| Country summary | |
|---|---|
|
Capital |
Paris |
|
Borders |
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 |
|
Government type |
republic |
|
Population |
64,420,073 (July 2010 est.)[1] |
|
Population growth |
0.549% (2010 est.)[1] |
|
Life expectancy |
80.98 years[1] |
|
Unemployment |
9.1% (2009 est.)[1] |
|
64[2] | |
|
24[3] | |
|
31[4] | |
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 hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary administrations. 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.[1]
Economical characteristics[]
- Currency: Euro (ISO code: EUR,)
- Central bank discount rate: 3% (31 December 2008)[1]
- Commercial banks lending rate: 8.13% (31 December 2008)[1]
- is part of the Eurozone
- See also: John Law inflation in France
- See also: Inflation during the French Revolution
Statistics[]
| Statistic / Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP (million USD)[5] | 1 457 450 | 1 327 960 | 1 339 760 | 1 457 330 | 1 800 020 | 2 061 320 | 2 146 580 | 2 266 250 | 2 593 130 | 2 856 560 |
| Govt. debt (% of GDP)[6] | 60.575 | 60.674 | 59.746 | 63.415 | 68.084 | 70.457 | 72.343 | 68.336 | 66.565 | |
| Govt. revenue (% of GDP)[7] | 43.677 | 42.831 | 42.972 | 42.388 | 41.939 | 42.085 | 42.767 | 42.539 | 41.787 | |
| Govt. expenses (% of GDP)[8] | 46.065 | 44.812 | 45.013 | 45.961 | 46.292 | 45.841 | 45.754 | 45.081 | 44.397 | |
| Debt to revenue (years) | 1.387 | 1.417 | 1.390 | 1.496 | 1.623 | 1.674 | 1.692 | 1.606 | 1.593 |
References[]
Note: statistical data was rounded. Different sources may use different methodologies for their estimates. Debt to revenue is calculated by dividing the two variables from their original ('unrounded') values. It represents how long it would a government take to repay its entire debt if it used its whole revenue for this purpose.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 CIA - The World Facebook. "France", from The World Facebook. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ Heritage Foundation. "France", Economic Freedom Score. A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ Transparency International. "France", Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. A lower ranking is better; but please note that the numbers cannot be compared between countries or years due to different methodology. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ Doing Business. "France", Doing Business 2010 (part of The World Bank Group). A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ World Bank. "France: GDP", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ World Bank. "France: government debt", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ World Bank. "France: government revenue", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-29.
- ↑ World Bank. "France: government expenses", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-29.
External links[]
- France on Wikipedia
- Central bank of France
- BBC country profile
- Peasants, Rise Up! The Croquants of the 17th Century; Jean-Baptiste Colbert; Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Louis XIV; Down with Collectivism: Merchants and Nobles in 17th-Century France; Louis XIV: Apogee of Absolutism; The Grandiose Failure of François du Noyer; The Skeptic as Absolutist: Michel de Montaigne by Murray N. Rothbard, from An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought, vol. 1, Economic Thought Before Adam Smith
- Money, Bank Credit and Economic Cycles (pdf), Jesus Huerta de Soto, John Law and Eighteenth-Century Banking in France, p.109-111, on impact of financial crises
- How to Bully a Country into Bankruptcy by Cristian Gherasim, November 2010