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Compare France (2006) - Bhutan (2003)
Compare France (2006) z Bhutan (2003)
| France (2006) | Bhutan (2003) | |
 |  | |
| 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, Miquelon) |
18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506) 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 39.6% (male 438,784; female 407,919)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 621,666; female 585,550) 65 years and over: 4% (male 43,262; female 42,368) (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish | rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs |
| Airports | 477 (2006) | 2 (2002) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 292
over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 914 to 1,523 m: 81 under 914 m: 74 (2006) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 185
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 108 (2006) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Colorado | about half the size of Indiana |
| 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. | In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions. |
| Birth rate | 11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 34.82 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $1.06 trillion
expenditures: $1.144 trillion; including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2005 est.) |
revenues: $146 million
expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.) |
| Capital | name: Paris
geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Thimphu |
| 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; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas |
| Coastline | 3,427 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| 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 | no written constitution or bill of rights; note - the King commissioned a committee to draft a constitution in 2001, but has yet to be approved |
| Country name | conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France local long form: Republique francaise local short form: France |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan |
| Currency | - | ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) |
| Death rate | 9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $2.826 trillion (30 June 2005) | $245 million (2000) |
| 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 Craig R. STAPLETON
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 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 |
the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India) |
| 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, San Francisco |
none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general: New York |
| Disputes - international | Madagascar claims the French territories of 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 | approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $5.4 billion (2002) | - |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | substantial aid from India and other nations |
| 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 (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit; unemployment stands at 10%. | The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, providing the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. |
| Electricity - consumption | 433.3 billion kWh (2003) | 379.5 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 72.2 billion kWh (2003) | 1.4 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 6.2 billion kWh (2003) | 16 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 536.9 billion kWh (2003) | 1.896 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 0.1%
hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m |
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m |
| Environment - current issues | some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff | soil erosion; limited access to potable water |
| 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Ethnic groups | Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities | Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas--one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% |
| Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | ngultrum per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94 (2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998) |
| 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: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Jigme Y. THINLEY (since 30 August 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote |
| Exports | 409,600 bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages | electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices |
| Exports - partners | Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, US 7.2%, Belgium 7.1% (2005) | US 24.1%, UK 23.9%, Pakistan 23.1%, France 13.9% (2002) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
| 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 | divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 21.4% services: 76.4% (2005 est.) |
agriculture: 45%
industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2005 est.) | 7.7% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 46 00 N, 2 00 E | 27 30 N, 90 30 E |
| Geography - note | largest West European nation | landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes |
| Heliports | 3 (2006) | - |
| Highways | - | total: 3,690 km
paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics | - |
| Imports | 2.281 million bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals | fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice |
| Imports - partners | Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.2%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 6.5%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005) | Japan 44.5%, Germany 12.2%, UK 8.5%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 5%, US 4.2% (2002) |
| Independence | 486 (unified by Clovis) | 8 August 1949 (from India) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 0.2% (2005 est.) | 9.3% (1996 est.) |
| Industries | machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism | cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 104.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 102.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 106.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2005 est.) | 3% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC | AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
| Irrigated land | 26,000 sq km (2003) | 400 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 of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch) |
| Labor force | 27.72 million (2005 est.) | NA
note: massive lack of skilled labor |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 24.4% services: 71.5% (1999) |
agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2% |
| 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 |
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km |
| Land use | arable land: 33.46%
permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64.51% (2005) |
arable land: 2.98%
permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.59% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) | Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects |
| Legal system | civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts | based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| 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 2004 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; starting in 2008, 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 2008); 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, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22 |
unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: NA |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.73 years
male: 76.1 years female: 83.54 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 53.58 years
male: 53.9 years female: 53.25 years (2003 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.) |
| 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 | Southern Asia, between China and India |
| 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 |
none (landlocked) |
| Merchant marine | total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway 1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2) registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6, Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5) (2006) |
- |
| Military branches | Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National Gendarmerie | Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, Forest Guards |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $45 billion FY06 (2005) | $9.3 million (FY02) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.6% FY06 (2005 est.) | 1.9% (FY02) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 530,860 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 283,493 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 22,755 (2003 est.) |
| National holiday | Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July) | National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) |
| Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese |
| Natural hazards | flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean | violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season |
| Natural resources | coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish | timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide |
| Net migration rate | 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Pipelines | gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [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]; Greens [Yan WEHRLING, national secretary]; 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 FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY] | no legal parties |
| 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) | Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled) |
| Population | 60,876,136 (July 2006 est.) | 2,139,549
note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 6.5% (2000) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.35% (2006 est.) | 2.14% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | none |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Railways | total: 29,085 km
standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
0 km |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% | Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% |
| 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 (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | each family has one vote in village-level elections |
| 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: NA
domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 35.7 million (2005) | 6,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 48.058 million (2005) | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995) | 0 (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east | mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna |
| Total fertility rate | 1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 9.9% (2005 est.) | NA% |
| Waterways | 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000) | none |
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This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.