The French Republic

The French Republic

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 2. 3.

INTRODUCTION4 MAP OF FRANCE...5 GEOGRAPHY..6

Environment...7 Administrative Divisions...........8 Government........9 Law........10 Foreign Relations.11 Agriculture13 Labour Market........13
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4.

POLITICS.........9

5.

ECONOMY........12

The French Republic

6. 7.

Tourism.........14 Transport..16

KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS...17 DEMOGRAPHICS.2 0

Language...21 Religion.........22 Health23 Education.........24 Painting.........25 Architecture..27 Literature..29 Philosophy........31 Music.31 Cinema...3 3 Fashion..33 Media.34 Society35 Gastronomy...3 6 Sports.37

8.

CULTURE.25

9.

CITIES.3 8

Paris Capital..38 Cannes...39

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The French Republic

10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Marseille39 Lyon...40 Toulouse41 Nice41 Bordeaux...43 Strasbourg.43 Nantes44

TRADE...45 STANDARD OF LIVING46 COST OF LIVING47 FRANCE INDIA RELATIONS51 CONCLUSION.53

15. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT54 16. BIBLIOGRAPHY..5 5

INTRODUCTION
The French Republic, commonly known as France, is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as lHexagone ("The Hexagon") because of the geometric shape of its territory. It is the largest western European country and it possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,000 sq mi), just behind that of the United States (11,351,000 km2 / 4,383,000 sq mi).
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The French Republic Over the past 500 years, France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military and political influence in Europe and around the world. During the 17th and 18th centuries, France colonised great parts of North America and Southeast Asia; during the 19th and early 20th centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, including large portions of North, West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and many Caribbean and Pacific Islands. France has its main ideals expressed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The French Republic is defined as indivisible, secular, democratic and social by its constitution. France is one of the world's most developed countries, it possesses the world's fifth largest economy measured by GDP, the ninth-largest economy measured by purchasing power parity and is Europe's second largest economy by nominal GDP. France is the wealthiest European (and the world's 4th) nation in aggregate household wealth. France enjoys a high standard of living as well as a high public education level, and has also one of the world's highest life expectancies. France has been listed as the world's "best overall health care" provider by the World Health Organization. It is the most visited country in the world, receiving 82 million foreign tourists annually. France has the world's third largest nominal military budget, the third largest military in NATO and EU's largest army. France also possesses the third largest nuclear weapons stockpile in the world with around 300 active warheads as of 25 May 2010 (2010 -05-25) [update] and the world's second largest diplomatic corps (second only to that of the United States). France is a founding member of the United Nations, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and a member of the Francophonie, the G8, G20, NATO, OECD, WTO, and the Latin Union. It is also a founding and leading member state of the European Union and the largest one by area. In 2011, France was listed 20th on the Human Development Index and 24th on the Corruption Perceptions Index (2010).

MAP OF FRANCE

The French Republic

GEOGRAPHY
Metropolitan France is situated mostly between latitudes 41 and 51 N (Dunkirk

The French Republic is just north of 51), and longitudes 6 W and 10 E, on the western edge of Europe, and thus lies within the northern temperate zone. While Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe, France also has a number of territories in North America, the Caribbean, South America, the southern Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica. These territories have varying forms of government ranging from overseas department to overseas collectivity. France's overseas departments and collectivities share land borders with Brazil, and Suriname (bordering French Guiana), and Sint Maarten (bordering Saint-Martin). Metropolitan France covers 547,030 square kilometres (211,209 sq mi), having the largest area among European Union members. France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of the Alps in the south-east, the Massif Central in the south-central and Pyrenees in the south-west. At 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level, the highest point in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, is situated in the Alps on the border between France and Italy. Metropolitan France also has extensive river systems such as the Seine, the Loire, the Garonne, and the Rhone, which divides the Massif Central from the Alps and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the Camargue. Corsica lies off the Mediterranean coast. France's total land area, with its overseas departments and territories (excluding Adlie Land), is 674,843 km2 (260,558 sq mi), 0.45% of the total land area on Earth. However, France possesses the second-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,637 sq mi), approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world. The north and northwest have a temperate climate, while a combination of maritime influences, latitude and altitude produce a varied climate in the rest of Metropolitan France. In the south-east a Mediterranean climate prevails. In the west, the climate is predominantly oceanic with a high level of rainfall, mild winters and cool to warm summers. Inland the climate becomes more continental with hot, stormy summers, colder winters and less rain. The climate of the Alps and other mountainous regions is mainly alpine, with the number of days with temperatures below freezing over 150 per year and snow cover lasting for up to six months.

Environment
France was one of the first countries to create a Ministry of the Environment, in 1971. Although France is one of the most industrialised and developed countries, it is ranked only seventeenth by carbon dioxide emissions, behind such less populous nations as Canada, Saudi Arabia or Australia. This situation results from the French government's
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The French Republic decision to invest in nuclear power in 1974 (after the 1973 oil crisis), which now accounts for 78% of France's electricity production and explains why France pollutes less than comparable countries. Like all European Union members, France agreed to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by the year 2020, in comparison the USA agreed to a cut of 4% of its emissions whereas China stated it wanted to "reduce its carbon intensity by 4045% by the year 2020" (compared with 2005 levels), which means with a GDP growth of 8% yearly an augmentation of 80% to 250% of the Chinese carbon emissions by 2020. In 2009, the French carbon dioxide emissions per capita level is lower than the Chinese one. France was even set to impose a carbon tax in 2009 at 17 Euros per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted. The carbon tax would have brought in 4.3 billion Euros of revenue per year. However, 6 months later, the plan for a carbon tax was abandoned for various reasons, one being that French companies would have a more difficult time competing with companies in neighboring countries who would not have to pay such steep taxes on carbon dioxide emissions. Instituting a carbon tax was also an unpopular political move for President Sarkozy. In 2010, a study at Yale and Columbia universities ranked France the most environmentally conscious nation of the G20. Forests account for 28,27% of the land area of France. France is the second most wooded country of the EU. French forests are also some of the most diversified of Europe, with more than 140 differents varieties of trees. There are 9 national parks and 46 natural parks in France. France wants to convert 20% of its Exclusive Economic Zone in a Marine Protected Area by 2020.

Administrative Divisions
France is divided into 27 administrative regions. 22 are in metropolitan France (21 are on the continental part of metropolitan France; one is the territorial collectivity of Corsica), and five

The French Republic are overseas regions. The regions are further subdivided into 101 departments which are numbered (mainly alphabetically). This number is used in postal codes and vehicle number plates amongst others. The 101 departments are subdivided into 341 arrondissements which are, in turn, subdivided into 4,051 cantons. These cantons are then divided into 36,697 communes, which are municipalities with an elected municipal council. There also exist 2,588 intercommunal entities grouping 33,414 of the 36,697 communes (i.e. 91.1% of all the communes). Three communes, Paris, Lyon and Marseille are also subdivided into 45 municipal arrondissements. The regions, departments and communes are all known as territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as an executive. Arrondissements and cantons are merely administrative divisions. However, this was not always the case. Until 1940, the arrondissements were also territorial collectivities with an elected assembly, but these were suspended by the Vichy regime and definitely abolished by the Fourth Republic in 1946. Historically, the cantons were also territorial collectivities with their elected assemblies.

POLITICS Government
The French Republic is a unitary semipresidential republic with strong democratic traditions. The constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on 28 September 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to parliament. The executive branch itself has two leaders: the President of the Republic, currently Nicolas Sarkozy, who is head of state and is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 5-year term (formerly 7 years), and the Government, led by the presidentappointed Prime Minister, currently Franois Fillon.

The French Republic The French parliament is a bicameral legislature comprising a National Assembly (Assemble Nationale) and a Senate. The National Assembly deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 6-year terms (originally 9-year terms), and one half of the seats are submitted to election every 3 years starting in September 2008. The Senate's legislative powers are limited; in the event of disagreement between the two chambers, the National Assembly has the final say. The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament. French politics are characterised by two politically opposed groupings: one left-wing, centred around the French Socialist Party, and the other right-wing, centred previously around the Rassemblement pour la Rpublique (RPR) and now its successor the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). The executive branch is currently composed mostly of the UMP.

Law
France uses a civil legal system; that is, law arises primarily from written statutes; judges are not to make law, but merely to interpret it (though the amount of judicial interpretation in certain areas makes it equivalent to case law). Basic principles of the rule of law were laid in the Napoleonic Code (which was, in turn, largely based on the royal law codified under Louis XIV). In agreement with the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen law should only prohibit actions detrimental to society. As Guy Canivet, first president of the Court of Cassation, wrote about the management of prisons: Freedom is the rule, and its restriction is the
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The French Republic exception; any restriction of Freedom must be provided for by Law and must follow the principles of necessity and proportionality. That is, Law should lay out prohibitions only if they are needed, and if the inconveniences caused by this restriction do not exceed the inconveniences that the prohibition is supposed to remedy. French law is divided into two principal areas: private law and public law. Private law includes, in particular, civil law and criminal law. Public law includes, in particular, administrative law and constitutional law. However, in practical terms, French law comprises three principal areas of law: civil law, criminal law and administrative law. France is tolerant of the LGBT community. Since 1999, civil unions for homosexual couples are permitted, although same-sex marriage is illegal in France. Laws sentencing racism, sexism or antisemitism are old and important, for instance, laws prohibiting discriminatory speech in the press are as old as 1881. In 2010, France passed a law banning face veils in public, including those worn by Muslim women. Amnesty International has condemned the law as a violation of freedom of expression. In September two Muslim women were fined for wearing the niqab (an Islamic face-covering veil), though they appealed the fines.

