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FRANCE - FAST FACTS Population: 68 million Size of Country: 211,209 square miles (547,030 square kilometers), about the size of Texas Capital city: Paris Location: Western Europe, bordered by Belgium, and Germany in the North; Switzerland and Italy to the East, the Mediterranean Sea and Spain in the South; and the Atlantic Ocean on the West. International airport: Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Paris Climate: “generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-north- westerly wind known as mistral” Currency: Euro (US $1 = 0.83 €) Language: French System of government: Democracy, led by President Jacques Chirac Telephone country code: 33 Time zone: 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time Electricity: 220 Volts, 50 Hz National holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Easter Monday (April), Labor Day (May 1), Victory Day 1945 (May 8), Ascension (May 20), Whit Monday (May 31), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption (August 15), All Saint’s Day (November 1), Rememberance Day (November 11), Christmas (December 25) Religion: Roman Catholic with Protestant, Jewish and Muslim minority Life expectancy at birth: 79 years Business hours: Businesses are usually open from 9am to 5pm during the week; banks are open from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Stores open at 10 am and close at 6pm or 7pm. Most places close for an hour during lunchtime, although they can last longer. Media: 584 television broadcast stations and over 3,500 radio stations (41 of which are AM) Education: Economy: Based on services (tourism) and industry (machinery, chemicals, automobiles, electronics), with some agriculture (wheat, potatoes, wine grapes, beef, dairy, fish) Export: $346 billion Primary trade partners: Germany, U.K., U.S., Italy, Belgium, Spain, and Netherlands Imports: $340 billion Gross Domestic Product: $1.6 trillion GDP per capita: $27,500 Inflation rate: 1.7% |
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