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Compare France (2005) - Japan (2002)

Compare France (2005) z Japan (2002)

 France (2005)Japan (2002)
 FranceJapan
Administrative divisions 22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes


note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
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.)
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 9,465,282; female 8,999,888)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 43,027,320; female 42,586,112)


65 years and over: 18% (male 9,664,112; female 13,231,914) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
Airports 478 (2004 est.) 173 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 283


over 3,047 m: 13


2,438 to 3,047 m: 28


1,524 to 2,437 m: 95


914 to 1,523 m: 82


under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.)
total: 141


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 37


1,524 to 2,437 m: 38


914 to 1,523 m: 27


under 914 m: 32 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 195


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 72


under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)
total: 31 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 27 (2002)
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
total: 377,835 sq km


land: 374,744 sq km


water: 3,091 sq km


note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Colorado slightly smaller than California
Background Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy. While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.
Birth rate 12.15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.005 trillion


expenditures: $1.08 trillion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $441 billion


expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion
Capital Paris Tokyo
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 varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Coastline 3,427 km 29,751 km
Constitution adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term 3 May 1947
Country name conventional long form: French Republic


conventional short form: France


local long form: Republique Francaise


local short form: France
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Japan
Currency - yen (JPY)
Death rate 9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $NA $NA
Dependent areas Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna


note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
-
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH


embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08


mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777


telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22


FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83


consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr.


embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420


mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004


telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000


FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862


consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo


consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE


chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000


FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO


chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700


FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187


consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle


consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Disputes - international Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan
Economic aid - donor ODA, $5.4 billion (2002) ODA, $9.1 billion (1999) (1999)
Economy - overview 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 privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit. Finance Minister Herve GAYMARD has promised that the 2005 deficit will fall below 3%. Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-02 by the slowing of the US and Asian economies. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength, with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots". Internal conflict over the proper means to reform the ailing banking system will continue in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 414.7 billion kWh (2002) 943.71 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 79.9 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 3 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 528.6 billion kWh (2002) 1.015 trillion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 61%


hydro: 9%


nuclear: 29%


other: 2% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m


highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m


highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
Environment - current issues some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
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
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914) (2000)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007, second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president


election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04%
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)


head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 24 April 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister


note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister
Exports 409,600 bbl/day (2001) $383.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals
Exports - partners Germany 15%, Spain 9.5%, UK 9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US 6.7% (2004) US 30.1%, China 7.7%, South Korea 6.3%, Taiwan 6.0%, Hong Kong 5.8% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.55 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.7%


industry: 24.3%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 31%


services: 68% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.1% (2004 est.) -0.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 46 00 N, 2 00 E 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Geography - note largest West European nation strategic location in northeast Asia
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) 15 (2002)
Highways total: 893,100 km


paved: 893,100 km (including 12,000 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
total: 1,152,207 km


paved: 863,003 km (including 6,114 km of expressways)


unpaved: 289,204 km (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
lowest 10%: 5%


highest 10%: 22% (1993)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics -
Imports 2.281 million bbl/day (2001) $292.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles (2001)
Imports - partners Germany 19.2%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%, Netherlands 6.7%, US 5.1% (2004) US 18.1%, China 16.6%, South Korea 4.9%, Taiwan 4.1%, Indonesia 4.3% (2001 est.)
Independence 486 (unified by Clovis) 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
Industrial production growth rate 1.7% (2004 est.) -1.4% (2002 est.)
Industries machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
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.)
3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2004 est.) -0.9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 73 (2000)
Irrigated land 20,000 sq km (1998 est.) 26,790 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Labor force 27.7 million (2004 est.) 67.7 million (December 2000 )
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999) services 70%, industry 25%, agriculture 5% (2002 est.)
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
0 km
Land use arable land: 33.53%


permanent crops: 2.07%


other: 64.4% (2001)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 86.86% (1998 est.)
Languages French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) Japanese
Legal system civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note - between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - formerly 252; one-half of the members elected every three years - 73 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 48 of which are elected from a single nationwide list; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - 180 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 25 June 2000 (next must be held by June 2004, but may occur sooner)


election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: LDP 115, DPJ 60, Komeito 24, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, independents 6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 233, DPJ 127, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, other 28; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: LDP 242, DPJ 126, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, NCP 7, other 13
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.6 years


male: 75.96 years


female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)
total population: 80.91 years


male: 77.73 years


female: 84.25 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (1980 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1970 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
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 Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Map references Europe Asia
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
contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
Merchant marine total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT


by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 4, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 6 (Sweden 5, Switzerland 1)


registered in other countries: 139 (2005)
total: 615 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,995,839 GRT/14,405,159 DWT


ships by type: bulk 133, cargo 48, chemical tanker 17, combination bulk 24, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 50, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 189, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 54


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Japanese Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $45,238.1 million (2003) $40,774.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2003) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 29,644,498 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 25,637,387 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 765,817 (2002 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Nationality noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)


adjective: French
noun: Japanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Japanese
Natural hazards flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Natural resources coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish negligible mineral resources, fish
Net migration rate 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004) crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
Political parties and leaders Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or NF [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING, national secretary]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY] Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio HATOYAMA, leader, Naoto KAN, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Tadayeshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito [Takenori KANZAKI, president, Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president, Taku YAMASAKI, secretary general]; Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA, president, Hirohisa FUJII, secretary general]; New Conservative Party or NCP [Takeshi NODA, president, Toshihiro NIKAI, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Takako DOI, chairperson, Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed) NA
Population 60,656,178 (July 2005 est.) 126,974,628 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 6.5% (2000) NA%
Population growth rate 0.37% (2005 est.) 0.15% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai
Radio broadcast stations AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001)
Radios - 120.5 million (1997)
Railways total: 29,519 km


standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
total: 23,654 km (15,895 km electrified)


standard gauge: 3,059 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified)


narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (entirely electrified); 20,491 km 1.067-m gauge (12,732 km electrified); 27 km 0.762-m gauge (entirely electrified) (2000)
Religions Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
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.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: highly developed


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system


international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service


domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind


international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 33,905,400 (2003) 60.381 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 41,683,100 (2003) 63.88 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995) 211 plus 7,341 repeaters


note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
Terrain mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east mostly rugged and mountainous
Total fertility rate 1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.1% (2004 est.) 5.4% (2002)
Waterways 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000) 1,770 km approximately


note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
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