Foreign Relations
France is a member of the United Nations and serves as one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto rights. It is also a member of the G8, World Trade Organization (WTO), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Indian Ocean Commission (COI). It is an associate member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and a leading member of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF) of fifty-one fully or partly French-speaking countries. It hosts the headquarters of the OECD, UNESCO, Interpol, Alliance Base and the International Bureau for Weights and Measures. In 1953, France received a request from the United Nations to pick a coat of arms that would represent it internationally. Thus the French emblem was adopted and is currently used on passports. French foreign policy has been largely shaped by membership of the European Union, of which it was a founding member. In the 1960s, France sought to exclude the British from the organisation, seeking to build its own standing in continental Europe. Since the 1960s, France has developed close ties with reunified Germany to become the most influential driving force of the EU.

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The French Republic Since 1904, France has maintained an "Entente cordiale" with the United Kingdom, and over the last few years, links between both countries have strenghthened- especially on a military level. France is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but under President de Gaulle, it excluded itself from the joint military command to avoid the American domination of its foreign and security policies. However, as a result of Nicolas Sarkozy's (much criticised in France by the leftists and by a part of the right) pro-American politics, France rejoined the NATO joint military command on 4 April 2009. In the early 1990s, the country drew considerable criticism from other nations for its underground nuclear tests in French Polynesia. France vigorously opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, straining bilateral relations with the US and the UK. France retains strong political and economic influence in its former African colonies (Franafrique) and has supplied economic aid and troops for peace-keeping missions in the Ivory Coast and Chad. France has the second largest network of diplomatic missions in the world, second only to the USA.

A member of the G8 group of leading industrialised countries, it is ranked as the world's fifth largest and Europe's second largest economy by nominal GDP; with 39 of the 500 biggest companies of the world in 2010, France ranks world's 4th and Europe's 1st in the Fortune Global 500 ahead of Germany and the UK. France joined 11 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999, with euro coins and banknotes completely replacing the French franc () in early 2002. France has a mixed economy which combines extensive private enterprise (nearly 2.5 million companies registered) with substantial (though declining) state enterprise and government intervention (see dirigisme). The government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors, with majority ownership of railway, electricity, aircraft, nuclear power and telecommunications. It has been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s. The government is slowly corporatising the state sector and selling off holdings in France Tlcom, Air France, as well as the insurance, banking, and defence industries. France has an important aerospace industry led by the European consortium Airbus, and has its own national spaceport, the Centre Spatial Guyanais.
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ECONOMY

The French Republic According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), in 2009 France was the world's sixthlargest exporter and the fourth-largest importer of manufactured goods. In 2008, France was the third-largest recipient of foreign direct investment among OECD countries at $117.9 billion, In the same year, French companies invested $220 billion outside of France, ranking France as the second most important outward direct investor in the OECD. With 39 of the 500 biggest companies of the world in 2010, France ranks 4th in the Fortune Global 500, behind the USA, Japan and China, but ahead of Germany and the UK. Financial services, banking and the insurance sector are an important part of France's economy. The Paris stock exchange market (French: La Bourse de Paris) is an ancient institution, as it was created by Louis XV in 1724. In 2000, the stock exchanges of Paris, Amsterdam and Bruxelles merged into Euronext. In 2007, Euronext merged with the New York stock exchange to form NYSE Euronext, the world's largest stock exchange. Euronext Paris, the French branch of the NYSE Euronext group is Europe's second largest stock exchange market, behind the London Stock Exchange. French companies have maintained key positions in the Insurance and Banking industries

Agriculture
France has historically been an important producer of agricultural products. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and EU subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer and exporter in Europe (representing alone 20% of the EU's agricultural production) and the world's third biggest exporter of agricultural products. Wheat, poultry, dairy, beef, and pork, as well as an internationally recognized processed foods are the primary French agricultural exports. Ros wines are primarily consumed within the country, but champagne and Bordeaux wines are major exports, being known worldwide. EU agriculture subsidies to France have decreased for the last years, but still amounted to $8 billion in 2007. This same year, France sold 33.4 billion euros of transformed agricultural products. Agriculture is thus an important sector of France's economy : 3.5% of the active population is employed in agriculture, whereas the total agri-food industry made up 4.2% of French GDP in 2005.

Labour Market
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The French Republic The French GDP per capita is similar to the GDP per capita of other comparable European countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom. GDP per capita is determined by (i) productivity per hour worked, which in France is the highest of the G8 countries in 2005, according to the OECD, (ii) the number of hours worked, which is one the lowest of developed countries, and (iii) the employment rate. France has one of the lowest 1564 years employment rates of the OECD countries: in 2004, only 69% of the French population aged 1564 years were in employment, compared to 80% in Japan, 79% in the UK, 77% in the US, and 71% in Germany. This gap is due to the very low employment rates at both age extremes: the employment rate of people aged 5564 was 38.3% in 2007, compared to 46.6% in the EU15; for the 1524 years old, the employment rate was 31.5% in 2007, compared to 37.2% in EU25. These low employment rates are explained by the high minimum wages which prevent low productivity workers such as young people from easily entering the labour market, ineffective university curricula that fail to prepare students adequately for the labour market, and, concerning the older workers, restrictive legislation on work and incentives for premature retirement. The unemployment rate decreased from 9% in 2006 to 7% in 2008 but remains one of the highest in Europe. In June 2009, the unemployment rate for France was 9.4%. Shorter working hours and the reluctance to reform the labour market are mentioned as weak spots of the French economy in the view of the right, when the left mentions the lack of government policies fostering social justice. Liberal economists have stressed repeatedly over the years that the main issue of the French economy is an issue of structural reforms, in order to increase the size of the working population in the overall population, reduce the taxes' level and the administrative burden. Keynesian economists have different answers to the unemployment issue, and their theories led to the 35-hour workweek law in the 2000s (decade), which turned out to be a failure in reducing unemployment. Afterwards, between 2004 and 2008, the Government made some supply-oriented reforms to combat unemployment but met with fierce resistance, especially with the contrat nouvelle embauche and the contrat premire embauche which both were eventually repealed. The current Government is experiencing the revenu de solidarit active to redress the negative effect of the revenu minimum d'insertion on work incentive.

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The French Republic

Tourism
With 81.9 million foreign tourists in 2007, France is ranked as the first tourist destination in the world, ahead of Spain (58.5 million in 2006) and the United States (51.1 million in 2006). This 81.9 million figure excludes people staying less than 24 hours in France, such as Northern Europeans crossing France on their way to Spain or Italy during the summer. France has 37 sites inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage List and features cities of high cultural interest (Paris being the foremost, but also Toulouse, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, and others), beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). Small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage (such as Collonges-la-Rouge or Locronan) are promoted through the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (litt. "The Most Beautiful Villages of France"). The "Remarkable Gardens" label is a list of the over two hundred gardens classified by the French Ministry of Culture. This label is intended to protect and promote remarkable gardens and parks. France also attracts many religious pilgrims on their way to St. James, or to Lourdes, a town in the Hautes-Pyrnes that hosts a few million visitors a year. France, and especially Paris, have some of the world's largest and renowned museums, including the Louvre, which is the most visited art museum in the world, but also the Muse d'Orsay, mostly devoted to impressionism, and Beaubourg, dedicated to Contemporary art. Disneyland Paris is France's and indeed Europe's most popular theme park, with 15,405,000 combined visitors to the resort's Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park in 2009. The historical theme park Puy du Fou in Vende is the second most visited park of France. Other popular theme parks are the Futuroscope of Poitiers and the Parc Astrix. With more than 10 millions tourists a year, the French Riviera (or Cte d'Azur), in southeastern France, is the second leading tourist destination in the country, after the Parisian region. According to the Cte d'Azur Economic Development Agency, it benefits from 300 days of sunshine per year, 115 kilometres (71 mi) of coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants. Each year the Cte d'Azur hosts 50% of the world's superyacht fleet, with 90% of all superyachts visiting the region's coast at least once in their lifetime. An other major destination are the Chteaux of the Loire Valley, this World Heritage Site is noteworthy for the quality of its architectural heritage, in its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orlans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its
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The French Republic castles (chteaux), such as the Chteaux d'Amboise, de Chambord, d'Uss, de Villandry and Chenonceau, which illustrate to an exceptional degree the ideals of the French Renaissance. The most popular tourist sites include: (according to a 2003 ranking visitors per year): Eiffel Tower (6.2 million), Louvre Museum (5.7 million), Palace of Versailles (2.8 million), Muse d'Orsay (2.1 million), Arc de Triomphe (1.2 million), Centre Pompidou (1.2 million), MontSaint-Michel (1 million), Chteau de Chambord (711,000), Sainte-Chapelle (683,000), Chteau du Haut-Knigsbourg (549,000), Puy de Dme (500,000), Muse Picasso (441,000), Carcassonne (362,000).

Transport
The railway network of France, which as of 2008[update] stretches 29,473 kilometres (18,314 mi) is the second most extensive in Western Europe after the German one. It is operated by the SNCF, and high-speed trains include the Thalys, the Eurostar and TGV, which travels at 320 km/h (199 mph) in commercial use. The Eurostar, along with the Eurotunnel Shuttle, connects with the United Kingdom through the Channel Tunnel. Rail connections exist to all other neighbouring countries in Europe, except Andorra. Intra-urban connections are also well developed with both underground services and tramway services complementing bus services. There are approximately 1,027,183 kilometres (638,262 mi) of serviceable roadway in France, ranking it the most extensive network of the European continent. The Paris region is enveloped with the most dense network of roads and highways that connect it with virtually all parts of the country. French roads also handle substantial international traffic, connecting with cities in neighboring Belgium, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. There is no annual registration fee or road tax; however, motorway usage is through tolls except in the vicinity of large communes. The new car market is dominated by domestic brands such as Renault (27% of cars sold in France in 2003), Peugeot (20.1%) and Citron (13.5%). Over 70% of new cars sold in 2004 had diesel engines, far more than contained petrol or LPG engines. France possesses the Millau Viaduct,
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The French Republic the world's tallest bridge, and has built many important bridges such as the Pont de Normandie. There are 475 airports in France. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport located in the vicinity of Paris is the largest and busiest airport in the country, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic and connecting Paris with virtually all major cities across the world. Air France is the national carrier airline, although numerous private airline companies provide domestic and international travel services. There are ten major ports in France, the largest of which is in Marseille, which also is the largest bordering the Mediterranean Sea. 12,261 kilometres (7,619 mi) of waterways traverse France including the Canal du Midi which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean through the Garonne river.

KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS GDP (Purchase Power Parity) (Billion $)

Country France

1999

2000 2002

2003 2004

2005 2006

2007 2008

2009 2010

1,373 1,448 1,540 1,661 1,737 1,794 1,891 2,075 2,128 2,094 2,145

GDP Per Capita (PPP) (US $)

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The French Republic

Country 1999 France

2000

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

23,300 24,400 25,700 27,600 28,700 29,600 31,100 32,600 33,200 32,500 33,100

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices) (%)

Country France

1999 0.5

2000 1.7

2002 1.8

2003 2.1

2004 2.3

2005 1.7

2006 1.5

2007 1.5

2008 2.8

2009 0.1

2010 1.5

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The French Republic

Investment (Gross Fixed) (%)

Country France

2004 19.2

2005 19.6

2006 20

2007 21.5

2008 21.9

2009 20.6

2010 19.9

Exports (Billion $)

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The French Republic Country 1999 2000 2002 France 304.7 325 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 419 443.4 490 2009 2010

307.8 307.8 346.5

601.9 473.9 508.7

Imports (Billion $)

Country France

1999 2000 2002 280.8

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007 2008 2009

2010

320 303.7 303.7 339.9 419.7 473.3 529.1

692 535.8 577.7

DEMOGRAPHICS
With an estimated population of 65.8 million people (as of 1 Jan. 2011), France is the 20th most populous country in the world. In 2003, France's natural population growth (excluding immigration) was responsible for almost all natural population growth in the European Union. The natural growth (excess of births over deaths) rose to 302,432 in 2006, its highest since the end of the baby boom in 1973. The total fertility rate rose to 2.01 in 2010, from a nadir of 1.68 in 1994. In the five years between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2011, population growth was on average +0.58% per year. In 2010, 27.3% of newborn in metropolitan France had at least one foreign-born parent and 23.9% had at least one parent born outside of Europe (parents born in overseas territories are considered as born in France).

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The French Republic As of 2008, the French national institute of statistics INSEE estimated that 11.8 million foreign-born immigrants and their direct descendants (born in France) lived in France representing 19% of the country's population. More than 5 million are of European origin and about 4 million of Maghrebi origin. Immigrants aged 1850 count for 2.7 millions (10% of population aged 1850) and 5 millions for all ages (8% of population). 2nd Generation aged 1850 make up 3.1 millions (12% of 1850) and 6.5 millions for all ages (11% of population). In 2004, a total of 140,033 people immigrated to France. Of them, 90,250 were from Africa and 13,710 from Europe. In 2008, France granted citizenship to 137,000 persons, mostly to people from Morocco, Algeria and Turkey. Although it is illegal for the French state to collect data on ethnicity and race, a law with its origins in the 1789 revolution and reaffirmed in the constitution of 1958, some surveys, like the TeO ("Trajectories and origins") survey conducted jointly by INED and INSEE in 2008, are allowed to do it. Before this survey, it was estimated that between three million and six million people are of North African ancestry while an estimated 2.5 million people are of Black African ancestry. It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population is descended at least partially from the different waves of immigration the country has received. Between 1921 and 1935 about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France. An estimated 1.6 million European pieds noirs returned to France as the country's North African possessions gained independence. France is the leading asylum destination in Western Europe with an estimated 50,000 applications in 2005 (a 15% decrease from 2004). The European Union allows free movement between the member states. While UK and Ireland did not impose restrictions, France put in place controls to curb Eastern European migration. The largest cities in France, in terms of metropolitan area population, are Paris (11,836,970), Lyon (1,757,180), Marseille (1,618,369), Lille (1,163,934), Toulouse (1,118,472), Bordeaux (1,009,313), Nice (999,678), Nantes (768,305) and Strasbourg (641,853).

Language
According to Article 2 of the Constitution, the official language of France is French, a Romance language derived from latin. Since 1635, the Acadmie franaise is France's official authority on the usages, vocabulary, and grammar of the French language, although its recommendations carry no legal power. The French government does not regulate the choice of language in publications by individuals but the use of French is required by law in commercial and workplace communications. In addition to mandating the use of French in the territory of the Republic, the French government tries to promote French in the European Union and globally through institutions such as La Francophonie. The perceived threat from anglicisation has prompted efforts to safeguard the position of the French language in France. Besides French, there exist
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The French Republic 77 vernacular minority languages of France, 8 in the French metropolitan territory of continental Europe and 69 in the French overseas territories. From the 17th century to the mid-20th century, French served as the pre-eminent international language of diplomacy and international affairs as well as a lingua franca among the educated classes of Europe. The dominant position of French language in international affairs has only been challenged recently by English, since the emergence of the USA as a major power. As a result of France's extensive colonial ambitions between the 17th and 20th centuries, French was introduced to America, Africa, Polynesia, South-East Asia, and the Caribbean. French is the second most studied foreign language in the world after English, and is a lingua franca in some regions, notably in Africa. The legacy of French as a living language outside Europe is mixed: it is nearly extinct in some former French colonies (Southeast Asia), while creoles, and pidgins based on French have emerged in the French departments in the West Indies and the South Pacific (French Polynesia). On the other hand, many former French colonies have adopted French as an official language, and the total number of French speakers is increasing, especially in Africa. It is estimated that between 300 million and 500 million people worldwide can speak French, either as a mother tongue or a second language.

Religion
France is a secular country, and freedom of religion is a constitutional right. French religious policy is based on the concept of lacit, a strict separation of Church and State under which public life is kept completely secular. France was historically regarded as the eldest daughter of the Roman Catholic Church. The French Revolution saw a radical shift in the status of the Church with the launch of a brutal de-Christianization campaign. After the back and forth of Catholic royal and secular republican governments over the 19th century, lacit was established with the Jules Ferry laws of the 1880s and the 1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State. The French government does not keep statistics on religious

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The French Republic adherence, nor on ethnicity or on political affiliation. However, some unofficial survey estimates exist. Roman Catholicism has been the predominant religion in France for more than a millennium, though it is not as actively practiced today as it once was. A survey by the Catholic newspaper La Croix found that whilst in 1965, 81% of the French declared themselves to be Catholics, in 2009 this proportion was 64%. Moreover, whilst 27% of the French went to Mass once a week or more in 1952, only 4.5% did so in 2006; 15.2% attended Mass at least once a month. The same survey found that Protestants accounted for 3% of the population, an increase from previous surveys, and 5% adhered to other religions, with the remaining 28% stating that they had no religion. According to a January 2007 poll by the Catholic World News, only 5% of the French population attended church regularly (or 10% attend church services regularly among the respondents who did identify themselves as Catholics). The poll showed 51% identified as being Catholics, 31% identified as being agnostics or atheists (another poll sets the proportion of atheists equal to 27%), 10% identified as being from other religions or being without opinion, 4% identified as Muslim, 3% identified as Protestant, 1% identified as Buddhist, 1% identified as Jewish. Meanwhile, an independent estimate by the politologist Pierre Brchon in 2009 concluded that the proportion of Catholics had fallen to 42% while the number of atheists and agnostics had risen to 50%. According to the Pewforum "In France, proponents of a 2004 law banning the wearing of religious symbols in schools say it protects Muslim girls from being forced to wear a headscarf, but the law also restricts those who want to wear headscarves or any other conspicuous religious symbol, including large Christian crosses and Sikh turbans as an expression of their faith" According to the most recent but in 2010 somewhat outdated Eurobarometer Poll 2005, 34% of French citizens responded that they believe there is a god, whereas 27% answered that they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force and 33% that they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist. Estimates of the number of Muslims in France vary widely. According to the more than one decade old 1999 French census returns, there were 3.7 million people of possible Muslim faith in France (6.3% of the total population). In 2003, the French Ministry of the Interior
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The French Republic estimated the total number of Muslims to be between five and six million (810%). The current Jewish community in France numbers around 600,000 according to the World Jewish Congress and is the largest in Europe. However, both the North American Jewish Data bank and the Vitual Jew Library put the estimates closer to 480,000 as of 2010[update]. Certain bodies of beliefs such as Scientology, Children of God, the Unification Church, or the Order of the Solar Temple are considered cults ("sectes" in French), and therefore do not have the same status as religions in France. Secte is considered a pejorative term in France.

Health
The French healthcare system was ranked first worldwide by the World Health Organization in 1997 and then again in 2000. Care is generally free for people affected by chronic diseases (affections de longues dures) such as cancer, AIDS or Cystic Fibrosis. Average life expectancy at birth is 78 years for men and 85 years for women, one of the highest of the European Union. There are 3.22 physicians for every 1000 inhabitants in France, and average health care spending per capita was US$4,719 in 2008. As of 2007, approximately 140,000 inhabitants (0.4%) of France are living with HIV/AIDS. Even if the French have the reputation of being one of the thinnest peoples in developed countries, Francelike other rich countriesfaces an increasing and recent epidemic of obesity, due mostly to the replacement of traditional healthy French cuisine by junk food in French eating habits. Nevertheless, the French obesity rate is far below that of the USA (for instance, obesity rate in France is the same that the American once was in the 1970s), and is still the lowest of Europe, but it is now regarded by the authorities as one of the main public health issues and is fiercely fought; rates of childhood obesity are slowing in France, while continuing to grow in other countries.

