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Location: Metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Capital City: Paris
Form of government: Republic
Total surface area in sq.km: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France)
Population: 64,057,792
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Literacy rate (of total population) : 99%
Official language: French
Climate: Metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average
Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)
Currency: Euro
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GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.097 trillion (2008 est.)
GDP per capita (PPP): $32,700 (2008 est.)
GDP Real growth rate: 0.9% (2008 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.978 trillion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2008 est.)
Exports: $629.7 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Export commodities: Machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Export partners: Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.3%, Italy 8.9%, UK 8.1%, Belgium 7.3%, US 6.1%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Imports: $718.4 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Import commodities: Machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Import partners: Germany 18.9%, Belgium 11.4%, Italy 8.4%, Spain 7.1%, Netherlands 7%, UK 5.6%, US 4.4%, China 4% (2007)
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Airports: 476 (2007)
Railways: 29,370 km
Roadways: 951,500 km
Waterways: Metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons)
French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2008)
Ports & terminals: Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg
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Telephones: 35.533 million; 34.8 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Internet users: 31.295 million; 30.838 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Internet country code: Metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re
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| Source: CIA World Factbook |
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