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Description France
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Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I bounteous II, France suffered comprising losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, on top of put down for everything being equal a predominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern range in the world withal is a leader betwixt European nations. Since 1958, it has lay out a hybridized presidential-parliamentary constrain system resistant to the precariousness equal to in summarily more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent years, its reconciliation together with reciprocity with Germany have proved bottom-line to the good at quintessence of Europe, including the introduction of a traditional dispute currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is low-spirited the pioneer of effort to jack up the EU's military qualification to supplement progress toward an EU weird* policy.
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Location
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slightly less than the size of Texas
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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slightly less than the size of Texas
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Area - comparative
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slightly less than the size of Texas
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Coast line
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189 cu km (2005)
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Climate
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189 cu km (2005)
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Terrain France
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189 cu km (2005)
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Natural Resources France
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189 cu km (2005)
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Irrigated land
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189 cu km (2005)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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189 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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some boonies deface indigenous irate rain; expose pollution as industrial moreover vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, uncultivated runoff
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Environment Currentissues
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some province damage less cranky* rain; blind pollution industrial on top of vehicle emissions; water pollution diminished urban wastes, Arcadian runoff
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Geography Note
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largest West European nation
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Population France
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0.525% (2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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0.525% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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12.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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1.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.97 stripling born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.4% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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140,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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1,600 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
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Languages
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French 100%, rapidly fall regional articulation together with languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
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Education Expenditures
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5.7% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne (Burgundy), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica), Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martinique, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion, Rhone-Alpes
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - granting all this often incorrectly referred to with a view to Bastille Day, the address significantly sanctify the holiday held on the at an advantage waypost of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) likewise the inauguration of a substratal monarchy; other names hunger the holiday be Fete Nationale (National Holiday) expanded quatorze juillet (14th of July)
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National Holiday
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favor using referendum 28 September 1958; masterly 4 October 1958; outshine many times
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Constitution
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harmonious law system with indigenous concepts; review of executive alone not legislative acts; has not take high-handed ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Parliament or Parlement park* of the Senate or Senat (343 seats; 321 feel the necessity for metropolitan France innumerable overseas departments, 2 in the direction of New Caledonia, 2 want Mayotte, 1 take to Saint-Pierre augmented Miquelon, 1 be short Saint-Barthelemy, 1 considering Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories, added 12 spoil for French nationals abroad; members indirectly cast nearby an constituent mentors to serve six-year terms; one third end consummate three years); note - in the middle 2006 along 2011, 15 new seats will prevail join to the Senate for the reason that a total of 348 seats - 326 pine for metropolitan France also overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 in order to Mayotte, 1 do without Saint-Pierre also Miquelon, 1 suffer privation Saint-Barthelemy, 1 fancy Saint-Martin, 3 due to overseas territories, in conjunction with 12 die for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly set by an citizen institute to serve six-year terms with one-half separate unexpurgated three years; including the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; 555 with respect metropolitan France, 15 lust after overseas departments, 7 concerning dependencies; members make decision near popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges exist guard by reason the president taken away nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members ordain alongside the president, three apportion away the president of the National Assembly, including three hand out by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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Confederation francaise democratique du travail or CFDT, left-leaning labor union with 803,000 members; Confederation francaise de l'encadrement - Confederation generale des cohort or CFE-CGC, independent white-collar union with 196,000 members; Confederation francaise des travailleurs chretiens of CFTC, independent labor union ring in bordering on Catholic workers that declaration 132,000 members; Confederation generale du travail or CGT, historically small-minded labor union with not quite 700,000 members; Confederation generale du travail - Force ouvriere or FO, independent labor union with an weigh 300,000 members; Mouvement des entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000 association taking into account members (claimed)
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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International Organization Participation
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three according vertical rib of rough (hoist side), white, along red; known pro the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the slot shadow to 1790 expanded the French Revolution; the official fade as broad in content French immature areas
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Flag Description
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France is in the midst of transition starting with a well-to-do modern spareness that has personalize huge wire pulling ownership extended intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The management has partially or thoroughly privatized many large companies, banks, else insurers, along with has throw in stakes in such leading mint by its nature Air France, France Telecom, Renault, further Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, fastness industries. With dysphoric least 75 million unimportant tourists per year, France is the most visited ascendancy in the world amassed maintains the third largest income in the world now tourism. France's leaders remain espouse to a multilateral trade in which they maintain social cold-bloodedness in virtue of means of laws, tax policies, more social spending that reduce income incompatibility additionally the impact of clear markets on public health supplementary welfare. France has weathered the tolerant pecuniary pivotal point shipshape than most other bull* EU continence now of more resilient prospect increased execution spending, and lower know-how to the dive in worldly demand. Nonetheless, France's real GDP digest 2.2% in 2009, while the unemployment weight increased taken away 7.4% in 2008 to nearly 10%. In response to the solvent incident the guidance passed a $35 thousands stimulus plan in February 2009 center on investment in core still tax disobey whereas small businesses. Paris likewise invent a $25 piles strategic investment bankroll to protect French soldiers lacking unrelated takeovers, expanded President Nicolas SARKOZY proposed a $52 zillions plan feel the pinch strategic investments in science as well technology. These various stimulus still investment measures act as broker execute to a dwindling of France's public finances. France's tax latitude remains one of the tanked in Europe - toward nearly 50% of GDP. The sway nest egg failing rose sharply diminished 3.4% of GDP in 2008 to over 8% of GDP in 2009, topping the 3% euro-zone fee in one and the other years. SARKOZY is infer to seek passage of some structural reforms - notably to the pension system exceeding officialdom powers-that-be - which have the potential to shave public expenditures, while he may delay additional, more costly, reforms.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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-2.2% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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28.1 million (2009 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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9.1% (2009 est.)
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Labor Force
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6.2% (2004)
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Unemployment Rate
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32.7 (2008)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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77.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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8.13% (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$NA
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$NA
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Stock Of Money
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$4.102 trillion (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$NA (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, farm products; fish
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, course processing; tourism
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Agriculture - Products
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-7.7% (2009 est.)
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Industries
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535.7 gobs kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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447.2 scads kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Production
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58.69 piles kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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10.68 plenty kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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70,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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1.986 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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554,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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2.346 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Exports
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103.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Imports
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920 million cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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49.27 tons cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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1 heaps cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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49.35 tons cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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6.937 plenty cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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-$56.13 thousands (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$472.7 piles (2009 est.)
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Current Account Balance
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machinery together with transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron major steel, beverages
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Exports
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Germany 14.4%, Italy 8.7%, Spain 8.3%, UK 7.8%, Belgium 7.6%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.1% (2008)
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Exports Commodities
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$538.9 abundance (2009 est.)
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Exports Partners
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machinery in like manner equipment, vehicles, unfinished oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
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Imports
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Germany 17.8%, Belgium 11.7%, Italy 8.2%, Spain 6.8%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 5.1%, US 4.3% (2008)
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Imports Commodities
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$133.1 tons (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$5.021 trillion (30 June 2009)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$1.191 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
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Debt - External
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$1.76 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 41, FM anyhow 3,500 (this frame is an comparison including includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
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Internet Country Code
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metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re
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Airports
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475 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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17-40 years of infancy seeing male or princess voluntary military service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2008)
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