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The French Republic

Education

In 1802, Napolon Bonaparte created the lyce. Nevertheless it is Jules Ferry who is considered to be the father of the French modern school, which is free, secular, and compulsory until the age of 13 since 1882 (school attendance in France is now compulsory until the age of 16). Nowadays, the schooling system in France is centralized, and is composed of three stages, primary education, secondary education, and higher education. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks France's education as the 25th best in the world, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average. Primary and secondary education are predominantly public, run by the Ministry of National Education. Higher education in France is divided between public universities and the prestigious and selective Grandes coles, such as Science Po Paris for Political studies, HEC Paris for Economics, Polytechnique and the cole nationale suprieure des mines de Paris that produces high-profile engineers, or the cole nationale d'administration for careers in the great corps of the State. The Grandes coles have been criticised for alleged elitism, nevertheless they have produced many if not most of France's high-ranking civil servants, CEO, or politicians.

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The French Republic

CULTURE
France has been a center of cultural creation for centuries. Many French artists have been among the most renowned of their time, and France is still recognized in the world for its rich cultural tradition. The successive political regimes have always promoted artistic creation, and the creation of the Ministry of Culture in 1959 helped preserve the cultural heritage of the country and make it available to the public. The Ministry of Culture has been very active since its creation, granting subsidies to artists, promoting French culture in the world, supporting festivals and cultural events, protecting historical monuments. The French government also succeeded in maintaining a cultural exception to defend audiovisual products made in the country. France receives the highest number of tourists per year, largely thanks to the numerous cultural establishments and historical buildings implanted all over the territory. It counts 1,200 museums welcoming more than 50 million people annually. The most important cultural sites are run by the government, for instance through the public agency Centre des monuments nationaux, which have around a hundred national historical monuments at charge. The 43,180 buildings protected as historical monuments include mainly residences (many castles, or chteaux in French) and religious buildings (cathedrals, basilicas, churches, etc.), but also statutes, memorials and gardens. The UNESCO inscribed 37 sites in France on the World Heritage List.

Painting
The origins of French painting were very much influenced by Flemish art and by Italian art at the time of the Renaissance. Jean Fouquet, the most famous medieval French painter, is said to have been the first to travel to Italy and experience the Early Renaissance at first hand. The Renaissance painting School of Fontainebleau was directly inspired by Italian painters such as Primaticcio and Rosso Fiorentino, who both worked in France. Two of the most famous French artists of the time of Baroque era, Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain, lived in Italy. The 17th century was the period where French painting became proeminent and individualized itself through classicism. Louis XIV's prime minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert founded in 1648 the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture to protect these artists, and in 1666 he created the still-in-activity French Academy in Rome to have direct relations with Italian artists.
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The French Republic French painters developped the rococo style in the 18th century, as a more intimate imitation of old baroque style, the works of court-endorsed artists Antoine Watteau, Franois Boucher and Jean-Honor Fragonard being the most representative in the country. The French Revolution brought great changes, as Napoleon I favoured painters of neoclassic style as Jacques-Louis David and the highly influential Acadmie des Beaux-Arts defined the style known as Academism. At this time France had become a center of artistic creation, the first half of the 19th century being dominated by two successive movements, at first Romanticism with Thodore Gricault and Eugne Delacroix, and Realism with Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet and Jean-Franois Millet, a style that eventually evolved into Naturalism. In the second part of the 19th century, France's influence over painting became even more important, with the development of new styles of painting like Impressionism and Symbolism. The most famous impressionist painters of the period were Camille Pissarro, douard Manet, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir. Second generation of impressionist-style painters Paul Czanne, Paul Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec and Georges Seurat were also at the avant-guarde of artistic evolutions, as well as fauvist artists Henri Matisse, Andr Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck. At the beginning of 20th century, Cubism was developed by Georges Braque and Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, living in Paris. Other foreign artists also settled and worked in or near Paris, like Vincent van Gogh, Marc Chagall, Amedeo Modigliani and Wassily Kandinsky. Many museums in France are entirely or partly devoted to painting works. A huge collection of old masterpieces created before or during the 18th century are displayed in the state-owned Muse du Louvre, such as Mona Lisa, also known as La Joconde. While the Louvre Palace has been for a long time a museum, the Muse d'Orsay was inaugurated in 1986 in the old railway station Gare d'Orsay, in a major reorganization of national art collections, to gather French paintings from the second part of the 19th century (mainly Impressionism and Fauvism movements). Modern works are presented in the Muse National d'Art Moderne, which moved in 1976 to the Centre Georges Pompidou. These three state-owned museums welcome close to 17 million people a year. Other national museums hosting paintings include the Grand Palais (1,3 million visitors in 2008), but there are also many museums owned by cities, the most visited being the Muse d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (0,8 million entries in 2008), which hosts contemporary works.

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The French Republic

Architecture
Technically speaking, there is no standard type of "French" architecture, although that has not always been true. Gothic architecture's old name was French architecture (or Opus Francigenum). The term Gothic appeared later as a stylistic insult and was widely adopted. The Gothic architecture was the first French style of architecture to be copied in all Europe. Northern France is the home of some of the most important Gothic cathedrals and basilicas, the first of these being the Saint Denis Basilica (used as the royal necropolis); other important French Gothic cathedrals are Notre-Dame de Chartres and Notre-Dame d'Amiens. The kings were crowned in another important Gothic church: Notre-Dame de Reims. Aside from churches, Gothic Architecture had been used for many religious palaces, the most important one being the Palais des Papes in Avignon. During the Middle Ages, fortified castles were built by feudal nobles to mark their powers against their rivals. When King Philip II took Rouen from King John, for example, he demolished the ducal castle to build a bigger one. Fortified cities were also common; most French castles did not survive the passage of time. This is why Richard the Lionheart's Chteau Gaillard was demolished, as well as the Chteau de Lusignan. Some French castles that survived are Chinon, Chteau d'Angers, the massive Chteau de Vincennes and the so called Cathar castles. Before the appearance of this architecture, France had been using Romanesque architecture like most of Western Europe (with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula, which now consists of Spain and Portugal, which used Mooresque architecture). Some of the greatest examples of Romanesque churches in France are the Saint Sernin Basilica in Toulouse (largest romanesque church in Europe) and the remains of the Cluniac Abbey (largely destroyed during the Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars). The end of the Hundred Years' War marked an important stage in the evolution of French architecture. It was the time of the French Renaissance and several artists from Italy and Spain were invited to the French court; many residential palaces, inspired by the Italians, were built, but mainly in the Loire Valley. Such residential castles were the Chteau de Chambord, the Chteau de Chenonceau, or the Chteau d'Amboise. Following the renaissance and the end of the Middle Ages, Baroque Architecture replaced the traditional Gothic style. However, in France, baroque architecture found a greater success in the secular domain than in a religious one.
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The French Republic In the secular domain, the Palace of Versailles has many baroque features. Jules Hardouin Mansart was said to be the most influential French architect of the baroque era, with his famous dome, Les Invalides. Some of the most impressive provincial baroque architecture is found in places that were not yet French such as the Place Stanislas in Nancy. On the military architectural side, Vauban designed some of the most efficient fortresses in Europe and became an influential military architect; as a result, imitations of his works can be found all over Europe, the Americas, Russia and Turkey. After the Revolution, the Republicans favoured Neoclassicism although neoclassicism was introduced in France prior to the revolution with such building as the Parisian Pantheon or the Capitole de Toulouse. Built during the French Empire the Arc de Triomphe and Sainte Marie-Madeleine represent this trend the best. Under Napoleon III, a new wave of urbanism and architecture was given birth. If extravagant buildings such as the neo-baroque Palais Garnier were built, the urban planning of the time was very organised and rigorous. For example, Baron Haussmann rebuilt Paris. The architecture associated to this era is named Second Empire in English, the term being taken from the Second French Empire. At this time there was a strong Gothic resurgence across Europe and in France; the associated architect was Eugne Viollet-le-Duc. In the late 19th century, Gustave Eiffel designed many bridges, such as Garabit viaduct, and remains one of the most influential bridge designers of his time, although he is best remembered for the iconic Eiffel Tower. In the 20th century, Swiss Architect Le Corbusier designed several buildings in France. More recently, French architects have combined both modern and old architectural styles. The Louvre Pyramid is an example of modern architecture added to an older building. The most difficult buildings to integrate within French cities are skyscrapers, as they are visible from afar. For instance, in Paris, since 1977, new buildings had to be under 37 meters, or 121 feet. France's largest financial district is La Defense, where a significant number of skyscrapers are located. Other massive buildings that are a challenge to integrate into their environment are large bridges; an example of the way this has been done is the Millau Viaduct. Some famous modern French architects include Jean Nouvel or Paul Andreu.

