France Country Facts

A structured, fast-loading reference card covering France's geography, government, economy, and culture — no Wikipedia wall-of-text.

Basic Facts

Official Name French Republic (République Française)
Capital City Paris
Largest City Paris (~2.1 million city; ~12.3 million metro)
Population (2024) ~68.4 million
Official Language French (Français)
Currency Euro (EUR, €)
Country Code FR / FRA
Calling Code +33
Internet TLD .fr
National Day July 14 (Bastille Day)
Time Zone CET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2)
Drives On Right side

Geography

Total Area (metro) 551,695 km²
World Rank by Area 43rd (metropolitan France)
Borders (8 countries) Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Andorra
Coastline 3,427 km (Atlantic & Mediterranean)
Highest Point Mont Blanc, Alps (4,808 m) — highest in Western Europe
Lowest Point Rhone River delta, Camargue (−2 m)
Longest River Loire River (1,013 km)
Largest Lake Lake Geneva (Lac Léman, shared with Switzerland)
Major Mountain Ranges Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura
Climate Oceanic (NW), Mediterranean (south), semi-continental (east)
Forest Cover ~17 million hectares (~31% of metro land area)
Location Western Europe, 41°N–51°N, 8°W–9°E

13 Metropolitan Regions + 5 Overseas Regions

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
ARA Metropolitan
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
BFC Metropolitan
Brittany (Bretagne)
BRE Metropolitan
Centre-Val de Loire
CVL Metropolitan
Corsica (Corse)
COR Metropolitan
Grand Est
GES Metropolitan
Hauts-de-France
HDF Metropolitan
Île-de-France
IDF Metropolitan
Normandy (Normandie)
NOR Metropolitan
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
NAQ Metropolitan
Occitanie
OCC Metropolitan
Pays de la Loire
PDL Metropolitan
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
PAC Metropolitan
Guadeloupe
GP Overseas
Martinique
MQ Overseas
French Guiana (Guyane)
GF Overseas
Réunion
RE Overseas
Mayotte
YT Overseas

Government

Government Type Unitary semi-presidential republic (Fifth Republic)
Head of State President of the Republic
Head of Government Prime Minister
Parliament Bicameral: National Assembly (577 seats) + Senate (348 seats)
Constitution Constitution of the Fifth Republic, October 4, 1958
Republic Founded First Republic: 1792; Fifth Republic: 1958
Legal System Civil law system (Napoleonic Code)
Voting Age 18 years
Major Political Parties Renaissance, RN, PS, LFI, LR, Les Ecologistes
EU Membership Founding member since 1957 (Treaty of Rome)
NATO Membership Founding member since 1949 (rejoined integrated command 2009)
UN Security Council Permanent member with veto power since 1945

Economy

GDP (nominal, 2024) ~$3.13 trillion USD
GDP per Capita ~$45,700 USD
World GDP Rank 7th largest economy
Inflation Rate ~2.3% (2024)
Unemployment Rate ~7.3% (2024)
Major Exports Aircraft, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, machinery, wine, luxury goods
Top Trade Partners Germany, USA, Italy, Spain, Belgium, UK
Major Industries Aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, tourism, agri-food, luxury
Natural Resources Coal, iron ore, bauxite, timber, fish, uranium
Stock Exchange Euronext Paris (CAC 40 index)
Central Bank Banque de France (part of ECB system)
Trade Agreements EU single market, WTO, CETA, EPA (via EU)

Fun Facts

01

France is the world's most visited country, attracting over 90 million international tourists annually — more than its own population.

02

The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 as a temporary exhibit and was originally intended to be dismantled after 20 years. It now attracts nearly 7 million visitors per year.

03

France produces around 8 billion bottles of wine per year and holds roughly 17% of global wine export value, with regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne recognized worldwide.

04

France has the most time zones of any country in the world — 12 in total — spanning its overseas territories from French Polynesia (UTC-10) to Reunion (UTC+4).

05

The Louvre in Paris is the most visited art museum in the world, drawing around 9 million visitors per year and housing over 380,000 objects including the Mona Lisa.

06

French is spoken as an official language by around 300 million people across 29 countries, making it the fifth most widely spoken language in the world by total speakers.

07

France is the largest producer of nuclear power as a share of its electricity grid, with nuclear energy providing approximately 70% of its electricity — the highest proportion of any country.

08

The Tour de France, first held in 1903, is the world's most prestigious cycling race and covers roughly 3,500 km over 21 stages each July.

Data sourced from INSEE, World Bank, CIA World Factbook, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Figures are approximate and reflect 2024 estimates.

Summary

A structured, fast-loading reference card covering France's geography, government, economy, and culture — no Wikipedia wall-of-text.

How it works

  1. Browse the cards arranged by topic: Basic Facts, Geography, Government, Economy, and Fun Facts.
  2. Each card presents concise data points drawn from authoritative sources (INSEE, World Bank, CIA World Factbook).
  3. Use the section navigation at the top to jump directly to the category you need.
  4. All figures are static reference data — no input required.

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Last updated: 2026-05-29 · Reviewed by Nham Vu