France
| Population | 63.8m |
| Capital | Paris |
| Surface area | 544,000 km2 |
| Official Language | French |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) (in euros) | 1,678 bn |
| GDP as a % of EU-27, based on 2009 data | 12.8 |
| GDP per capita by purchasing power standards (indexed to EU average of 100) | 107.4 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1) | 0.952 |
| World rank in HDI | 10/177 |
| Key economic sectors | Services (72.4); industry (24.9); agriculture (2.7) |
| Leading Companies | Total (oil); EDF (energy provider); ArcelorMittal (steel) |
| Unemployment in January 2010 | 9.7% (source: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table) |
| Main religious denominations (numbers in thousands) | Roman Catholic (38.69); Muslim (4.18); Protestant (0.72); Jewish (0.59) |
| Political system | Semi-presidential: The President is directly elected every five years, and appoints a prime minister and cabinet accountable to a National Assembly, elections to which are held every five years. |
| Electoral system | Two-ballot, majoritarian system for presidential elections; second ballet system for elections to National Assembly |
| Current (March 2010) leaders | President: Nicolas Sarkozy (b. 1955), since May 2007 Prime minister: François Fillon (b. 1954), since May 2007 |
| Previous leaders: | Presidents: Jacques Chirac (1995-2007); François Mitterand (1981-95) Prime ministers: Dominique de Villepin (2005-07); Jean-Pierre Raffarin (2002-05); Lionel Jospin (1997-2002) |
| Joined the EU/EC | 1957 (founder member) |
| Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio | Michel Barnier (Internal Market and Services) |
| Number of MEPs | 74/754 |
| Turnout in 2009 EP elections (%) | 40.1 |
| Member of eurozone | Yes (founder member) |
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at
http://www.statesmansyearbook.com