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The French Republic

Literature
The earliest French literature dates from the Middle Ages, when what is now known as modern France did not have a single, uniform language. There were several languages and dialects and each writer used his own spelling and grammar. The authors of French mediaeval texts are unknown, such as Tristan and Iseult and Lancelot and the Holy Grail. Much mediaeval French poetry and literature were inspired by the legends of the Matter of France, such as The Song of Roland and the various Chansons de geste. The Roman de Renart, written in 1175 by Perrout de Saint Cloude tells the story of the mediaeval character Reynard ('the Fox') and is another example of early French writing. The names of some authors from this period are known, for example Chrtien de Troyes and Duke William IX of Aquitaine, who wrote in Occitan. An important 16th century writer was Franois Rabelais, whose novel La vie de Gargantua et de Pantagruel, or Gargantua and Pantagruel in English, has remained famous and appreciated until now. Michel de Montaigne was the other major figure of the French literature during that century. His most famous work, Essais, created the literary genre of the essay. French poetry during that century was embodied by Pierre de Ronsard and Joachim du Bellay. Both writers founded the La Pliade literary movement. During the 17th century, Madame de La Fayette published anonymously La Princesse de Clves, a novel that is considered to be one of the very first psychological novels of all times. Jean Racine (whose incredible mastery of the alexandrine and of the French language has been praised for centuries) created plays, such as Phdre, or Britannicus, that are still considered as the masterpieces of France's classical period. He is, along with Pierre Corneille (Le Cid), and Molire, considered as one of the "3 Great dramatists" of the France's golden age. Molire, who is deemed to be one of the greatest masters of comedy of the Western literature, wrote dozens of plays, the most famous being Le Misanthrope, L'cole des femmes, Tartuffe, L'Avare, Le Malade imaginaire, and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. His plays have been so popular and famous around the world that French language is sometimes dubbed as "the language of Molire" (la langue de Molire), just like English is considered as "the language of Shakespeare".

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The French Republic Jean de La Fontaine is one of the most famous fabulist of that time, as he wrote hundreds of fables, some being far more famous than others, such as The Ant and the Grasshopper. Generations of French pupils had to learn his fables, that were seen as helping teaching wisdom and common sense to the young people. Some of his verses have entered the popular language to become proverbs. French literature and poetry flourished even more in the 18th and 19th centuries. Denis Diderot's best-known works are Jacques the Fatalist and Rameau's Nephew. He is however best known for being the main redactor of the Encyclopdie, whose aim was to sum up all the knowledge of his century (in fields such as arts, sciences, languages, philosophy ...) and to present them to the people, in order to fight ignorance and obscurantism. During that same century, Charles Perrault was a prolific writer of famous children's fairy tales including Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. At the turn of the 19th century symbolist poetry was an important movement in French literature, with poets such as Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine and Stphane Mallarm. The 19th century saw the writings of many renowned French authors. Victor Hugo excelled in all literary genres: novel (Les Misrables, widely seen as one of the greatest novel ever written The Hunchback of Notre Dame, that has remained immensely popular throughout the centuries), Poetry (his verse have been compared to that of Shakespeare, Dante and Homer) (Odes et Ballades, Les Contemplations, La Lgende des sicles, the last ones being considered as "poetic masterpieces"), Playwright (Cromwell, whose preface is considered to be the manifesto of the Romantic movement), Essay ... Elected to the Acadmie franaise in 1841, he was also a policician and a human right activist; he took a stand against the death penalty with works such as The Last Day of a Condemned Man. For all those reasons, he is sometimes seen as "the greatest French writer of all times". Other major authors of that century include Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo), Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea), mile Zola (Les Rougon-Macquart), Honor de Balzac (La Comdie humaine), Guy de Maupassant, Thophile Gautier and Stendhal(The Red and the Black, The Charterhouse of Parma), whose works are amongst the most well known in France and the world. The Prix Goncourt is a French literary prize first awarded in 1903. Important writers of the 20th century include Marcel Proust, Louis-Ferdinand Cline, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Antoine de Saint Exupry wrote Little Prince which has remained popular for decades with children and adults around the world. As of 2010, French authors had more Literature Nobel Prizes than those of any other nation. Compare the Evolution of Nobel Prizes by country.

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The French Republic

Philosophy
Ren Descartes was a polymath of the 16th century. A notable mathematician, he founded the Analytic geometry. He is however best known for being "the Father of Modern Philosophy", that is, he revitalised Western Philosophy, that has been on the decline after the Greek and Roman eras. He founded the Cartesianist school, developed the Cartesian doubt, and was one of the major rationalist philosophers of that time. His most famous work is Meditations on First Philosophy, and his statement Cogito ergo sum has remained famous until now. A French university has been named after him. At the same epoch, moral and philosophical books by Blaise Pascal deeply influenced the French aristocracy. During the 18th century, Voltaire wrote many plays, novels and letters that have remained famous. His novel Candide, ou l'optimisme is one of the most studied French novel outside France, and has been considered to be its magnum opus. This work is also seen as one of the most important philosophical fictions ever created. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was Voltaire's main philosophical opponent at that time. A renowned political philosopher, his main works are the Discourse on Inequality, Les Confessions, mile ou De l'ducation, and Du Contrat social. The latter is one of the most important works of the Age of Enlightenment, as it was the very first writing that openly criticized the European divine right monarchies, and that strongly affirmed the principle of the sovereignty of the people. Du Contrat Social is believed to have been a crucial inspiration of the 1789 Revolution.

Music
Although the musical creation in France dates back to the Middle Ages, it knew its golden age in the 17th century thanks to Louis XIV, who employed several musicians and composers in the royal court. The most renowned composers of this period include MarcAntoine Charpentier, Franois Couperin, MichelRichard Delalande, Jean-Baptiste Lully and Marin Marais, all of them composers at the court. After the death of the "Roi Soleil", French musical creation lost dynamism, but in the next century the music of JeanPhilippe Rameau reached some prestige, and today he is still one of the most renowned French composers.
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The French Republic French classical music knew a revival in the 19th and 20th century, at the end of the romantic movement, at first with opera composers Hector Berlioz, Georges Bizet, Gabriel Faur, Charles Gounod, Jacques Offenbach, douard Lalo, Jules Massenet and Camille Saint-Sans. This period was a golden age for operas, being popular in the country the opra bouffon, the opera-ballet and the opra comique genres. Later came precursors of modern classical music rik Satie, Francis Poulenc, and above all Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, who invented new musical forms. More recently, at the middle of the 20th century, Maurice Ohana, Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Boulez contributed to the evolutions of contemporary classical music. French music then followed the rapid emergence of pop and rock music at the middle of the 20th century. Although English-speaking creations achieved popularity in the country, French pop music, known as chanson franaise, has also remained very popular. Among the most important French artists of the century are dith Piaf, Georges Brassens, Lo Ferr, Charles Aznavour and Serge Gainsbourg. Although there are very few rock bands in France compared to English-speaking countries, bands such as Noir Dsir, Mano Negra, Niagara, Rita Mitsouko and more recently Superbus, Phoenix and Gojira have reached worldwide popularity. Other French artists with international careers have been popular in several countries, for example female singers Mireille Mathieu and Mylne Farmer, electronic music pioneers Jean-Michel Jarre, Laurent Garnier and Bob Sinclar, and later Martin Solveig and David Guetta. In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), electronic duos Daft Punk, Justice and Air also reached worldwide popularity and contributed to the reputation of modern electronic music in the world.[310][311][312] Among current musical events and institutions in France, many are dedicated to classical music and operas. The most prestigious institutions are the state-owned Paris National Opera (with its two sites Palais Garnier and Opra Bastille), the Opra National de Lyon, the Thtre du Chtelet in Paris, the Thtre du Capitole in Toulouse and the Grand Thtre de Bordeaux. As for music festivals, there are several events organized, the most popular being the Eurockennes and Rock en Seine. The Fte de la Musique, imitated by many foreign cities, was first launched by the French government in 1982. Major music halls and venues in France include Le Znith sites present in many cities and other places in Paris (Paris Olympia, Thtre Mogador, lyse Montmartre, etc.).

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The French Republic

Cinema
France has historical and strong links with cinema. It is two Frenchmen, Auguste and Louis Lumire (known as the Lumire Brothers) who created the cinema in 1895. More recently, in 2006, France produced more films than any other European country. Cannes Festival is one of the most important and famous film festivals in the world. Although the French film market is dominated by Hollywood, it is however the Western country (out of the United States) where the share of the American films in the total film revenues is the smallest, at 50.1%, to compare with 77.3% of Germany and 69.4% of Japan. Thus, French films account for 34.8% of the total film revenues of France, which is the highest percentage of national films revenues in developed countries (the U.S. not included), to compare with 13.7% in Spain and 8.3% in the UK. France was for centuries, and not so long ago, the cultural center of the world. But France's dominant position has been overthrown by American culture, and thus France tries to protect its culture. France has been a strong advocate of the cultural exception. France therefore succeeded in convincing all the EU members to refuse to include culture and audiovisuals in the list of liberalized sectors of the WTO in 1993. Moreover, this decision was confirmed in a voting in the UNESCO in 2005, and the principle of "cultural exception" won an overwhelming victory: 198 countries voted for it, only 2 countries, the U.S and Israel, voted against it.

Fashion
Fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France since the 17th century, and modern "haute couture" originated in Paris in the 1860s. Today, Paris, along with London, Milan, and New York City, is considered one of the world's fashion capitals, and the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses. The expression Haute couture is, in France, a legally protected name, guaranteeing certain quality standards. The association of France with fashion and style (French: la mode) dates largely to the reign of Louis XIV when the luxury goods industries in France came increasingly under royal control and the French royal court became, arguably,
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The French Republic the arbiter of taste and style in Europe. But France renewed its dominance of the high fashion (French: couture or haute couture) industry in the years 18601960 through the establishing of the great couturier houses such as Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy. In the 1960s, the elitist "Haute couture" came under criticism from France's youth culture. In 1966, the designer Yves Saint Laurent broke with established Haute Couture norms by launching a prt--porter ("ready to wear") line and expanding French fashion into mass manufacturing. With a greater focus on marketing and manufacturing, new trends were established by Sonia Rykiel, Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix in the 1970s and 1980s. The 1990s saw a conglomeration of many French couture houses under luxury giants and multinationals such as LVMH.

