France Today

What do we need to know

to make comparisons?

One of the most modern countries in the world

It is a leader

among European nations

France has 20 regions

Each region contains several “departements”

But France is roughly

17 1/2 times smaller

than the United States

And with just over 60 1/2 million inhabitants, France is

nearly five times less populated than the USA

It is therefore densely populated

Although the population growth rate

was only 0.37% in 2005

versus 0.92% in the US

It is a democracy

The Republic’s President

Nicolas Sarkozy

is the Chief of State

But the head of government

Is the Prime Minister

Presently François Fillon

Not the President, as in the USA

The French flag

Designed by artist Jacques Louis David

In 1794

Born from the French revolution “cocarde” blue and red are the colors of Paris. Red was also the

color of Charlemagne White the colors of the royal French family, but it was

also associated to Joan of Arc

France is proud of its history

It became unified in 486

Under Clovis

Charlemagne created the first schools in 800

The first French university,

the Sorbonne was created

in 1252

1789 saw The French Revolution

France suffered greatly with the two world wars

France is proud of its humanistic approach

• Everybody has national health

• University Education is free

• The population below poverty line

is 6.5% versus 12% in the US

• Literacy is 99% versus 97% in the

US

The Economic Aid (ODA) Given by both countries reflects this approach

FRANCE5.4 billion in 2002

USA6.9 billion in 1997

France is environment conscious

Gas cost is about 3 times that of the USAPublic transport is subsidized by the

government, so it is comparatively cheaptransport is fast and efficiently on time

Contrary to the US France signed the Kyoto Agreement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

What is France’s economy like?

GDP per capita $33100 (2010) GDP real growth 1.6 % Labor force 28.21 million Lowest 10% earns 2.8 % of GDP Highest 10% earns 25.1 of GDP (1995) Inflation rate 1.9% in 2005

US GDP per capita $47200 (world’s highest) US real growth rate 3.5% US Labor force153.9 million US Lowest 10% earns 1.8% of GDP Highest 10% earns 30.5 % (1997) a lot more now. Us Inflation rate 3.2% in 2005

France energy - import / export

France exports $443.3 billion (2005)imports $473.3 billionExports Electricity 72.2 billion kWhHas practically no oilExports Natural Gas 1.725 billion cu m

US exports $927.5 billionimports $1.727 trillion Exports electricity 23.97 billionoil 7.61 million bbl/dayImports more natural gas than it exports

France’s industries & agriculture

Machinery Chemicals Automobiles Metallurgy Aircraft Electronics Textiles Food processing Tourism

Wheat Cereals Sugar beets Potatoes Wines and grapes Beef Dairy products Fish

How does France achieve these results

• with higher taxes than the US

• and a smaller military budget 2.6%

of GDP

• workers have more bargaining

power in France (strikes)

Taxes

Apart from gas taxes France has Value added taxes (TVA)

Highways are very good, but most are far from free

Income tax is higher than in the US. It can reach nearly 50%, but contrary to today’s US, the more you earn the more you pay

France’s social laws

A worker’s full time week is 35 hoursAll workers are entitled to national health and get

5 weeks paid vacations per yearUnemployment, at 10% in 2005, seems much

higher than in the US at 5.1% • but hardly any workers are unwillingly part

timers • and remember France has half the percentage of

population of the US under poverty line.

France gives a lot of help

To childrenTo educationTo the unemployedTo immigrantsTo low income familiesTo public transportTo ex-colonies and to the third world

Health service

is nationwide It is cheaper than here almost everybody has a complementary

insurance, on top of “la sécurité sociale” so treatment and drugs are free to insured patients

Doctors still go visit the very sick at homePeople choose their regular physicianThe waiting list for organs is no worse than hereAnd they must do something right judging by the

following results

Death rate

Although death rate is slightly higher than in the US with 9.08 per thousand versus 8.25

life expectancy is higher in France: • a male can expect to live to 75.6 years

versus 74.89 years in the US • and a female can expect to reach 83.42

years versus 80.67 years in the US

Infant mortality & fertility rate

Infant mortality

• France: 4.76 per thousand

• US 6.5 per thousandFertility rate

• France 1.85 per thousand

• US 2.08 per thousand

At age 18

In the US you are allowed to vote, to go to the army but you cannot drink in a bar

The French can do all, and strangely enough as drinking is allowed, it loses most of the attraction it has for youngsters in the US.

In France Old people drink more than young ones.

Tourism in France

With 75.1 million visitors per year France is the most visited country in the world, before Spain with 53.6 million and the US with 46.1 million

In conclusion

One of the biggest difference, I think, is one of priorities, in what we call quality of life. France doesn’t equate it to personal possessions, but to personal time spent on vacation, hobbies, entertainment or at the table with friends and family. To end on a funny remark, although French workers are the most productive in the world, the word WORKOHOLIC does not exist in the French language. The French seem to take the time to live, they enjoy a good meal