World Country Guide

Population
59,481,919 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density
109.3 per sq km.

Capital
Paris. Population: 2,125,246 (1999).

Geography
France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, the south by the Mediterranean (with Monaco as a coastal enclave between Nice and the Italian frontier), the southwest by Spain and Andorra, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Corsica, southeast of Nice, is made up of two départements. The country offers a spectacular variety of scenery, from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrénées to the attractive river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne and the flatter countryside in Normandy and on the Atlantic coast. The country has some 2900km (1800 miles) of coastline.

Government
Republic since 1792. Head of State: President Jacques Chirac since 1995. Head of Government: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin since May 2005.

Language
French is the official language, but there are many regional dialects. Basque is spoken as a first language by some people in the southwest, and Breton by some in Brittany. Many people, particularly those connected with tourism in the major areas, will speak at least some English.

Religion
Approximately 77 per cent Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used; adaptors recommended.

Communications

Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 33. Outgoing international code: 00. Card-only telephones are common, with pre-paid cards bought from post offices and tabacs; coin boxes are being phased out throughout the country. International calls are cheaper between Mon-Fri 1900-0800 and all day from Sat-Sun. Calls can be received from all phone boxes showing the sign of a blue bell.

Mobile telephones
GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover most areas. The use of mobile telephones is prohibited at petrol stations.

Fax
Services are widely available; many hotels and all post offices have facilities.

Internet
Public access is available at Internet cafes. There are numerous local ISPs including wanadoo (website: www.wanadoo.fr).

Post
Stamps can be purchased at post offices and tabacs. Post normally takes a couple of days to reach its destination within Europe. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1200.

Press
There are many daily newspapers, the most prominent being Le Monde, Libération, France-Soir and Le Figaro. The main English language daily is the International Herald Tribune. Outside the Ile-de-France, however, these newspapers are not as popular as the provincial press. International newspapers and magazines are widely available, particularly in the larger cities.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.