Media
Compared to other developed countries, the French do not spend much time reading newspapers, due to the popularity of broadcast media. Best-selling daily national newspapers in France are Le Monde and right-wing Le Figaro, with around 300.000 copies sold daily, but also L'quipe, dedicated to sports coverage. In the past years, free dailies made a breakthrough, with Metro, 20 Minutes and Direct Plus distributed at more than 650.000 copies respectively. However, the widest circulations are reached by regional daily Ouest France with more than 750.000 copies sold, and the 50 other regional papers have also high sales. The sector of weekly magazines is stronger and diversified with more than 400 specialized weekly magazines published in the country. The most influential news magazine are left-wing Le Nouvel Observateur, centrist L'Express and right-wing Le Point (more than 400.000 copies), but the highest circulation for weeklies is reached by TV magazines and by womens magazines, among them Marie Claire and ELLE, which have foreign versions. Influential weeklies also include investigative and satirical papers Le Canard Enchan and Charlie Hebdo, as well as Paris Match. Like in most industrialized nations, the print media have been affected by a severe crisis in the past decade. In 2008, the government have launched a major initiative to help the sector reform to be financially independent, but in 2009 it had to give 600.000 euros to help the print media cope with the economic crisis, in addition to existing subsidies. In 1974, after years of centralized monopoly on radio and television, the governmental agency ORTF was split into several national institutions, but the three already-existing TV channels and four national radio stations remained under state-control. It was only in 1981 when the government allowed free broadcasting in the territory, ending state monopoly on radio. French television was partly liberalized in the next two decade with the creation of several commercial channels, mainly thanks to cable and satellite television. In 2005 the national service Tlvision Numrique Terrestre introduced digital television all over the territory, allowing the creation of other channels. The four existing national channels are now owned by state-owned consortium France Tlvisions, while public broadcasting group Radio France run five national radio stations.
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The French Republic Among these public media are Radio France Internationale, which broadcasts programs in French all over the world, and Franco-German TV channel TV5 Monde. In 2006, the government created global news channel France 24. Long-established TV channels TF1 (privatized in 1987), France 2 and France 3 have the highest shares, while radio stations RTL, Europe 1 and state-owned France Inter are the least listened to.

Society
According to a 2010 BBC poll based on 29,977 responses in 28 countries, France is globally seen as a positive influence in the world's affairs: 49 % have a positive view of the country's influence, whereas 19 % have a negative view. The Nation Brand Index of 2008 suggested that France has the second best international reputation, only behind Germany. According to two Pew Research Center polls in 2006 and 2011 based on around 14 000 responses in 15 countries, French were found to have the highest level of religious tolerance (when asked about their opinion about Muslims, Christians and Jews) and to be the country where the highest proportion of the population defines its identity primarily in term of nationality and not of religion. In January 2010, the International Living ranked France as "best country to live in", ahead of 193 other countries surveyed, for the fifth year running, according to a survey taking in account 9 criteria of quality of life: Cost of Living, Culture and Leisure, Economy, Environment, Freedom, Health, Infrastructure, Safety and Risk and Climate. France has historical strong ties with Human Rights. Since the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789, France is often nicknamed as "the country of Human Rights". Furthermore, in 1948, a Frenchman, Ren Cassin, was one of the main redactors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the UN members in Paris. National symbols strongly reflect the heritage of the Revolution. The four official symbols of the Republic, as stated by the Constitution, all commemorate events from the period. Bastille Day, the national holiday, commemorate the Fte de la Fdration, held on 14 July 1790 to celebrate the storming of the Bastille. The origins of Tricolored flag also date back to the Revolution, as the cockade was the symbols adopted by the revolutionaries in 1789. As for the national anthem La Marseillaise, it was written in 1792 as a war song for the French Army. The official motto of the French Republic, "Libert, galit, fraternit" (Liberty, equality, brotherhood) also appeared during the French Revolution. Marianne,

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The French Republic unofficial symbol, is an allegorical figure of liberty and of the Republic and also appeared at the time of the Revolution. A common and traditional symbol of the French people is the Gallic rooster. Its origins date back to Antiquity, since the Latin word Gallus meant both "rooster" and "inhabitant of Gaul". Then this figure gradually became the most widely shared representation of the French, used by French monarchs, then by the Revolution and under the successive republican regimes as representation of the national identity, used for some stamps and coins.[350] Although it is not an official symbol of the Republic, it is the most common image to symbolize France in the collective imagination and abroad.

Gastronomy
French cuisine is renowned for being one of the finest in the world. French cuisine is extremely diverse and has exerted a major influence on other western cuisines. According to the regions, traditional recipes are different, the North of the country prefers to use butter as the preferred fat for cooking, whereas olive oil is more commonly used in the South. Moreover, each region of France has iconic traditional specialities : Cassoulet in the Southwest, Choucroute in Alsace, Quiche in the Lorraine region, Beef bourguignon in the Bourgogne, provenal Tapenade, etc. France's most renowned products are wines, including Champagne, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, and Beaujolais as well as a large variety of different cheeses, such as Camembert, Roquefort and Brie. There are more than 400 different varieties. French cuisine is also regarded as a key element of the quality of life and the attractiveness of France. A French publication, the Michelin guide, had by 2006 awarded 620 stars to French restaurants, at that time more than any other country, although the guide also inspects more restaurants in France than in any other country (by 2010, Japan was awarded as many Michelin stars as France, despite having half the number of Michelin inspectors working there).

Sports
Popular sports played in France include football, judo and tennis. France has hosted events such as the 1938
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The French Republic and 1998 FIFA World Cups, and hosted the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup. Stade de France in Paris is the largest stadium in France and was the venue for the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, and hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup final in October 2007. France also hosts the annual Tour de France, the most famous road bicycle race in the world. France is also famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race held in the Sarthe department. Several major tennis tournaments take place in France, including the Paris Masters and the French Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments. France has a close association with the Modern Olympic Games; it was a French aristocrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who suggested the Games' revival, at the end of the 19th century. After Athens was awarded the first Games, in reference to the Greek origins of the ancient Olympics, Paris hosted the second Games in 1900. Paris was also the first home of the International Olympic Committee, before it moved to Lausanne. Since that 1900 Games, France has hosted the Olympics on four further occasions: the 1924 Summer Olympics, again in Paris and three Winter Games (1924 in Chamonix, 1968 in Grenoble and 1992 in Albertville). Both the national football team and the national rugby union team are nicknamed Les Bleus in reference to the teams shirt color as well as the national French tricolor flag. The football team is among the most successful in the world, particularly at the turn of the 21st century, with one FIFA World Cup victory in 1998, one FIFA World Cup second place in 2006, and two European Championships in 1984 and 2000. The top national football club competition is the Ligue 1. Rugby is also very popular, particularly in Paris and the southwest of France. The national rugby team has competed at every Rugby World Cup, and takes part in the annual Six Nations Championship. Following from a strong domestic tournament the French rugby team has won sixteen Six Nations Championships, including eight grand slams; and have reached the semi-finals and final of the Rugby World Cup. Rugby league in France is a sport that is most popular in the south with cities such as Perpignan and Toulouse having a strong presence in the game. The Catalans Dragons currently play in Super League which is the top tier rugby league competition in Europe. Toulouse Olympique play in the Co-operative Championship which is the 2nd tier of European rugby league. The Elite One Championship is the top tier of French rugby league.

CITIES Paris Capital

Paris is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France. The city of Paris, within its
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The French Republic administrative limits (the 20 arrondissements) largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,211,297 (January 2008), but the Paris metropolitan area has a population of 12,089,098 (January 2008), and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe. Paris was the largest city in the Western world for about 1,000 years, prior to the 19th century, and the largest in the entire world between the 16th and 19th centuries. Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. It hosts the headquarters of many international organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the International Chamber of Commerce or the informal Paris Club. Paris is considered one of the greenest and most liveable cities in Europe. It is also one of the most expensive. Paris and the Paris Region, with 552.1 billion (US$768.9 billion) in 2009, produce more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of France. According to 2008 estimates, the Paris agglomeration is Europe's biggest or second biggest city economy and the sixth largest in the world. The Paris Region hosts the headquarters of 33 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, the highest such concentration in Europe, hosted in several business districts, notably La Dfense, the largest dedicated business district in Europe. The Paris region has the highest concentration of higher education students in the European Union, is the first in Europe in terms of research and development capability and expenditure and is considered one of the best cities in the world for innovation. With about 42 million tourists annually in the city and its suburbs, Paris is the most visited city in the world. The city and its region contain 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department. The city is also famous for its various luxury shops, restaurants, and hotels. On 3 November 2011 it played host to the G20 organisation of industrialised nations.

Marseille
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The French Republic Marseille known in antiquity as Massalia is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of 240.62 km2 (93 sq mi). The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of 1,204 km2 (465 sq mi). 1,530,000 or 1,601,095 people live in the Marseille metropolitan area, ranking it 3rd among French metropolitan areas after Paris and Lyon. Located on the southeast coast of France, Marseille is France's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and largest commercial port. Marseille is the capital of the ProvenceAlpes-Cte d'Azur region, as well as the capital of the Bouches-du-Rhne department. Its inhabitants are called Marseillais.

