The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

gas - consumption:

       42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - exports:

       1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - imports:

       40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - proved reserves:

       12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

      Current account balance:

       $13.8 billion (2003)

      Exports:

       $346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

       machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,

       chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

      Exports - partners:

       Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.6%, UK 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, Belgium 7.2%, US

       6.8% (2003)

      Imports:

       $339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

       machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,

       chemicals

      Imports - partners:

       Germany 19.1%, Belgium 9.4%, Italy 9%, Spain 7.4%, Netherlands 7%,

       UK 7%, US 5.4% (2003)

      Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:

       $70.76 billion (2003)

      Debt - external:

       NA

      Economic aid - donor:

       ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

      Currency:

       euro (EUR)

       note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

       euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

       member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

       currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

      Currency code:

       EUR

      Exchange rates:

       euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),

       1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

      Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      Communications France

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       33,905,400 (2003)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

       41,683,100 (2003)

      Telephone system:

       general assessment: highly developed

       domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive

       introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system

       international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2

       Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for

       Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF

       radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

      Radio broadcast stations:

       AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes

       many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

      Radios:

       55.3 million (1997)

      Television broadcast stations:

       584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

      Televisions:

       34.8 million (1997)

      Internet country code:

       .fr

      Internet hosts:

       2,396,761 (2004)

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

       62 (2000)

      Internet users:

       21.9 million (2003)

      Transportation France

      Railways:

       total: 32,175 km

       standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified)

       narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

      Highways:

       total: 894,000 km

       paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)

       unpaved: 0 km (2000)

      Waterways:

       8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)

      Pipelines:

       gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

      Ports and harbors:

       Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le

       Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint

       Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg (2003)

      Merchant marine:

       total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT

       by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4,

       passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2,

       short-sea/passenger 4

       registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.)

       foreign-owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5

      Airports:

       477 (2003 est.)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 283 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95

      Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 195 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

      Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

      Military France

      Military branches:

       Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy

       (including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), National

       Gendarmerie

      Military manpower - military age and obligation:

       17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)

      Military manpower - availability:

       males age 15–49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)

      Military manpower - fit for military service:

       males age 15–49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)

      Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

       males: 394,413 (2004 est.)

      Military expenditures - dollar figure:

       $45,238.1 million (2003)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

       2.6% (2003)

      Transnational Issues France

      Disputes - international:

       Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,

       and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims