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The France
THE FRANCE
1. Employment
1.1 The Work Force
Work force: 24,400,000 people (1991)
Men 13,717,000
Women 10,652,000
The percentage of French women holding a job is 44% of the work force giving France the highest female work force of any other country in the European Community. In fact, French women occupy more than half of all the white collar jobs in the country.
Unemployment as of February 1993: 3,024,000 people; the unemployment rate of women is twice that of men.
Salaries:
Average monthly salary by professional category and gender, April 1992 ($)
| Professional Category | Men | Women | Total |
| Blue-collar workers | 1,579.00 | 1,295.00 | 1,511.00 |
| White-collar workers | 1,726.00 | 1,295.00 | 1,625.00 |
| Supervisors, technicians, draftsmen | 2,286.00 | 2,051.00 | 2,222.00 |
| Executive management | 4,256.00 | 3,376.00 | 4,083.00 |
| Total | 2,173.00 | 1,695.00 | 2,013.00 |
On average, men earn 28.2 percent more than women; executive management earns 2.7 times the salary of blue-collar workers.
The French work force can be broken down into the following sectors (1990):
- Agriculture 6.8%
- Industry 22.6%
- Construction 7.2%
- Services 63.4%
1.2 The State as an Employer
Almost 3 million people are employed by the state. Of this figure, the National Education Ministry employs over 1,000,000 civil servants while the Post and Telecommunications Ministry represents almost 500,000.
1.3 Immigration
While the percentage of immigrant workers employed in the French work force has decreased from the 1985 level of 8.4%, they still represent approximately 6.6%, or a total 1,557,000 of the working population. Approximately 58% of this number are employed in blue collar industries.
The heaviest concentrations of immigrant populations are in the Ile-de-France (Paris region) and Rh"ne-Alpes (south-east) regions.
1.4 Social Calender
1884 Waldeck-Rousseau Law, according the freedom to create trade unions
1936 Law granting the right of all workers to paid vacation
1938 Creation of a general social security plan
1945-46 Nationalizations under de Gaulle
May 1968 Student demonstrations demanding university reform. Sit-down strikes by industrial workers demanding reduced hours of work, wage increases and a voice in management.
1975 Legalization of abortion
1981 Decentralization of local government, nationalization of banks and major corporations. "Auroux Laws" establishing the representation of unions within corporations. Abolition of the death penalty.
2. Education
In 1991, the French Government budget for education was $43.9 billion (247.8 billion FF).
Enrollment in France (excluding the French overseas territories):
- 6,610,046 elementary school students (1993)
- 3,336,599 secondary school students (1993)
- 2,230,512 high school students (1993)
- 1,756,918 university students (1991)
- 3,719 Americans studied at French universities in 1991.
3. Taxes
In 1993, for every 100 francs that a French person pays in taxes, the breakdown is as follows:
- education & culture $4.62 (25.5 FF)
- social services $3.35 (18.5 FF)
- defense $3.26 (18.0 FF)
- economy $2.08 (11.5 FF)
- general services $4.80 (26.5 FF)
4. Economy
4.1 French Trends
Gross Domestic Product, 1992 = FF 7,240 billion ($1,369 billion)
(Real annual percentage changes)
| What/Year | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993* | 1994* |
| Gross Domestic Product | 4.3 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | -0.7 | 1.5 |
| Private consumption | 3.1 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Retail sales | 1.6 | 0.5 | -0.4 | -0.7 | -- | -- |
| Total investment (Fixed Capital Formation) | 7.9 | 2.9 | -1.5 | -2.3 | -3.3 | 0.7 |
| Exports of goods and services | 10.2 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 6.5 | 0.6 | 4.1 |
| Imports of goods and services | 8.1 | 6.3 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 4.2 |
| Consumer price inflation | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
| Unemployment (% of labor force) | 9.4 | 8.9 | 9.4 | 10.2 | 11.2 | 12.1 |
| Gov't borrowing (% of GDP) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 5.8 |
| Balance on current account (billion FF) | -35.9 | -75.0 | -34.5 | 19.3 | -- | -- |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.6 | -1.3 | -0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| Exchange rate (FF per US $) | 6.38 | 5.45 | 5.65 | 5.29 | -- | -- |
| Short-term interest rate | 9.4 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 10.4 | 8.0 | 4.7 |
| Long-term interest rate (public sector bonds) | -- | 10.4 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 7.1 | 6.4 |
* Forcasts: OECD July 1993
4.2 France's Main Trading Partners (1992)
Imports by France
| Rank | Country | Millions of FF | % of Total | Cumulative % total |
| Global Imports by France | 1263935 | 100.0 | ||
| 1 | Germany | 236072 | 18.7 | 18.7 |
| 2 | Italy | 134478 | 10.6 | 29.3 |
| 3 | Belgium & Luxembourg | 108909 | 8.6 | 37.9 |
| 4 | United States of America | 106422 | 8.4 | 46.4 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 97416 | 7.7 | 54.1 |
| 6 | Spain | 68253 | 5.4 | 59.5 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 64176 | 5.1 | 64.6 |
| 8 | Japan | 51700 | 4.1 | 68.6 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 28516 | 2.3 | 70.9 |
| 10 | Sweden | 18751 | 1.5 | 72.4 |
| 11 | China | 18535 | 1.5 | 73.9 |
| 12 | Former Soviet Union | 18444 | 1.5 | 75.3 |
| 13 | Norway | 16321 | 1.3 | 76.6 |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia | 14801 | 1.2 | 77.8 |
| 15 | Portugal | 14261 | 1.1 | 78.9 |
Exports by France
| Rank | Country | Millions of FF | % of Total | Cumulative % of total |
| Global Exports by France | 1227516 | 100.0 | ||
| 1 | Germany | 215519 | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| 2 | Italy | 133837 | 10.9 | 28.5 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 113201 | 9.2 | 37.7 |
| 4 | Belgium & Luxembourg | 112923 | 9.2 | 46.9 |
| 5 | Spain | 87910 | 7.2 | 54.0 |
| 6 | United States of America | 79986 | 6.5 | 60.6 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 59857 | 4.9 | 65.4 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 42734 | 3.5 | 68.9 |
| 9 | Japan | 22136 | 1.8 | 70.7 |
| 10 | Portugal | 20397 | 1.7 | 72.4 |
| 11 | Sweden | 12417 | 1.0 | 73.4 |
| 12 | Canada | 11879 | 1.0 | 74.4 |
| 13 | Algeria | 11774 | 1.0 | 75.3 |
| 14 | Austria | 11315 | 0.9 | 76.2 |
| 15 | Morocco | 11275 | 0.9 | 77.2 |
4.3 Bilateral Relations
4.3.1 Trade
4.3.1.1 Results 1992
- Exports by France to the US: $15.1 bn FF 80 bn
- Imports by France to the US: $20.1 bn FF 106 bn
4.3.1.2 France's Trade Balance with the US
- 1992 (-) $4.9 bn (-) FF 26 bn
- 1991 (-) $6.7 bn (-) FF 37.9 bn
(billion FF)
| Year | French Exports | French Imports | Balance | $/FF |
| 1980 | 20.8 | 45.4 | -24.6 | 4.23 |
| 1981 | 30.4 | 53.3 | -22.9 | 5.43 |
| 1982 | 34.3 | 59.7 | -25.4 | 6.57 |
| 1983 | 43.8 | 61.8 | -18 | 7.62 |
| 1984 | 65.9 | 70.0 | -4.1 | 8.74 |
| 1985 | 75.3 | 73.2 | 2.1 | 8.99 |
| 1986 | 61.1 | 67.0 | -5.9 | 6.93 |
| 1987 | 62.5 | 67.6 | -5.1 | 6.01 |
| 1988 | 70.7 | 81.5 | -10.9 | 5.96 |
| 1989 | 72.4 | 93.7 | -21.3 | 6.38 |
| 1990 | 69.6 | 103.3 | -33.7 | 5.45 |
| 1991 | 76.6 | 114.5 | -37.9 | 5.65 |
| 1992 | 80.0 | 106.4 | -26.4 | 5.29 |
4.3.1.3 Main products exported by France to the United States
1992 - FAB value in millions of dollars
| Product | $ Millions | % of Total |
| Engines, motors and parts | 2,304 | 15.2 |
| Aircraft, spacecrafts | 1,863 | 12.6 |
| Alcoholic beverages | 923 | 6.2 |
| Motor vehicle parts & accessories | 629 | 4.2 |
| Perfumery, cosmetics, excluding soaps | 546 | 3.6 |
| Works of art, antiques | 356 | 2.4 |
| Measuring, analysis equipment | 260 | 1.7 |
| Oil (not crude) | 236 | 1.6 |
| Thermionic, cold cathode, photo, valves | 185 | 1.2 |
| Radioactive & associated materials | 184 | 1.2 |
4.3.1.4 Main products exported by the United States to France
1992 - CAF value in millions of dollars
| Product | $ Millions | % of Total |
| Engines, motors, non-electrical parts | 2,242 | 15.4 |
| Aircraft, spacecraft | 1,667 | 11.4 |
| Automatic data processing, (ADP)machines | 857 | 5.9 |
| Parts for office and ADP machines | 625 | 4.3 |
| Measuring & analysis equipment | 574 | 3.9 |
| Gold | 354 | 2.4 |
| Coal | 335 | 2.3 |
| Thermionic, cold cathode, photo, valves | 320 | 2.2 |
| Medicinal products except medication | 317 | 2.2 |
| Medical, dental instruments and appliances | 250 | 1.7 |
4.3.2 Direct Investment
4.3.2.1 French Direct Investment in the US ($ billions)
| Year | 1991 r | 1992 p |
| Capital inflows | 4.5 | -0.5 |
| Position | 24.2 | 23.8 |
r revised
p provisional
4.3.2.2 American Direct Investment in France ($ billions)
| Year | 1991 r | 1992 p |
| Capital inflows | 2.1 | 2.8 |
| Position | 20.8 | 23.3 |
r revised
p provisional
4.4 Agriculture
Over 60% of French soil is used for agriculture, a figure representing a total of 31,588,000 hectares. 25% is used for forestry. As of 1991, almost 7% (2,000,000) of the working population was involved in agriculture or related industries as compared with 20% in 1968.
