medical expenses are still covered by social security, contributions have steadily increased, as has the direct contribution of households. Finally, people are increasingly turning to the medical profession for help with life's problems and less willing to put up with what was previously regarded as inevitable: pain, physical defects and the effects of ageing.