France: Introduction

Capital: Paris

Population

Total Population: 68,516,699

Natural Increase: 0.3%

Density: 124 Inhabitants/km²

Urban Population: 82.0%

Population of main metropolitan areas: Paris (2,175,700); Marseille (868,300); Lyon (518,700); Toulouse (486,900); Nice (341,100); Nantes (314,200); Montpellier (290,100); Strasbourg (284,700); Bordeaux (257,100); Lille (233,100)

Ethnic Origins: 87.4% of the French population was born in France, 12.6% abroad (French born abroad, immigrants who have acquired French nationality or immigrants with foreign nationality). The French population is composed of a large proportion of people of Celtic and Latin origin with minorities from the Maghreb, Africa and Asia. (INSEE)

Official Language: French

Other Languages Spoken: The regional languages (Breton, Occitan, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Alsation, Picard, etc.) are only spoken locally and by a minority of French people.

Business Language(s): Although French is the official language in France, many businesspeople speak English. However, depending on the type, geographical location and sector of activity of the company, it may be difficult to find someone who speaks English. Being able to communicate and negotiate in French provides a distinct advantage.

Religion: Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 10%, none 33%

Welsh diplomatic representations:

The Welsh Government overseas offices aim to grow the economy by increasing exporting and attracting inward investment, raising Wales' profile on the international stage and establishing Wales as a globally responsible nation. Details on the offices in France are below:

- Paris - +33 1 44 51 31 36 - Open from 9:00am to 5:00pm local time

Local Time:

It is %T:%M %A In Paris

Exchange Rate on :

National Currency: Euro (EUR)

Country Overview

Area: 549,087 km²

Type of State: France is a Republic, parliamentary democracy combined with presidential power.

Type of Economy: High-income, advanced, and diversified economy..
French economic growth is stabilizing, driven by resilient domestic demand and investment, while the budget deficit remains high and is the subject of increased attention from the authorities.

HDI*: 0.920/1

HDI (World Rank): 27/192

Note: (*) The HDI, Human Development Index, is an indicator which synthesizes several data such as life expectancy, level of education, professional careers, access to culture etc.

Telecommunication

Telephone Code:
To call from France, dial 00
To call France, dial +33

Internet Suffix: .fr

Households with a computer: 77.5 per 100 Inhabitants

Telephone Lines: 61.9 per 100 Inhabitants

Internet Users: 88.7 per 100 Inhabitants

Access to Electricity: 100% of the Population

Foreign Trade in Figures

Foreign Trade Indicators	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Imports of Goods (million USD)	581,297	715,082	823,216	788,177	750,230
Exports of Goods (million USD)	488,637	585,021	620,461	651,122	640,247
Imports of Services (million USD)	227,271	269,089	292,453	331,468	340,425
Exports of Services (million USD)	245,187	314,687	359,059	368,066	398,367

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation, Latest data available.

See the latest updates in the Country Profile for France.

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This content is provided by Business Wales, an agency of the Welsh Government, and is intended to Welsh individuals and companies for information purposes.