It is important to note that while the actual active labor force involved in agriculture has declined in France, agricultural production has tripled in volume since 1950.
4.4.1 Agricultural Exports
Internationally, France is the 2nd exporter of agricultural and food products and the 7th importer. It is the world's leading exporter of on-the-hoof cattle, poultry, meat, cheese and wine. It is ranked number two for cereals and sugar, and the third exporter of beef, veal, milk and butter.
In 1991, agricultural and processed food products exports amounted to $32.3 billion (186 billion FF) while imports reached $23.1 billion (142 billion FF).
4.4.2 Viticulture
Wine : France produced 249 million gallons of wine in 1992 and in 1990 was ranked first in world production of wine.
Cognac : over 150 million bottles of cognac were exported in 1991; almost 30 million (27%) of these were sold on the American market. Europe is the largest cognac market with 43% of total sales.
4.4.3 Beef Farming
France was the 2nd highest EC producer of beef in 1991 and represented 30.5% of EC consumption.
4.4.4 Milk Production
With a production of 5.8 billion gallons, France was ranked third in the world in 1991. In 1992, France ranked 1st in EC milk production supplying 24.4% of EC consumption.
4.4.5 Cereals and Grains
In 1991, France was the highest EC producer of cereals and grains and supplied 44.8% of EC consumption.
5. Transportation
5.1 Rail
In 1992, the SNCF (Soci‚t‚ Nationale des Chemins de Fer) carried over 840 million passengers and 145 million tons of freight. There are presently 36,680 km of railroad track in France.
5.2 TGV
The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) allows for travel by rail to compete with the comfort and efficiency of the airline industry. For instance, the 262 mile (423 km) distance between Paris and Lyon can be reached in two hours at an average speed of 168 MPH (the TGV Atlantique averages 186 MPH).
The TGV set another world speed record on May 18, 1990 with a registered speed of 320.2 MPH.
5.3 Air Transport
The Air France Group consists of the country's three major airlines, namely Air France, UTA and Air Inter. This group manages a fleet of more than 318 aircraft, servicing Europe, North America, Central and South America, West and East Africa, Madagascar, the Near, Middle and Far East. There are local networks in the West Indies and Central America. The Air France Group also has special agreements with the Czech airline CSA and the Belgian airline Sabena.
5.4 Highway
France maintains an important road and motorway network. Her 1.5 million kilometers of paved roads are travelled by some 26 million automobiles each year.
6. Culture
6.1 "Francophonie"
Of the 44 French-speaking countries, there are approximately 450 million people who speak French daily. These Francophones represent 8% of the global population, 12% of the world GDP and 20% of world trade.
63,500,000 of the world's Francophones live in Europe in the countries of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Monaco.
6.2 Cultural Statistics
Museums: France boasts some 5,000 museums
Cinema:
- 1992 : 116.4 million spectators
- 1991 : 117.5 million spectators
- 1990 : 122.0 million spectators
- 1989 : 118.8 million spectators
Publishing: Some 37,860 novels were published in 1987.
6.3 Sports
Some 38% of the French population participate in one or more sports (21,000,000 people in 1988). The most popular sports are soccer, tennis, rugby, sailing, cycling and golfing.
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