Lyon
Lyon is a city in east-central France in the Rhne-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin, and 600 km (373 mi) from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais. The city of Lyon has 480,660 inhabitants. Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the largest agglomeration (urban area) in France outside Paris with a population estimated to be 1,422,331; its overall metropolitan area was estimated to have a population of 2,118,132. Its urban region represents half of the Rhne-Alpes region population with 2.9 million inhabitants. Lyon is the capital of this region, as well as the capital of the smaller Rhne dpartement. The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France. It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumire who invented the cinematographer in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival 'Fete des Lumieres' which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, that
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The French Republic vallued Lyon the title of Capital of Lights (not to be mixed up with Paris the city of lights). The legend says that Virgin Mary saved the city from the black death, and to thank her a statue was made and on the day it was put up the whole city was lit by candles put by the citizens at their window. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased the profile of Lyon internationally through participation in European football championships. Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking and also the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has focused on a growing local start-up sector. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon is ranked 2nd in France as an economic centre and convention centre on some measures. Lyon was in 2010 ranked 9th globally and 2nd in France for innovation. It ranked 38th globally in Mercer's 2010 liveability rankings.

Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km (366 mi) away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. With 1,102,882 inhabitants as of 1 January 2006, the Toulouse metropolitan area is the fifthlargest in France, after Paris (11.8 million), Lyon (1.8 million), Marseille (1.7 million) and Lille (1.16 million) Toulouse is one of the bases of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus, Galileo positioning system, the SPOT satellite system, and CNES's Toulouse Space Centre (CST), the largest space centre in Europe. Thales Alenia Space, and Astrium Satellites, EADS's satellite system subsidiary, also have a significant presence in Toulouse. Its world renowned university is one of the oldest in Europe (founded in 1229) and, with more than 97,000 students, is with Lille the third-largest university campus of France after Paris and Lyon. Toulouse was the capital of the former province of Languedoc (provinces were abolished during the French Revolution). It is now the Chef-lieu of the Midi-Pyrnes region, the largest region in metropolitan France. It is also the Chef-lieu of the Haute-Garonne department.

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Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of 71.92 km2 (28 sq mi). The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of 721 km2 (278 sq mi). Located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast after Marseille. The city is called Nice la Belle (Nissa La Bella in Niard), which means Nice the Beautiful, which is also the title of the unofficial anthem of Nice, written by Menica Rondelly in 1912. Nice is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes dpartement and the second biggest city of the Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur region after Marseille. The area of todays Nice is believed to be among the oldest human settlements in Europe. One of the archaeological sites, Terra Amata, displays evidence of a very early use of fire. Around 350 BC, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia, after Nike, the goddess of victory. Down the ages, the town changed hands many times. Its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength. For years it was an Italian dominion, then became part of France in 1860. Culturally and architecturally enriched over time, today Nice has become a truly cosmopolitan tourist destination. The spectacular natural beauty of the Nice area and its mild Mediterranean climate came to the attention of the English upper classes in the second half of the 18th century, when an increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending their winter there. The citys main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais (the Walkway of the English) owes its name to the earliest visitors to the resort. For decades now, the picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not only those in search of relaxation, but also those seeking inspiration. The clear air and soft light has been of particular appeal to some of Western cultures most outstanding painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Arman. Their work is commemorated in many of the citys museums, including Muse Marc Chagall, Muse Matisse and Muse des Beaux-Arts Jules Chret. The climate and landscape are still what attracts most visitors today. It has the second largest hotel capacity in the country and its the second-most visited place in France after Paris, receiving 4 million tourists every year. It also has the second busiest airport in France after Paris and two convention centres dedicated to business tourism.
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The French Republic The city also has a university, several business districts and some major cultural facilities, such as museums, a national theatre, an opera house with a regional library and several concert halls and casinos. It is the historical capital city of the County of Nice (Comt de Nice). Nice experiences a Mediterranean climate. The summer/holiday season lasts for 6 months, from May to October, although in April and November sometimes there are temperatures above 20 C (68 F). Winters are mild, with average temperatures of 13.4 C (56.1 F) during the day and 5.8 C (42.4 F) at night in the period from December to February.

Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France. The Bordeaux metropolitan area has a population of 1,105,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called Bordelais. Bordeaux is the world's major wine industry capital. It is home to the world's main wine fair, Vinexpo, while the wine economy in the metro area moves 14.5 billion euros each year. Bordeaux wine has been produced in the region since the 8th century. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century.

Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital
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The French Republic of the Bas-Rhin dpartement. The city and the region of Alsace are historically Germanspeaking, explaining the city's Germanic name. In 2006, the city proper had 272,975 inhabitants and its urban community 467,375 inhabitants. With 638,670 inhabitants in 2006, Strasbourg's metropolitan area (aire urbaine) (only the part of the metropolitan area on French territory) is the ninth largest in France. The transnational Eurodistrict StrasbourgOrtenau had a population of 884,988 inhabitants in 2008. Strasbourg is the seat of several European institutions, such as the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights, its European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and its European Audiovisual Observatory) and the Eurocorps, as well as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. The city is the seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine. Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande le (Grand Island), was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an honour was placed on an entire city centre. Strasbourg is fused into the Franco-German culture and although violently disputed throughout history, has been a bridge of unity between France and Germany for centuries, especially through the University of Strasbourg, currently the largest in France, and the coexistence of Catholic and Protestant culture. Economically, Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as of road, rail, and river communications. The port of Strasbourg is the second largest on the Rhine after Duisburg, Germany. In terms of city rankings, Strasbourg has been ranked third in France and 18th globally for innovation.

Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, 50 km (31 mi) from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants. Nantes is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region and LoireAtlantique dpartement. Together with Vannes, Rennes and Carhaix, it was one of the major cities of the historic province of Brittany, and the ancient Duchy of Brittany. Culturally, Nantes is a Breton city.

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The French Republic In 2004, the Time magazine described Nantes as "the most liveable city in Europe". In 2010, Nantes was named a hub city for innovation in the Innovation Cities Index by innovation agency, 2thinknow. The city was ranked 36th globally from 289 cities and 4th overall in France, behind Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg for innovation across multiple sectors of the economy.

TRADE
France's trade is one of the largest in the world. France exports and imports various raw materials, automobiles and electronic products. The country ranks sixth in the world in terms of export volumes and 5th when it comes to imports. France Exports In 2010, Frances exports totaled $456.8 billion including: machinery and transportation equipment and aircraft plastics, chemicals and pharmaceutical products iron and steel beverages Germany (14.3%) Italy (8.7%) Spain (8.3%) UK (7.8%) Belgium (7.6% US (5.8%) Netherlands (4.2%)

To export trading partners :

France Imports Frances imports totaled up to $532.2 billion in 2010 declining from $692 billion in 2008. France main import commodities are: Machinery and equipmen Vehicles and Aircraft
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The French Republic Crude oil Plastics and Chemicals Germany (17.9%) Belgium (11.7%) Italy (8.3%) Spain (6.9%) Netherlands (6.8%) UK (5.1%) US (4.3%)

To main import partners:

STANDARD OF LIVING
The standard of living in France has doubled over the past 40 years although the gap between rich and poor has not changed over the last 10 years. The latest figures for 2008 released by the national statistics agency, Insee, show the annual salary for the majority of households in France is between 10,000 and 40,000 euros. Most households exist on an average budget of 2,380 euros a month - 100 euros more than 10 years ago. But, the Insee figures do reveal a large disparity between the country's richest and poorest households. The lowest 10 per cent have a monthly budget of less than 1,100 euros, while the top 10 per cent have at least 4,950 euros a month to spend. The widest gap between rich and poor is found in the capital Paris and surrounding suburbs where the top 20 per cent of wealthiest households earn eight times more that the lowest 20 per cent. This region is also home to France's richest and poorest dpartements. The Hauts de Seine to the west of Paris, tops the table as the region with the highest standard of living while neighbouring Seine St Denis has the lowest. Despite a significant increase in the overall standard of living, some eight million people still live below the poverty line, defined as a monthly budget of 949 euros.
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The French Republic The highest concentration of low-income households is found on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. In contrast, Brittany, Alsace and the Loire Valley, have the smallest. Overall, one household in 10 says they are forced to make economies on food, heating and leisure activities such as vacations. Worldwide France ranks third in terms of annual revenue with an average of 28,650 euros, behind the United States with 39,030 euros and Germany with 29,180, but ahead of British households on 28,550 euros.

COST OF LIVING
Living in France can be relatively cheaper compared to the United Kingdom. Although salaries for employees are not that high compared to other European nations, the government does provide a lot of backup to business owners to give company benefits. As many advisories provide, the cost of living is dependent upon your lifestyle with the cost of going out an aspect that you need to consider, as it is easy to get lost in the sights and sounds of the French jet-set and haute couture lifestyle. France is one of the G8 and its economy boasts a 6th place ranking worldwide. Industries are doing very well which mean that expatriates can easily find secure jobs. Trade and commerce continue to comprise the bulk of the economy. It is considered as a giant in terms of productivity ranking 4th in imports and 5th in exports. France also has several investors helping it make 2nd place in outward transactions. A total of 57 billion dollars was placed in investments. In terms of per capita GDP, France also leads all other G8 countries. Tourism is also another main contributor in the countrys excellent financial status. It is the number one tourist destination all over the globe. Productivity is good but the nation is currently experiencing low employment rate due to the aging population. More and more immigrants and skilled workers are needed to ensure constant effectiveness in trade and other business transactions.

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Food and Drink Costs in France

The cost of food and drinks in France is significantly lower compared to other European nations. There are thousands of great restaurants offering the best cuisines made only of the finest ingredients. Dining out will definitely cost more but expatriates can also find a good deal of affordable meat, fish, milk, herbs, fruits and vegetables in markets and nearby ports. France is one of the worlds largest exporters of beer, wine and bread. Pastries and wheat products comprise most of the goods for export. But there are also meat products like beef and pork as well as fish such as salmon that are continually brought out to the United States. As far as drinks are concerned, France imports and exports wine extensively. Beer and cider are also widely traded. Locally made wine and beer are priced depending on quality but lower prices can be given if purchased directly at the brewery or winery or as wholesale. An average individual spends around 100 euro every week on grocery items and food consumption. In Paris, the cost of commodities is low compared to other big European cities. French cuisine is very easy to get by in varying prices for every individual.

Clothing and Accessories Costs in France

Since Paris is the center of world fashion, clothes are typically expensive. There are virtually brand and designer labels everywhere. France is the place where everyone on earth can find the best quality and newest designs. Almost every week there are runway shows and
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The French Republic magazine debuts are also featured monthly. Coats and jackets can range from 50 euro up to several thousands depending on the material. Fur coats are limited but still very much available for big spenders. Suits, dresses and other classy items are sold in all colors and varieties at varying prices as well. In Paris, there are also unique items created by designers that can be used for collection purposes. For expatriates looking for cheaper wares, there are a number of department stores offering different kinds of clothing and accessories. Chinese-made products have also entered France by storm that may have caused some designers to increase significantly in prices and avoid sales and auctions that may make people think of their original creations as mere Chinese imitations. There are though some low cost high quality manufacturers in this highly fragmented market. In the outskirts of French cities, they are often found as many multiple specialist stores that cater to the market of thrifty shoppers.

Housing Costs in France

Cost of housing has increased drastically over the past years. This is not uncommon since France has always been among the top three tourist destination countries. The influx of people coming in caused congestion a few years prior but the government is doing several housing measures and regulations that aim to limit the population excess. As it is worldwide, the global recession has hit the once red-hot property market in France, especially in the French Riviera as buyers drive harder bargains for the hard earned purchases. Rental in nearby communities can cost around 500 euro every month while downtown apartment and condominium rental costs reach an astounding 1500 to 2000 euro every month. Fully furnished spaces will cost more as well. Rental spaces are priced according to location, condition and quality. One-fourth of the French population lives in housing complexes subsidized by the government. The living condition is not really good compared to modest housing structures in the city outskirts. Farm space is available in the provinces at expensive prices. It is almost impossible to acquire land in the big cities today. Laws and regulations are also very stringent when it comes to expatriates owning French land. The cost of housing and rentals usually include insurance and utilities.

Services Costs in France

France has state-of-the-art technology that provides remarkable telephone and Internet
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The French Republic services. Broadband networking is currently the trend and there are several WiFi hotspots almost anywhere in Paris. Remote areas as well are well supported by these modern devices in addition water and electricity. Education and college grants are made available by the government. Public schools are subsidized by the French government as well since they value the literacy rate among the rising number of younger generations. There are a number of excellent colleges and universities in France. Students aim to study arts and communication in Paris particularly because of its cultural and artistic heritage. Financial plans and insurance services are also provided to all working individuals. The French health care system is one of the best in the world, offering high quality of services and being easily accessible at the same time. If France becomes the country of your residence, you will be covered by the state social security system that also includes health insurance. Expatriates can also apply for insurance quotes as well. The government can provide funding for immigrants provided that part of their future income will automatically be directed to specific government or community funding. But the just how expensive it is to live in France? A post made in the France Expat Forum last January 3, 2009 can summarize it: How expensive France (or anywhere) is will depend on a number of things. The big one (especially right now) is where youre coming from and what your source of income will be. If, like many of the members of the forum, youre from the UK, the current rate of exchange is a killer. At roughly GBP 1 = 1 everything is going to be expensive. And, youre at the mercy of the exchange rates as they rise and fall. It can also depend on what part of France youre thinking about.

Employment Costs in France

Overall, employment rates have been rising in all members of the European Union. France has an employment rate of almost 90%. Majority of the remaining population are working part-time jobs including students aged 15 to 17 years old. Males constitute most of the workforce although majority of French women including pregnant ones are also working full time. On the downside, maintaining these employment costs has put pressure on the overall income of the French, as it is the highest and most expensive overall in the European Union in 2009. France is currently looking for more skilled engineers, architects and teachers. Business
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The French Republic investors are always welcome as well as those who are highly adept in trade and commerce. Expatriates may have a hard time finding a well-paying job during the first few years until they find their niche and prove their expertise in a given field.

FRANCE-INDIA RELATIONS
FranceIndia relations refers to bilateral relations between the French Republic and the Republic of India were established in 1947 and both nations have since established close cooperation in defence and commerce.

History
In the 17th century Franois Bernier (16251688), a French physician and traveler, became for 12 years the personal physician of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. In the early 18th century, France was actively involved in the powerplay in India. The French General Dupleix was allied to Murzapha Jung in the Deccan, and Chanda Sahib in the Carnatic, in the conflict against Robert Clive. The French succeeded in the 1746 Battle of Madras, and the French and Indians fought together and vanquished Anwaruddin in 1749, but failed in the Battle of Arcot in 1751 and finally surrendered in 1752. The French again had a success at the capture of Fort St. David in 1758 under Lally, but were finally defeated at Masulipatam (1759) and Wandewash (1760). France was one of the major European nations apart from Great Britain to establish colonies in India, establishing the Madras Presidency (covering the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu). France ceded much of the Madras Presidency to the British but retained control of Pondicherry, Karikal, Yanam, and Mah (now in Kerala), as well as maintaining a foothold in Chandernagore, now in West Bengal. France established diplomatic relations with the newly-independent India in 1947. Both nations negotiated the peaceful transfer of Pondicherry and the other enclaves to India, which was completed by 1954.
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The French Republic In 1998, the then-French President Jacques Chirac made a high-profile visit to India, expressing his desire to build an "ambitious relationship," Chirac saluted India as "a nation which has affirmed its personality on the world stage." In January 2008, French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited India and was the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade. Sarkozy expressed a desire to be able to visit India each year. In September 2008, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a major visit to France that led to the establishment of Indo-French trade in nuclear technology.

Development of Bilateral Relations

Both states have aimed to increase bilateral trade from 6.5 billion euros to 12 billion euros by 2012; in 2007, trade expanded by 26%. France and India established a Consortrium of IndoFrench Universities to increase educational cooperation - approximately 1,300 Indian students study in France. India and France have also signed agreements on social security for Indians living in France and joint cooperation on space research and technology. This resulted in the Megha-Tropiques mission wherein a meteorological research satellite jointly developed by India's Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France's Centre National dEtudes Spatiales(CNES) was placed in orbit by ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C18) on October 12, 2011.

Strategic Cooperation
France and India have extensive strategic co-operation, with the military services of both nations conducting joint exercises. India has purchased much military equipment from France, especially the French Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft and the Scorpne class submarines. France was one of the few nations who did not condemn India's nuclear tests in 1998 and has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council as well as G-8. France is one of the largest suppliers of nuclear fuel to India, and signed a "Framework Agreement for Civil Nuclear Co-operation" in January 2008 during French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to India. During the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to France after India's waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), both nations signed an agreement that would pave the way for the sale of French-made nuclear reactors to India on September 30, 2008. France and India also maintain a discreet "strategic dialogue" that covers joint cooperation against terrorism. However, India has objected to France's military assistance to Pakistan, with whom it is in conflict. In July 2009 the French government invited Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to be their chief guest at the French Bastile day celebrations. Sarkozy has also been the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations. Both countries pledged for closer economic, strategic & cultural cooperation on this occasion. During Sarkozy visit to India in Dec 2010, a deal worth $10bn was signed between AREVA and NPCIL for nuclear power plant in Jaitapur, Maharasthra.

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CONCLUSION
France is the world's fifth largest economy by nominal figures and the ninth largest economy by PPP figures. It is the second largest economy in Europe (behind its main economic partner Germany) in nominal figures and third largest economy in Europe in PPP figures (behind Germany and the United Kingdom). France's economy entered the 2008-2009 recession later and left it earlier than most comparable economies, only enduring four quarters of contraction. As of September 2010, France's economy has been growing continuously since the second quarter of 2009. Between January and March 2011, France's GDP growth has been stronger than expected, at 0.9%, one of the best figures in Europe but shrunk between April and June 2011 decreasing by -0.1%. Between July and September the French economy returned to growth of 0.3%; below the growth rates of its neighbours Germany which grew by 0.5% and the UK which grew by 0.6% in the same July to September period. France has long been part of the world's wealthiest and most developed national economies.

As of 2010, France is the world's 5th[9] and Europe's 2nd largest national economy by nominal GDP. In 2010, Credit Suisse's Global Wealth Report ranks France the wealthiest European with 2.6 millions of Dollar millionaires (and the world's 4th wealthiest) nation in aggregate household wealth.

After the turn of the century, wealth per adult grew very strongly in France, tripling in value between 2000 and 2007. It then fell back by 15% and has not yet regained its 2007 value. Much of the earlier rise can be attributed to appreciation of the euro against the dollar, a factor which affected all Eurozone countries. However France also experienced a rapid rise in house prices as a result of which real property now accounts for two thirds of household assets. Personal debts are 12% of household assets, which is a relatively low ratio in developed economies.

According to the IMF, in 2010, France is the world's 18th country by GDP per capita with $40,591 per inhabitant. In 2010, France was listed 14th on the UN Human Development Index with 0.872 (very high human development) and 25th on the Corruption Perceptions Index.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take the opportunity to thank DCOSTA SIR for guiding me in completing this project on INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCENARIO OF FRANCE. I would also like to thank our college computer lab for allowing me to having access to their computer. Last but not the least I am grateful to all my family members and my friends for being at my side always. Without their help and motivation it would have been impossible to complete my project.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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www.google.com www.wikipedia.com www.france.fr www.expatform.com

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